Leeann Tingley Interview
Miss Rhode Island USA 2006 & top 10 @ Miss USA 2006
Why did you decide to compete in the Miss Rhode Island USA pageant?
I was a figure skater my whole life and in 1997 a girl I skated with was competing in Miss RI Teen USA. She asked me to do it with her so I said why not. I was young. That year I placed in the top 15 and was thrilled. I was too involved with the demands of skating so I didn’t compete again. I did meet my new hairstylist at the pageant, Michael Rose. Years later I decided to compete in the Miss RI USA in 2003. Growing up as a very competitive figure skater with a busy schedule all the time. When I went to college it was too expensive to continue both. I went to college for a year and a half and at that time I knew being away at school wasn’t for me. I was studying to be an Accountant and I had no passion for it. I need passion in my life and I really wanted to pursue my dream in the beauty business. I decided to start working at an exclusive salon in RI, Michael Rose Hair Designs. My mentor, Michael Rose, was very involved withMiss RI USA and pageants. I was originally backstage helping the girls get ready with Michael. In 2003 he convinced me to compete in the 2004 season. I told him he was crazy because there was no way I could be graceful in heels in a gown on stageJ He kept on me about it. I decided if I am going to do it I need to be disciplined like I was in figure skating and give it 200%. I am glad he kept on me about competing because it all worked out! The only ironic thing is I won the year after he moved to Florida to retire. He is so amazing at what he does he opened his own salon down there and now works with the Mrs. Florida system.
You competed twice before winning the pageant on your third try. What motivated you to come back and compete year after year?
I'm a competitive person by nature! I never quit or give up on anything I am passionate about. If I am going to do something I have to give it my all or I wont do it. I do work best under pressure! In 2004 I placed 4th runner up on my first shot! The next year I trained harder and I placed first runner up, as a brunette that is. I was like a chameleon every year. In 2004 I was platinum blonde and in 2005 I was a dark brunette! Hence, I am a great colorist so I guess I liked the change. After being so close in 2005 it made me want it that much more! I worked 40 hours a week preparing and spent 2 hours at the gym getting lean and mean. I was in it that year to win it and I did! I was an athlete most of my life so my pageant preparation was mostly getting myself in tip top shape, it was almost like I was training for a sport versus a pageantJ I am very superstitious and my favorite number is 26 so in 2006 the pageant began on august 26th and it was usually in October and I thought how cool it would be to win the year of my favorite number! My horoscope that weekend said to have a party in honor –of-me on that Sunday and that is the day I was crowned!
What was going through your head when you were announced as the new Miss Rhode Island USA?
I think I had a different reaction than most winners. I jumped up and down so high and tackled my first runner up. I almost knocked her over! The goofy Leeann jumped out (that’s why I had such a tough time being graceful in heels because I can be a goof and clumsy). I was so excited because I worked so hard! I was so excited that I finally did it after years of being told I would never win and that I was fat, etc. (That was the worst part but you have to ignore anyone trying to bring you down.) Then of course I cried but it was an amazing feeling because its something I wanted so very badly and I had come so close twice before. Pageants were a lot like figure skating. You never know because its based more on five peoples opinions. It could be a different winner based on who is judging at that given moment, on that given day.
You were one of the 26 contestants chosen to be a case model on “Deal or No Deal”. Please tell us about your experience on the show.
Deal or No Deal was fun. I really got a chance to become good friends with Miss Pennsylvania, Tanya Lehman, Miss Nevada, Lauren Schyphers and my roommate at Miss USA, Tara Conner. It was cool being on TV but I realized it wasn’t for me. It took us six hours to film that show. It took 3 hours to do the first episode and one of the models passed out and the suitcase opened so we had to do the show all over again. They edit so much so it was fun for sure but I couldn’t do that all the time. It was a long night but I learned a lot from the makeup artists and stylists. They made us look amazing. I couldn’t believe it was me in the mirror! LOL I am glad we did two shows because the guy went from winning 13,000 to I think almost 300,000 and proposed to his fiancé so it was cute.
What was going through your head when you were called into the top 15 and then into the top 10 at Miss USA?
I think it does come down to visualization like the current Miss USA said. I had my mind set at most at making the top ten as RI only had placed a few times prior. At states I had my mind set on winning. I would of loved to have been Miss USA but I didn’t feel like it was my life path. I felt like the experience was part of my journey but I never visualized myself as Miss USA. Anyhow Tara was my roomie and she was called first so I was psyched for her, then they called RI and I think I ran down the stairs in heels and again almost slipped! I was so so happy and I wasn’t expecting it so I was on a whirlwind. Then I was the last to be called into the top ten so that was nerve-wracking! I was super confident after swimsuit, as that is where I trained. Again I just never clicked walking in a gown in 5-inch heels gracefully but I did the best I could. It was like an outer body experience you could say. After the top ten was called out on stage after gown I flew across the stage as I was leading the ten and I tend to walk very fast. Looking back I nailed prelims but that’s because I wanted to make the cut. I did well final night but I wasn’t on top of my game but I did the best I could and I have no complaints! Top ten at Miss USA was a great accomplishment for me!
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss Rhode Island USA?
My most memorable moment as Miss RI USA was going back to my elementary school. I was supposed to do reading to the students but instead the principal, whom was my principle, asked me to speak to the whole school. I always feared public speaking so even though it was fourth to sixth grade I was nervous. It was so much fun because I spoke to the kids about how important it is to set goals in life and never give up! I had the kids chanting after I would ask them “what do you do if you don’t achieve your goal on the first time?” They all responded, “Try, Try, Try Again” It was priceless! I had a kid in the audience who screamed out I live in your old house and they were asking me to sign their shoes! It was too cute. I loved any event with the kids. I would let all the kids especially the girls wear the crown and banner and they loved it. That meant the most to me!
You are an accomplished skater. When did you start skating and when how did you get into it?
Figure Skating was my life for so many years! My father only got to go to college because of a hockey scholarship. His family didn’t have the money to send him. I think I take a lot after my dad and my mom with my unstoppable drive. I have three brothers and they all played hockey. I wanted to play hockey but my dad wasn’t for it. He was too worried and at that time it wasn’t popular with girls yet. I got on the ice at age 5 with my dad and brothers on the ponds. I started taking figure skating lessons at age 7. In the fourth grade I tried out to be on my first precision figure skating team “the snowflakes” As I got older I moved up from juvenile to novice, then junior & senior. My freshman year of high school they started project 2000, trying to get precision “now called synchronized team figure skating” into the Olympics. I grew up skating with all the girls on my team so we were like a dynasty. My freshman, sophomore and junior year we placed 3rd at United States National Synchronized Figure Skating Championships. Being in the top 3 granted us a spot to compete and represent the USA at the International level. My junior year we won the Swedish Precision International Competition, in Goteborg, Sweden. It was incredible as we were the only US team to win Internationals that year. Since skating was subjective, even though we won Internationals we couldn’t seem to win the United States Championship. This is where I learned the lessons I carried over to pageantry. My senior year, my team was on fire. We trained and trained and that year Internationals was actually in my home state in Providence. At that level you have a ten-minute official practice where the judges are allowed to come watch. Well during the first routine, the girl in front of me fell and sliced my leg open. I hadn’t realized the blood that was pouring out of my leg so before the second routine I noticed it but I kept quiet, as I knew we only had one more run through of our routine. My coach saw the blood and made me get off the ice. An alternate went into my spot and the routine was a disaster. It was like dominos on the ice. When we did compete we skated great but the judges must of thought it was luck because our practice was horrendous! We ended up placing fifth but that was ok because nationals were a few months away. It was at the Tampa Bay Ice Palace in Tampa Florida. We were so ready to take the US title. We placed second in the short program but we skated right after the team in first in the long. It was perfect, we floated across the ice! Ill never forget the feeling of getting off the ice jumping and crying with my teammates. We all stood there and held hands awaiting the judge’s marks. Then they went up on the huge screen. We did it; we finally won and moved into first place. It was surreal! We won the National Title in 1999 and it had been 13 years since a team from the East Coast took the title. That moment and winning Miss RI were very similar to me! It felt amazing but even more because so much hard work was put in. All through high school I skated every day. I went to school during the day. Tuesday thru Thursday I skated from 7-11 pm, Saturdays nine am for off ice and practice until 4pm and every Sunday at 6am until 1pm and again Sunday night 9-11pm. As you can see I have had to work hard for everything but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
You are the owner of “Leeann Nicole Cosmetics”. How was this company established how did you get the idea to start this company?
Let's see I have always been artistic and when I was 12 or 14 I did a drawing using colored chalk of what my makeup would look like, logo and all. I drew out the boxes and I had a vision of it being my name “LeeannNicole” My original drawing had the Nicole backwards so when I did the actual logo I tried to replicate the original and when I get into packaging I am going to follow the same color scheme from that drawing! I added the green eyes in the Nicole as I love green and they are kind of like my eyes! I really got into makeup because as a kid I never thought I was pretty. I was awkward looking and my brothers picked on me because I had lots of freckles. I didn’t even know what makeup really was. I remember wanting to have an even skin tone so I found my moms foundation and found out I could get rid of my freckles. Only problem was I looked funny because I didn’t know how to apply so I had the orange ring! I kept playing around with makeup. My mom was against me wearing it but Id sneak it to cover the freckles. To be honest I thought I was ugly so I was always trying to find a way to be pretty. It was more that I wasn’t confident yet. Its ironic now because I am so into skincare so my makeup line is very natural and mineral based. I have lots of fun shadows and glosses but only a light mineral foundation and a tinted moisturizer. I think it is key to have beautiful skin and just accentuate what god gave you, not hide under a mask. I am constantly working on my line and it gets better and better as time goes by and I keep learning more and more!
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss Rhode Island USA ended?
I probably had three of the most difficult years of my life. I moved away after Miss USA and opened a salon down in NJ with my ex because he was settled there and I thought wow NYC, a change in life after Miss USA. Well I learned the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. It was all a growing life experience because sometimes we learn not everything works out the way you think it may. Having the opportunity to be close to my family is priceless and I feel that I belong in RI. I came home in 2007 and started all over again from scratch. I am actually going back to college this fall. I received a full ride to Rhode Island College. I want to get a bachelor degree in science and a minor in marketing. Then I am going to go towards being a registered nurse so I can take my career to the next level. I am very fortunate that I have a job that I love! It feels like I never work a day in my life! On the personal level I met the love of my life, Gian, when I was 17 in Cancun and we both were from RI. We dated for seven years and broke up after Miss RI because things were not going well. I started to change a little because I was so wrapped up in my lifeL so we went our separate ways. Well I certainly realized I don’t want to live a day of my life with out him by my side. I do wish he had been through the USA journey with me. I have learned you cannot live with regrets and you can only look forward. Sounds cliché but things do happen for a reason. This past Christmas we reunited and its been perfect! I am so happy. I feel like my life is complete. We both want the same things out of life and we love kitty cats! I am so blessed and so grateful for what I have. I have grown up in my experiences and I know I have a bright future ahead with my career and hopefully a wedding and a family in the future J and pets! My grandfather told me a long time ago that “happiness is wanting what you have” and now I fully understand the meaning! Life truly is all about the journey not the final destination so enjoy the rideJ!
I was a figure skater my whole life and in 1997 a girl I skated with was competing in Miss RI Teen USA. She asked me to do it with her so I said why not. I was young. That year I placed in the top 15 and was thrilled. I was too involved with the demands of skating so I didn’t compete again. I did meet my new hairstylist at the pageant, Michael Rose. Years later I decided to compete in the Miss RI USA in 2003. Growing up as a very competitive figure skater with a busy schedule all the time. When I went to college it was too expensive to continue both. I went to college for a year and a half and at that time I knew being away at school wasn’t for me. I was studying to be an Accountant and I had no passion for it. I need passion in my life and I really wanted to pursue my dream in the beauty business. I decided to start working at an exclusive salon in RI, Michael Rose Hair Designs. My mentor, Michael Rose, was very involved withMiss RI USA and pageants. I was originally backstage helping the girls get ready with Michael. In 2003 he convinced me to compete in the 2004 season. I told him he was crazy because there was no way I could be graceful in heels in a gown on stageJ He kept on me about it. I decided if I am going to do it I need to be disciplined like I was in figure skating and give it 200%. I am glad he kept on me about competing because it all worked out! The only ironic thing is I won the year after he moved to Florida to retire. He is so amazing at what he does he opened his own salon down there and now works with the Mrs. Florida system.
You competed twice before winning the pageant on your third try. What motivated you to come back and compete year after year?
I'm a competitive person by nature! I never quit or give up on anything I am passionate about. If I am going to do something I have to give it my all or I wont do it. I do work best under pressure! In 2004 I placed 4th runner up on my first shot! The next year I trained harder and I placed first runner up, as a brunette that is. I was like a chameleon every year. In 2004 I was platinum blonde and in 2005 I was a dark brunette! Hence, I am a great colorist so I guess I liked the change. After being so close in 2005 it made me want it that much more! I worked 40 hours a week preparing and spent 2 hours at the gym getting lean and mean. I was in it that year to win it and I did! I was an athlete most of my life so my pageant preparation was mostly getting myself in tip top shape, it was almost like I was training for a sport versus a pageantJ I am very superstitious and my favorite number is 26 so in 2006 the pageant began on august 26th and it was usually in October and I thought how cool it would be to win the year of my favorite number! My horoscope that weekend said to have a party in honor –of-me on that Sunday and that is the day I was crowned!
What was going through your head when you were announced as the new Miss Rhode Island USA?
I think I had a different reaction than most winners. I jumped up and down so high and tackled my first runner up. I almost knocked her over! The goofy Leeann jumped out (that’s why I had such a tough time being graceful in heels because I can be a goof and clumsy). I was so excited because I worked so hard! I was so excited that I finally did it after years of being told I would never win and that I was fat, etc. (That was the worst part but you have to ignore anyone trying to bring you down.) Then of course I cried but it was an amazing feeling because its something I wanted so very badly and I had come so close twice before. Pageants were a lot like figure skating. You never know because its based more on five peoples opinions. It could be a different winner based on who is judging at that given moment, on that given day.
You were one of the 26 contestants chosen to be a case model on “Deal or No Deal”. Please tell us about your experience on the show.
Deal or No Deal was fun. I really got a chance to become good friends with Miss Pennsylvania, Tanya Lehman, Miss Nevada, Lauren Schyphers and my roommate at Miss USA, Tara Conner. It was cool being on TV but I realized it wasn’t for me. It took us six hours to film that show. It took 3 hours to do the first episode and one of the models passed out and the suitcase opened so we had to do the show all over again. They edit so much so it was fun for sure but I couldn’t do that all the time. It was a long night but I learned a lot from the makeup artists and stylists. They made us look amazing. I couldn’t believe it was me in the mirror! LOL I am glad we did two shows because the guy went from winning 13,000 to I think almost 300,000 and proposed to his fiancé so it was cute.
What was going through your head when you were called into the top 15 and then into the top 10 at Miss USA?
I think it does come down to visualization like the current Miss USA said. I had my mind set at most at making the top ten as RI only had placed a few times prior. At states I had my mind set on winning. I would of loved to have been Miss USA but I didn’t feel like it was my life path. I felt like the experience was part of my journey but I never visualized myself as Miss USA. Anyhow Tara was my roomie and she was called first so I was psyched for her, then they called RI and I think I ran down the stairs in heels and again almost slipped! I was so so happy and I wasn’t expecting it so I was on a whirlwind. Then I was the last to be called into the top ten so that was nerve-wracking! I was super confident after swimsuit, as that is where I trained. Again I just never clicked walking in a gown in 5-inch heels gracefully but I did the best I could. It was like an outer body experience you could say. After the top ten was called out on stage after gown I flew across the stage as I was leading the ten and I tend to walk very fast. Looking back I nailed prelims but that’s because I wanted to make the cut. I did well final night but I wasn’t on top of my game but I did the best I could and I have no complaints! Top ten at Miss USA was a great accomplishment for me!
What would be your most memorable moment at Miss Rhode Island USA?
My most memorable moment as Miss RI USA was going back to my elementary school. I was supposed to do reading to the students but instead the principal, whom was my principle, asked me to speak to the whole school. I always feared public speaking so even though it was fourth to sixth grade I was nervous. It was so much fun because I spoke to the kids about how important it is to set goals in life and never give up! I had the kids chanting after I would ask them “what do you do if you don’t achieve your goal on the first time?” They all responded, “Try, Try, Try Again” It was priceless! I had a kid in the audience who screamed out I live in your old house and they were asking me to sign their shoes! It was too cute. I loved any event with the kids. I would let all the kids especially the girls wear the crown and banner and they loved it. That meant the most to me!
You are an accomplished skater. When did you start skating and when how did you get into it?
Figure Skating was my life for so many years! My father only got to go to college because of a hockey scholarship. His family didn’t have the money to send him. I think I take a lot after my dad and my mom with my unstoppable drive. I have three brothers and they all played hockey. I wanted to play hockey but my dad wasn’t for it. He was too worried and at that time it wasn’t popular with girls yet. I got on the ice at age 5 with my dad and brothers on the ponds. I started taking figure skating lessons at age 7. In the fourth grade I tried out to be on my first precision figure skating team “the snowflakes” As I got older I moved up from juvenile to novice, then junior & senior. My freshman year of high school they started project 2000, trying to get precision “now called synchronized team figure skating” into the Olympics. I grew up skating with all the girls on my team so we were like a dynasty. My freshman, sophomore and junior year we placed 3rd at United States National Synchronized Figure Skating Championships. Being in the top 3 granted us a spot to compete and represent the USA at the International level. My junior year we won the Swedish Precision International Competition, in Goteborg, Sweden. It was incredible as we were the only US team to win Internationals that year. Since skating was subjective, even though we won Internationals we couldn’t seem to win the United States Championship. This is where I learned the lessons I carried over to pageantry. My senior year, my team was on fire. We trained and trained and that year Internationals was actually in my home state in Providence. At that level you have a ten-minute official practice where the judges are allowed to come watch. Well during the first routine, the girl in front of me fell and sliced my leg open. I hadn’t realized the blood that was pouring out of my leg so before the second routine I noticed it but I kept quiet, as I knew we only had one more run through of our routine. My coach saw the blood and made me get off the ice. An alternate went into my spot and the routine was a disaster. It was like dominos on the ice. When we did compete we skated great but the judges must of thought it was luck because our practice was horrendous! We ended up placing fifth but that was ok because nationals were a few months away. It was at the Tampa Bay Ice Palace in Tampa Florida. We were so ready to take the US title. We placed second in the short program but we skated right after the team in first in the long. It was perfect, we floated across the ice! Ill never forget the feeling of getting off the ice jumping and crying with my teammates. We all stood there and held hands awaiting the judge’s marks. Then they went up on the huge screen. We did it; we finally won and moved into first place. It was surreal! We won the National Title in 1999 and it had been 13 years since a team from the East Coast took the title. That moment and winning Miss RI were very similar to me! It felt amazing but even more because so much hard work was put in. All through high school I skated every day. I went to school during the day. Tuesday thru Thursday I skated from 7-11 pm, Saturdays nine am for off ice and practice until 4pm and every Sunday at 6am until 1pm and again Sunday night 9-11pm. As you can see I have had to work hard for everything but I wouldn’t have it any other way!
You are the owner of “Leeann Nicole Cosmetics”. How was this company established how did you get the idea to start this company?
Let's see I have always been artistic and when I was 12 or 14 I did a drawing using colored chalk of what my makeup would look like, logo and all. I drew out the boxes and I had a vision of it being my name “LeeannNicole” My original drawing had the Nicole backwards so when I did the actual logo I tried to replicate the original and when I get into packaging I am going to follow the same color scheme from that drawing! I added the green eyes in the Nicole as I love green and they are kind of like my eyes! I really got into makeup because as a kid I never thought I was pretty. I was awkward looking and my brothers picked on me because I had lots of freckles. I didn’t even know what makeup really was. I remember wanting to have an even skin tone so I found my moms foundation and found out I could get rid of my freckles. Only problem was I looked funny because I didn’t know how to apply so I had the orange ring! I kept playing around with makeup. My mom was against me wearing it but Id sneak it to cover the freckles. To be honest I thought I was ugly so I was always trying to find a way to be pretty. It was more that I wasn’t confident yet. Its ironic now because I am so into skincare so my makeup line is very natural and mineral based. I have lots of fun shadows and glosses but only a light mineral foundation and a tinted moisturizer. I think it is key to have beautiful skin and just accentuate what god gave you, not hide under a mask. I am constantly working on my line and it gets better and better as time goes by and I keep learning more and more!
Lastly, what have you been up to since your reign as Miss Rhode Island USA ended?
I probably had three of the most difficult years of my life. I moved away after Miss USA and opened a salon down in NJ with my ex because he was settled there and I thought wow NYC, a change in life after Miss USA. Well I learned the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. It was all a growing life experience because sometimes we learn not everything works out the way you think it may. Having the opportunity to be close to my family is priceless and I feel that I belong in RI. I came home in 2007 and started all over again from scratch. I am actually going back to college this fall. I received a full ride to Rhode Island College. I want to get a bachelor degree in science and a minor in marketing. Then I am going to go towards being a registered nurse so I can take my career to the next level. I am very fortunate that I have a job that I love! It feels like I never work a day in my life! On the personal level I met the love of my life, Gian, when I was 17 in Cancun and we both were from RI. We dated for seven years and broke up after Miss RI because things were not going well. I started to change a little because I was so wrapped up in my lifeL so we went our separate ways. Well I certainly realized I don’t want to live a day of my life with out him by my side. I do wish he had been through the USA journey with me. I have learned you cannot live with regrets and you can only look forward. Sounds cliché but things do happen for a reason. This past Christmas we reunited and its been perfect! I am so happy. I feel like my life is complete. We both want the same things out of life and we love kitty cats! I am so blessed and so grateful for what I have. I have grown up in my experiences and I know I have a bright future ahead with my career and hopefully a wedding and a family in the future J and pets! My grandfather told me a long time ago that “happiness is wanting what you have” and now I fully understand the meaning! Life truly is all about the journey not the final destination so enjoy the rideJ!