HURRICANE – After years of struggling with pregnancy loss and infertility, Tiffany Alleman knew it was time to share her story so that she could help others who may also be struggling with the same difficulties.
The 30-year-old mother of two from Sandy was crowned Mrs. Utah United States on May 14, in Hurricane, in a tight contest with six other women from around the state. Her platform was “Infertility, Pregnancy Loss, and the Gift of Motherhood.”
With the support of her husband, Jonathan, Alleman competed in private interview, swimsuit, evening gown and onstage interview. The caliber of women competing was high and it took two CPAs from Hinton Burdick of St. George to tally all the scores and ensure the right woman was selected from a panel of five judges.
“If anyone should win based on the support of her husband, I am your only choice,” Alleman said to the Mrs. Utah Director as she recounted her interview with the judges.
The pageant’s emcees, Reba Rockett and Eric Dodge, read the following tribute from Alleman’s husband as she participated in the evening gown competition:
“Suffering through miscarriages and infertility was difficult for us. The emotions and feelings were raw and difficult to deal with. I’m proud that Tiffany has used our challenges to bless the lives of others. Tiffany has the innate ability to make people feel secure, loved, and important. She’s not just friendly; she’s a true friend. She met her best friend in a line at the post office. She threw a baby shower for the gas station attendant.”
First Runner Up Elizabeth Anderson, a 36-year-old mother of four from Alpine, took home the award for best swimsuit. Anderson is a fitness model and owner of Elizabeth Anderson Fitness who teaches women to love themselves from the inside out.
Second Runner Up Michele Weeks, a 43-year-old mother of six from Draper, is a ski instructor and actress who uses her talents to teach women “The Art of Being Grateful,” and overcoming depression and low self-esteem. Weeks tied for the evening gown award with Toquerville resident Amanda Condie.
Condie is the wife of Lt. Cory Condie who is getting ready to deploy with the Triple Deuce. Condie, who is preparing for the year-long deployment, used her platform to talk about preparing families who’s loved ones are going to war. She also won the Mrs. Photogenic award.
Apple Valley resident Kristine Bennett inspired the girls and the judges. The seven contestants voted Bennett as Mrs. Congeniality and the judges awarded her a special award for being the “Most Inspirational.” Bennett, who was a Clorox model when she was younger, now works in the health industry.
Now in her sixties, Bennett is battling Parkinson’s disease and was an inspiration to those in attendance as she overcame her disability to compete in the pageant. Bennett and her husband Brent have 10 children and are in the process of adopting two teenage Ukrainian sisters.
Tawni Williams, a 31-year-old mother of three from North Salt Lake, received the Mrs. Listener’s Choice award as voted on by the listeners of Big Kickin’ Country and Star 98 FM in Southern Utah where the pageant was held.
Williams, a certified speech therapist, actively promotes combating illiteracy and strives to reach every one of all walks of life that struggles with illiteracy. Williams promotes teaching literacy to the disabled and disadvantaged, and encourages reading at a young age.
Herriman resident, Heather Richey, a 39-year-old mother of seven, touched the audience and the emcees as she talked about using your voice to prevent and stop child abuse.
“When a child uses their voice, they are able to find safety, to process trauma, and move forward with their lives,” she said in her biography. Richey is a recording artist with three inspirational albums.
During the pageant, the audience was entertained by country star Eric Dodge, Miss Mesquite Elizabeth Mercado and the gracefulness of the hip-hop, ballroom and belly dancers from The Fuego House of Dance.
Alleman will now serve as Mrs. Utah United States for the next year and will compete at the national competition in Las Vegas with preliminaries beginning July 31.