At 40, this respected business exec will compete for Miss Tennessee USA. Here's why

Her first pageant as a contestant kinda bummed her out.

As a little girl, Mandi Kane loved watching Miss USA and Miss America. She became completely infatuated with the sparkle, the glamour, the crowns, the winners' tears, the applause.

Kane begged her parents to put her in a pageant, and after saying no — this was shortly after child pageant contestant JonBenet Ramsey was murdered in 1996 — her parents eventually gave in.

The girl, who grew up in New Mexico, entered the Miss Pre-Teen New Mexico scholarship pageant — and it was, uh, well, different than what she was expecting.

No glittery gowns, just a "Sunday best" category, so she wore a blue-and-white church dress.

Contestants had to take a written test on current events and past national pageants.

"I wanted more stuff on stage, no tests," she said.

"I'm like, what is this? I really wanted more glitz. I was turned off by pageants for a second."

But only for a second.

She won Miss Rio Rancho Teen USA in 2001, Miss Teen New Mexico International at age 19 in 2003 and a handful of other crowns. But Kane got married in her early 20s and her (now ex-) husband wasn't a fan of pageants, so that effectively knocked her out of competition.

Now, at 40, she's back in.

'We're doing this'

In the last couple of decades, the Miss USA system has eliminated rules banning moms, married women and divorced women. And then, in September, Miss USA got rid of its age limit, opening competition to any woman 18 or older.

Kane, who moved to Tennessee in 2018, was sitting in her office in Brentwood at her prestigious health care communications consulting firm when she saw the news via Instagram — and she made up her mind immediately.

"This is happening," she told herself. "We’re doing this."

A crisis communications expert with a Master's degree, a book author and a respected volunteer for established Nashville nonprofits, Kane wanted to chase that crown again.

"It’s always something I’ve loved to do," Kane said.

"I feel like I never really had the opportunity to do it. It feels like I’m truly living the dream because I never thought it would be possible."

Kane, recently appointed Miss Davidson County USA, is slated to compete for the Miss Tennessee USA title March 7-9 at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville. Local and regional crown winners will compete in swimsuit, evening gown and interview.

And Kane will do so with support from friends inside and outside the pageant world.

"I told her I want to be there waving an enormous sign the shape of her head!" said Allison Reed, a Nashville health care executive who met Kane through volunteer work with the Nashville Symphony and Junior League of Nashville, a nonprofit promoting women leadership.

"I love the fact that she saw an opportunity with a change in age limits, and she's going for it," Reed said.

"Mandi's an educated, professional lady who works tirelessly in the community, and she's going for an opportunity to have fun."

For Kane, though, it's about more than a good time — she hopes to use this pageant run to inspire women to chase their dreams, regardless of age.

Despite controversies, Kane says pageants are evolving

"I have an opportunity to encourage women to pursue goals they might've thought they had to de-prioritize for other commitments. Or thought that they’re too late," she said.

"My goal is to encourage 1,000 women across the state to pursue a goal they either gave up on or thought it was too late to pursue."

Kane could face some resistance to the path she's choosing to encourage other women. The Miss USA Pageant has been tied to controversies. Former President Donald Trump owned the Miss USA pageant from 1996 to 2015, and several contestants accused him of walking in on them when they were partially undressed.

Some critics say pageants are sexist and outdated.

But Kane said she believes pageants are evolving.

"In the internet era, people are understanding anyone can be influential and make a difference. I think that’s where pageants are going," she said. "It’s less about being a model and more about being a role model, being a community servant, being an influencer in a different way."

Her one-time teen pageant rival Stephanie Telles — now a CEO and founder of her own consulting firm in New Mexico — said she thinks its empowering for Kane and others above the former age limit of 28 to get back into competing.

"Mandi is demonstrating her agency to engage in an activity that she finds fulfilling and enjoyable," Telles said in an email.

"Pageants aren’t just about strutting in gowns. Preparing for and participating in pageants are like any activity that requires focus, commitment and strength, and courage, and it contributes to significant personal growth," she said. "Women often learn more about themselves, their limits and their potentials, developing a stronger sense of self and purpose by competing in pageants."

Asked if she would win at this year's Miss Tennessee USA pageant, Kane immediately said yes.

"Whether that involves a crown or not, I've already gained so much from this," she said, "and it’s been really great for me."

Reach Brad Schmitt at brad@tennessean.com or 615-259-8384.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Miss Tennessee USA: Meet the 40-year-old business exec competing