Two Northern Virginia women will represent the state on the national pageant stage. Arlington resident Justus Kelley was crowned Miss Virginia USA 2026, and Purcellville’s Madyson Blizzard was named Miss Virginia Teen USA 2026.
Erin Houston and Emma McReynolds, the 2025 winners, presented the two with their sashes and crowns at a July 18 ceremony.
Miss Virginia USA 2026
Kelley holds a bachelor’s degree in community health and a master’s in public health administration from Indiana University. She currently serves as a senior philanthropic adviser at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She is also the founder of Foster Footprints, an organization dedicated to building support networks for foster youth and their families.
“A big part of what I will be doing as Miss Virginia is raising awareness of foster care,” Kelley said in an interview with WUSA9. “I am a licensed foster parent … and I’m the first Miss Virginia to be a mom. And I’m going on to the Miss USA stage to represent moms and folks within our community that are doing the work that I’m doing.”
Miss Virginia Teen USA 2026
A student at Liberty University, Blizzard served as Miss Spirit of Virginia through the Miss Virginia Volunteer organization. She developed a “Recipe for Success” initiative to teach children cooking skills and released a cookbook, Girl Dinner: Food, Faith, & Becoming Her, with recipes and personal stories.
Kelley and Blizzard will represent Virginia in their respective Miss USA and Miss Teen USA competitions in August.
Feature image of Justus Kelley by Goodwin Photography
