MUA 2023 NATIONAL FINALISTS

ALEXANDRA LIM

Alex is 20 years old, and recently graduated from a Bachelor of Global Studies in 2022. Currently working as a youth mental health advocate at high schools speaking about her mental health story, facilitating social and emotional wellbeing workshops, and mentoring young people.

Alex is also a model and dances professionally at events in the styles of Belly Dancing, Bollywood, Bhangra, Latin, and Fire Twirling, and is currently training to be a dance teacher in ballroom and Latin styles!

Alex would love to use the MUA platform to advocate for the importance of mental health, emotional well-being, and mindfulness, by continuing to raise awareness, promote early intervention and preventative strategies in schools and communities, break stigmas, and encourage young people to reach out for support. She hopes to one day have her own TED talk and inspire others in the same way that TED speakers have inspired her to grow to where she is today.

BREE MONCK

Bree is currently studying to become a Pharmacist and aspires to enhance the quality of lives in her community. She has devoted a significant portion of her life to touch football but has recently found enjoyment in reformer Pilates and taking leisurely walks with her Cocker Spaniel puppy, Ava.

Engaging in numerous volunteer programs, she has participated in missions across Vanuatu, the USA, and Australia. A passionate advocate of maintaining a wholesome, and active lifestyle, she also embraces the strength and uniqueness that femininity embodies.

BROOKE BAILEY

Brooke’s dream goal is to start a health and wellness business which specialises in the overall well-being of woman, through the incorporation of both Pilates based workouts and dietetics and continue to meet her career goals in the fashion industry. An interesting fact about Brooke is she completed professional ballet training at the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet. Brooke’s biggest achievement is her volunteer work in the hill tribes of Northern Thailand, whereby she lived and assisted in building schools for orphaned children. Brooke looks up to Michelle Obama for her drive and mindset, as well as her parents for their work ethic and humanity.

Brooke’s chosen current career path is modelling. She enjoys meeting and working with creative minds and making art work through photography. Brooke’s hobbies include horse riding, cooking and spending quality time with her animals, friends and family. Brooke would like to advocate for women’s empowerment and self-worth as well as assisting poverty ridden countries around the world.

BROOKLYN METROPOLIS

Brooklyn was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia. She is a Registered Nurse, trained dancer & model represented by Chadwick Models. A natural performer, Brooklyn is an accomplished dancer having trained in multiple genres since she was just 5 years old. More recently she was cast in the stage production of FAME the musical.

Brooklyn currently works in the specialised adolescent eating disorder ward of Perth Children’s Hospital and intends to further her career with a Master’s of Nursing and be a spokesperson for youth mental health. Brooklyn believes the Miss Universe Program will give her a platform to advocate for mental health. She feels she can be an influential role model to the youth of today, encouraging everyone to have a voice and embrace their individuality.

CLAIRE ROSSIER

Claire is 21 years old and in her final year of studying a Bachelor of Design specialising in Creative Direction and Styling. Her ultimate career goal is to be a creative director of a major fashion magazine. The reason she wanted to be a part of Miss Universe Australia is to not only push herself out of her comfort zone, but to be a good role model for other women to do the same. A fun fact about Claire is that she was born in Hong Kong, and has lived in New York and London.

DOMINIQUE ROSS

Passionate about health, wellness and a positive mindset, Dominique would like to be a role model for young men and women, boys and girls, to be the best most confident version of themselves. She would like to use her platform to raise awareness for social causes close to her heart such as the bone marrow transplant registry, and positive body image. Dominique is a model, digital creator and digital marketing executive.

EMILY OUTRIDGE

As a registered nurse, Emily’s passion lies within women's health. Outside of work, she enjoys dancing and has a background in commercial jazz and burlesque. Her favourite things include spending time with loved ones, staying active, and cuddling with my cat. Emily aspires to promote women's health and empowerment on her platform, with a specific focus on domestic violence awareness and advocacy.

EMILY ROGERS

Emily is 20 years old and studying a health science degree specialising in neuroscience and physiology, where she intends to obtain a medical degree and pursue a career as a neurologist. She enjoys writing as a medium to connect with others and express herself, and hopes to someday amalgamate her love of science and literature to produce a novel that details the science behind utilising positive affirmation as a tool to rewire the neurological pathways in the brain.

Emily hopes to use her experience as a Miss Universe Australia finalist to advocate for mental health awareness and implementations within our society; to cultivate inspiring and impactful conversations that help change the narrative of self, and empower young people to speak their truths.

FARIDA SINGATOULINA

Farida is a professional film and theater actress, model. She has an eclectic Russian and Chinese heritage and is a native speaker of three languages. She is a graduate of Beijing Film Academy with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. Outside of her modelling and acting profession, she is a skilled accordionist and fond of translating, fashion, swimming. She is particularly invested in the topics of art, culture, international relations and hopes to one day open her own Actors Training Academy in Australia.

JOHARA PILLAY

Johara is 26 years old and currently works as a clinical specialist in Medical Technology where she assists with creating 3D electro-anatomical maps of the heart. Whilst completing her Bachelor of Biomedical Science (hons) and Masters of Medical research, Johara worked as a disability support worker and found so much joy volunteering in that space.

Johara’s favourite thing to do is explore the vibrant Melbourne food scene, whether that's roaming through the farmers market or checking out a new restaurant. She is also a keen traveller and will take any excuse to get outdoors and into nature! For her, this platform offers the opportunity to advocate for women in STEAM and continue the conversation about diversity in media.

KHLOE HICKS

Khloe is 24-year-old native of Perth, but has been lucky enough to live in a few fascinating places such as Italy, New York, and Sydney. However, she couldn't be happier to be back home in WA. Khloe is currently working as a Public Relations and Event Coordinator, a role that's both fun and fabulous, and one that she’s incredibly passionate about. Each day presents new challenges and opportunities, meeting new people and attending exciting events.

When she has some downtime, you'll often find her breaking a sweat during morning pilates, reading a good book, and spending time with family and friends. She couldn't be more excited to embark on her Miss Universe Australia journey.

LAUREN WALKER

Lauren grew up in remote South Australia, on a sheep farm, where still to this day in 2023 there remains no mobile phone service. Two years ago, she moved to another regional town in Victoria, to follow her heart. The little community of Nar Nar Goon is where Lauren now resides on a horse and cattle farm. Lauren is a Registered Midwife and has helped welcome over 100 babies into this world. However, she estimates double that in the number of baby lambs she has helped deliver over her years on the farm. A midwife by night and entrepreneur by day- Lauren is also the owner and director of a horse racing company.

In her spare time, you’ll find Lauren with her make-up off and her boots on, out riding her horse, feeding one of the many rescue animals on their property (which currently included caring for a donkey and camel) or in the kitchen. Lauren has a love for cooking which she owes to her Italian heritage, her Nonna used to say ‘stomaco pieno, cuore pieno’, which translates to ‘full belly, full heart’. Cooking is Lauren’s love language and she boasts a mean gnocchi.

As a midwife, Lauren is fortunate enough to be a part of women and their families' most intimate days of their lives. She loves having the ability to empower women to make informed decisions and be autonomous for themselves and their baby’s health. Using the Miss Universe platform Lauren would love to continue to inspire and empower young women (and men); Whether that be in regards to their sexual and reproductive health or even to start their own business or company they have been dreaming of, regardless of their background or circumstances. Somewhere in the near future Lauren would also love to combine her love of fashion and horse racing.

LILY GOODARE

Lily's dream goal is to achieve her commercial pilots' license and one day run a business in aviation alongside her marketing! On Saturday mornings you'll find Lily taking part in her newest hobby, performing the samba during her Brazilian dancing lessons! Lily says her biggest achievement is starting her small business and gaining her RPL pilots' license!

Lily looks up to David Attenborough as he has made such a huge impact on this world and continues to advocate his knowledge and care for animals and climate change. Being a woman of many interests, Lily has a few career paths that she is working on, at the moment her main focus is marketing and being an entrepreneur. Being outdoors means a lot to Lily with her hobbies including going to the gym and swimming. An important issue to Lily is domestic violence, she has been an ambassador for the Stand By U Foundation for two years and will continue to advocate for victims of domestic violence.

MADDISON COTTLE

Maddison is a 22 year old, full time business owner. After starting a small ecommerce business in lockdown selling framed zodiac prints for loved ones and gratitude journals for both adults and children, she was able to turn it into a successful, full time business and has been her full time job!

2 years ago, Maddison received a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and feels so blessed to live a completely symptom free life where it does not impact her in any way. However, in the beginning she did not know this would be the case and experienced first hand the toll it takes on your mental health to receive a medical diagnosis. That is why she now feels so passionately about the support surrounding the mental health of those who receive a medical diagnosis. Although she cannot cure disease, she wishes to do everything in her power to advocate and educate about this topic as well as any preventative measures we can implement in our lives to prevent disease.

MARY LOPEZ

Mary’s current profession as a nurse was inspired after surviving an unexpected near death seizure at the age of 16. Mary works on an acute mental health ward and specialises in Electroconvulsive therapy. Her mission is to make a greater impact beyond her ward by delivering workshops and seminars on the importance of mental health. Her aim is to educate and empower young women to become mental health leaders within their communities. She is incredibly dedicated to reducing the prevalence of suicide in Australia.

MIA DALKOS

Mia was born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia. She currently works for the Department of Education and also owns a small business called, Mia’s Hire Boutique. She is extremely passionate about wellness and self care. Her business provides a platform for her to encourage and empower women to feel confident in their bodies by giving them an opportunity to feel great by looking great!

Mia takes great pride in my Greek heritage. Her grandparents are her biggest role models. All four came to Australia with nothing and built amazing lives, which she benefits from today. They are the strongest and most honourable people she knows and inspire her to be the best person she can possibly be!

MORAYA WILSON

Moraya is 21 years old and from Melbourne. After following the Miss Universe Australia program for several years, and experiencing some recent family hardships, Moraya decided to enter the program, with the motivation to use her platform as an avenue to advocate for Youth Mental Health. Which is a cause that aligns with her values to support those with mental illness.

Moraya has been fortunate in her life to have had a wide array of experiences. Working as a model has enabled her to travel and live in multiple Australian cities. In doing so she has connected and developed relationships with many people in the fashion industry. Her aim is to continue networking and meeting empowered individuals throughout the Miss Universe Australia program!

Moraya’s competitive and hard working nature was heightened throughout her youth as a high performance athlete. She would train and compete overseas in Snowsports during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter, then return home to Australia to train and race as a 400m and 800m track athlete. Moraya is now an Athletics, Cross Country and Snowsports coach at a High school in Melbourne. She is also in the final year of completing a Bachelor of Business Marketing degree. To complement her degree, she has been working towards launching her own clothing business later this year, called ‘Bee and Bare Clothing’. The first range she has designed is inspired by the 90s tennis fashion of Europe and the US.

NATASHA HUISMAN

Natasha is completing an apprenticeship in Electrotechnology. She mentions that as an apprentice comes many challenges, however some of the reasons she enjoys her career of choice is that she is always learning, gaining practical skills and knowledge to problem solve and she is able to encourage women who also have a desire to work in a trade.

Natasha is always spending her spare time keeping active and healthy, whether that’s going to the gym, playing netball, basketball or running.

SABRINA D’ODORICO

Sabrina’s goal is to have a successful career both in modelling and nutrition/dietetics. A fun fact about Sabrina is that she is bilingual, she can speak Spanish. Sabrina's biggest achievement would be the women that she has grown into today. Thanks to her mum, she has grown up in a household that has entrenched in her the importance of maintaining values as a woman every day.

Sabrina is very big on confidence and women empowerment and would like to use her platform to advocate this, to be a role model for women to truly value themselves.

SENE MALUWAPI

Sené is a promising First Nations and Pasifika model, a proud Malu Kiwai woman of the Samu and Gaidai Clans. With her four years of experience in the modelling industry, she uses her modelling career to extend the acknowledgment of First Nations people in creative spaces. The up-and-coming model is a passionate advocate for Indigenous representation in the Australian Fashion Industry. Sené is also passionate about protecting her island home of Boigu in Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait Islands) from the impacts of climate change and is an active supporter of the 'Our Islands Our Home' campaign.

In Sené’s words; ‘I’m so proud to be a First Nations and Pasifika woman representing my culture on an iconic platform like Miss Universe Australia. As the world slowly starts to embrace inclusion, I believe I am right on time. My voice and presence is an important and under-represented story that I am proud to carry and share - for little me, for the little girls that see themselves in me and for anyone else who hasn’t seen themselves reflected/mirrored in society.”

SOMAYA O’DONNELL

Somaya's dream goal is to represent Australia as an actress/model on national scale, this has been her dream since she was a little girl as the feeling of bringing a story to life, encapsulating a character and making people laugh is what sets her soul on fire! Somaya says her biggest achievement to date would be buying her first home and graduating from WAAPA.

An interesting fact about Somaya is that she has had a breast reduction in 2021 to reduce her chances of Breast Cancer, as it is hereditary in her family and is also something she is very passionate about raising awareness for. Someone Somaya looks up to is Angelina Jolie as she says she not only achieved a successful career in acting but also used her platform for better and helped organisations and people around the world.

TASH KNOX

Tash is twenty-one years old, loves arranging flower bouquets, and once hiked through the Himalayas! She has always felt an unwavering desire to make a positive impact on others growing up, which is why she is currently pursuing a tertiary degree in psychology with dreams of becoming a clinical psychologist. Being able to help others has been a lifelong passion, and Tash couldn’t be more excited to turn that dream into reality.

Tash is also an openly queer woman! Through the incredible platform provided by Miss Universe Australia, she is honoured to be able to use her voice to advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. The amazing partners and friends she has met through this beautiful community have shown her that every person deserves to feel loved, accepted, and celebrated for who they truly are, and hopes to continue to send that message to everyone she meets. Tash cannot wait to see where this journey takes her, and what she’ll all achieve.

VIMBAYI HAKUTANGWI

Vim loves a challenge and believe that we shouldn't limit ourselves to just one path; we should push boundaries and pave our own way. That is why she is currently pursuing a career in the navy as a Clearance Diver, one of the most physically demanding positions within the Australian Defence Force. Her cultural identity is incredibly important and as a proud trilingual Zimbabwean-Australian, she has always strived for success no matter the adversity. Vim hopes to use the platform as an opportunity to start important conversations and advocate for more women to occupy leadership roles within their communities.

VITORIA CAMPOREALE

At the age of twenty-three Vitoria has completed two bachelors’ degrees and is now working in law and volunteering at legal centres where she provides legal aid to minority groups, asylum seekers and women from disadvantaged backgrounds. Vitoria has been inspired by their stories to pursue her dream of becoming a published author where she would be able to use her craft of writing to touch the lives of many people around the world. She believes creative education should be taught to young people, particularly disadvantaged students, whose voices are not being heard due to external influences. Vitoria would use her platform as Miss Universe Australia to encourage disadvantaged and minority groups to find their own authentic voices through safe and creative spaces.