Meet Rhonda Shappert
The Heart & Experience Behind Winning Through Pageantry
Decades of pageant, performance, and coaching experience helping girls and women grow in confidence, communication and leadership- on stage and in life
More Than Crowns: The Power of Pageantry Preparation
Pageantry is often seen as crowns, gowns, glamour, and stage productions. Those aspects are fun and energizing, but it has been much more than that in my life. Pageantry has been one of the most powerful tools I’ve experienced for building confidence, communication, leadership, service, and personal growth that lasts long after the crowning moment. That is the experience I strive to create for every client and family I have the honor of working with.
Pageantry has shaped my life in ways I never expected, and today it allows me to help girls and women grow through preparation that impacts far more than competition.
Beyond coaching, I am a wife, mother of three daughters, grandmother, former mayor, published author, contemporary Christian recording artist, and an iPEC certified life coach. Each of these roles has shaped how I coach, teach, and support the girls, women, and families I have the privilege of working with. Faith, family, service, and meaningful personal growth remain at the center of everything I do.
How Pageantry Shaped My Life And Purpose
For me, it started at age five. I only did two pageants as a child; but at that age, I loved feeling pretty, dressing up, and the excitement of being on stage. As I grew older, pageantry became much more meaningful.
The four titles I earned as a teen helped me work through self-image struggles, grow confidence speaking in front of people, and form friendships with other motivated, high-achieving young women. The stage gave me a place to grow into myself while learning discipline, resilience, and goal setting. Those early experiences laid the foundation for my future life and career.
Discovering Coaching Changed Everything
Years later, after becoming a wife and mother of three daughters, I entered the Mrs. Ohio America system for the first time. During preparation, I quickly realized there were very few resources to help contestants understand the full process.
After that pageant, my roommate — who won the title that year — told me I needed to work with her pageant coach next year. I had never heard of pageant coaching before and was surprised that no one had mentioned this to me in my preparation process. The following week, I began working with Willa. The personal growth I experienced through that partnership changed my life. You see, I had 3 children within 4 years and my life revolved around diapers, Barney and Sesame Street. I loved being a mother and wouldn’t have changed one minute of time with me girls; but I felt drained, exhausted, and had lost touch with who I was an individual.
Willa had a gift for helping every woman feel valued while bringing out her best. She helped me realize that caring for myself made me stronger for my family and community, not selfish. That experience planted the first seeds of my desire to coach other women.
After five years of competing in the system and continuing to grow personally, I was honored to be crowned Mrs. Ohio America 2005 and national Ms. American Woman over 30. By that time, I was fully prepared to use the title and serve in meaningful ways.
Titles, Service, and Leadership Experience
Serving as Mrs. Ohio America allowed me to make over 120 public speaking appearances and service communities across the state. During that time, I was honored by the Mrs. America Organization, Ohio Governor Bob Taft, The Ohio House of Representatives, The Ohio State Senate, received the Silver Good Citizenship Medal from the Ohio Society Sons of the American Revolution, and received the Spirit of America Award from Dr. John J. Mahlmann of the National Association for Music Education for my work with the National Anthem Project.
Later, I was crowned the 2012 National Pure American Ms. Elegance Queen. That year held special meaning because my daughter held the National Teen title at the same time. We traveled, served communities, and made appearances together- creating memories that remain some of our family’s most treasured moments. Because of the service and appearances from that year, I was honored to serve as 2013 Pure Ultimate National Queen.
Through every stage of my journey — child contestant, teen and married titleholder, and mother supporting daughters through pageantry — I experienced firsthand how pageantry can build confidence, communication, leadership, and personal growth when approached in a healthy and balanced way.
The Moment That Strengthened My Purpose
While my daughters were participating in an international pageant in Las Vegas, I had an experience that has stayed with me all these years.
As I was waiting in the hallway for them to come off stage, there was a young girl, around seven or eight years old, sitting on the floor alone with her head between her knees, sobbing. There were no adults around her.
I gently walked over and asked, “Honey, are you okay?”
Through tears she looked up and said, “My mom hates me.”
My heart broke. I tried to reassure her that sometimes adults say things in stressful situations that they don’t mean and I stayed with her until her director came to find her. I did not personally know the little girl or the director, but in that moment, I fully understood how deeply pressure, preparation styles, and words can impact a child’s confidence, self-worth, and family relationships.
That experience strengthened my commitment to helping contestants and families experience pageantry as a positive and confidence-building journey. Not long after, I created Winning Through Pageantry®.
How I Help Clients Prepare
Many people assume pageant coaching focuses only on appearance or stage performance. Those elements matter, but true preparation runs much deeper.
My work blends professional life coaching with decades of pageant experience. I partner with each client to create a preparation plan that supports both performance skills and personal growth.
Together, we focus on:
- Interview, storytelling, and communication skills
- Stage and personal presence training
- Wardrobe and appearance planning
- Platform and community service planning
- Confidence and mindset coaching
- Personal growth coaching that extends beyond pageantry
While preparing for competition, I also help clients plan what they will do with their title. We develop service plans, leadership goals, and community impact ideas while they are still preparing. That way, they are not just preparing to compete — they are preparing to lead with or without the crown.
Performance And Communication Background
My foundation in stage presence and storytelling began long before coaching. Before obtaining my Bachelor’s degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University, I performed on stages in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, and North America, learning how to connect with diverse audiences and communicate with clarity under pressure. Some highlights from those two years include performing at:
- Halftime show of Super Bowl
- NBA halftime show for the Phoenix Suns
- Pan American Field and Track Games Opening Ceremonies
- Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
- International Peace Festival in Hiroshima
- International television specials
- United Nations
What You Can Expect
Only one woman wears the crown at a time, but every woman can win through preparation. Winning means walking onto the stage confident, prepared, and proud of who you are. It is gaining skills that open doors in careers, leadership, relationships, and service. When we work together, you can expect honest guidance, preparation built around you, and a coaching partnership that supports both performance and personal growth. You will be encouraged, challenged, and supported every step of your journey. Most importantly, you will leave the experience with skills that benefit you long after the pageant is over.
If you are ready to begin, I would be honored to be on your team.
