1. What did you love the most about your years as a successful model? It was a lot of hard work but after the work was done, I was able to see what I had been doing! Most people work and no one notices or cares…when I worked everyone got to see what I did that day. I also got to travel a lot and even though I would not have a lot of free time, I still got to enjoy other countries.

2. How did you get started? I was 17 and in my senior year in high school. I was admitted early to the pharmacy program at Univ. of Rhode Island. I was looking for ways to make extra money. Someone said I was pretty and should try modeling. There were no scouts at malls back then. I registered for a modeling school and started taking the courses. I would drive into Buffalo, NY with wet hair after swim practice and sit in the classes and try to absorb and care what they were talking about (how to walk and sit and what to wear and how to go to a casting…) I was in class one night feeling very out of place and noticed a small man in the corner staring at me. The owner of the school called me out of class and I thought for sure that they were going to kick me out as I did not belong there. Instead, they offered for me to work in New York. I told them, “no” as I was going to be a pharmacist! It took many days and a lot of talk to get me to even take photos for New York. The head of Elite came to Buffalo to sign me and we stood in the same class where I tried to learn this business and felt out of place and he signed me in front of all the other girls that had intimidated me only days ago!

3. What advice do people ask you about the modeling industry? Always have something to fall back on career wise. Do not go into this business DESPARATE!
Yu want to come from a position of strength where you say to yourself, “I’ll give this a try but if it does not work then I was meant to do this other thing.”

4. What changes would you love to see in our industry? Much less of the talent scouting and recruiting. So many people want to be a model and get told that they COULD work. They spend time and money chasing a dream that talent scouts dangle in front of them. I think many young girls are chasing someone else’s dream and if they really think about what drives them, they find that it is something else completely different.

5. How would you define beauty? Looking your best with what God gave you on the outside BUT…. The outside is only a small reflection of each person. What really makes a person beautiful is there love for others. Someone who is giving and compassionate and selfless has so much more inner beauty and selfless love is the lasting beauty. It is totally the opposite of what the modeling industry strives for.

6. What piece of advice would you give the new face just starting their career in NYC? To be willing to learn. To know your boundaries. Do not give yourself away either with giving up the inner beauty or purity. This business tries to rob you of purity but it is that same purity that they want to see in your eyes. You need to know what is important to you to make you happy and I don’t mean parties and diamonds! A solid childhood helps as this business feeds on insecurities.

7. What advice would you give their parents? As parents you have to rest assured that you have done all of the preparatory work for the years leading up to releasing them into this business. They have learned their values from you. You have to trust that they are now in God’s hands and that they will make the right decisions in day to day situations.

8. Any advice for Scouts & Agents? I would say to stop breaking the average girls heart by leading them on. Society puts so much emphasis on the outside and being beautiful is the way to “fit in”. When a girl gets lead into believing they can be a model from your words and then gets a reality check, it can have long lasting effects on that girl. Make sure that you motives in approaching a young girl and with good intentions for that girl not your head count!

9. If you had to do it all again, would you still pursue your modeling career? I do not know. There are many things about the business that hurt me but made me a stronger person. I was raised that I could do anything well if I tried. I never went to college. I can look back and know that I would not be afraid to try anything!!!

10. How do you feel about ModelTruth? I am glad that there is a caring agency out there that knows how tender a young girl’s ego is. I trust ModelTruth.