The 14 candidates for Aurora, 2018 Queen of Snows of the St. Paul Winter Carnivalinclude a funeral director and a former fire baton twirler; college students, single moms, empty-nesters and women with previous tiara-wearing experience; an immigrant who now works with refugees; teachers, moms on carpool duty, business owners and graduate students; women who are interested in medallion hunting, traveling to all seven continents and some real Tough Mudders (an obstacle course race) — as well as a candidate sponsored by a past Vulcan Krewe (it’s allowed, Carnival folks assured us).
From this interesting tapestry, one woman will be crowned Winter Carnival queen Friday, Jan. 26; four others will be named princesses. As part of the royal family, the five will spend the next year representing St. Paul and its Winter Carnival throughout the city, metro, state and even into Canada (and other far-off locales). The Pioneer Press will interview the new queen shortly after she is crowned. For now, let us introduce you to the contenders for this sparkling role in St. Paul history — as well as the inspirational quotes we asked them to share with us.
Samantha Brogger, 35, of Lakeville. Sponsored by the 2014 Vulcan Krewe. Provided bio: “Originally from Northfield, Samantha has lived in seven different states, traveled to over 20 countries and five continents, courtesy of the United States Navy. She spent eight years as a crew chief and loadmaster on a carrier-based cargo airplane before being selected for a commissioning program. After graduating from the University of Minnesota and receiving a commission as a Naval officer, she served for five years in Navy Growler squadrons. Currently, Samantha is attending Capella University, working on a graduate degree in public safety with a specialization in emergency management. Having made it to all 50 states, her next travel goal is to make it to Africa and Antarctica to check visiting all seven continents off her bucket list.”
Quote: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” — Ecclesiastes 3:1
Jacquelyn Chatelaine, 21, of Lakeville. Sponsored by Alpha Financial Services. Provided bio: “Jacquelyn is a Minnesota girl at heart and loves everything to do with her state from the weather to the festivals! This coming May, she will be graduating from the College of Saint Benedict with a degree in elementary education. Some of her most recent achievements include student teaching in both kindergarten and fourth-grade classrooms and finishing her college degree a semester early. She hopes to have a positive impact on children’s lives and plans to study how to create the most welcoming and safest school environment. She is excited for the Winter Carnival and all of the magic it holds.”
Quote: “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. — Wayne Gretzky” — Michael Scott
Teri Erickson, 53, of Oakdale. Sponsored by the Fireside Lounge Bar and Restaurant. Provided bio: “Teri was born on the West Side of St. Paul and spent her teen years growing up in West St. Paul, where her mom still resides. She has spent the last 29 years living in Oakdale, where she raised her three children. She’s enjoyed every minute watching them during all of their activities. Her youngest was involved with the Oakdale Summerfest Royalty for four years and has now gone off to college, leaving her an empty-nester. She has been a Winter Carnival fan for most of her life. Her biggest passion has been the Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt — and she can say they’ve come close to finding the medallion many times! Teri feels like she’s always been a proud supporter of St. Paul and the Winter Carnival, and being an ambassador would make her dreams come true! She is also very recently engaged to a wonderful man who is very supportive of this adventure.”
Quote: “If you don’t like / The world you’re living in / Take a look around you / At least you’ve got friends” — Prince
T’Keyah Freeman, 23, of Bloomington. Sponsored by Mancini’s Char House. Provided bio: “T’Keyah, a native of Hopkins, now resides in Bloomington with her high school sweetheart turned husband. Obtaining her bachelor’s degree from Hamline University in 2016, she has put her major of anthropology to work this past year with internships at the Minnesota Museum of American Art and the Minnesota Historical Society. T’Keyah likes to stay busy by working full time as the assistant manager of Things Remembered at the Maplewood Mall, personalizing unique gifts for every occasion and business. With volunteering becoming a new love, she makes sure to find time in her schedule to volunteer with the Hopkins Raspberry Festival (she was a 2014 princess), as well as with the Winter Carnival Senior Royalty. She looks forward to this year’s candidacy and imagines it will be ‘magical.’ ”
Quote: “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou
Erin Hayes, 36, of St. Paul. Sponsored by Bill Burg Edina Realty & J.W. Hulme Co. Provided bio: “Erin lives in St. Paul’s North End in a little fixer-upper with her 10-year-old son and pack of three dogs. She works for Ecolab as an analytical planner for North American Supply Chain. A proud Piper, she received her MBA and bachelor’s degrees from Hamline University. When she’s not driving her son to swim practice, you can find her working on (but rarely finishing) her next home improvement project or trying a new restaurant in the Saintly City. She’s a member of this year’s Wilder Foundation Neighborhood Leadership Program, and is developing skills to encourage engagement among residents of the North End. She and her son have a standing date every year at Rice Park to view the ice sculptures, go ice skating and have lunch downtown to celebrate Winter Carnival.”
Quote: “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat. Just get on.” — Sheryl Sandberg
Kirstin Knutson, 23, of Woodbury. Sponsored by Ideal Printers. Provided bio: “After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2016 from St. Catherine University, Kirstin’s passion for learning drove her to continue her studies and pursue her master of science in education degree for school counseling from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Kirstin enjoys making connections with people. She does this by co-directing her hometown ambassador program, where she guides young women into finding their professionalism, poise and confidence. At St. Andrew’s Community Resource Center, Kirstin also works with homeless families as a child advocate: She helps families get back on their feet while providing a safe and nurturing child care room so the parents of the children can focus on the tasks that will get their families out of homelessness.”
Quote: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.” — Bill Keane
Tori Leksen, 23, of New Brighton. Sponsored by Long’s Auto Place. Provided bio: “Tori was born and raised in St. Paul’s neighboring city, New Brighton, where she currently resides with her daughter, Ellie. She graduated from Minneapolis Community and Technical College, receiving an associate of applied science degree in photography and digital imaging. In May 2015, Tori decided to take a leap and open her own business, Tori Autumn Photography. The most rewarding thing about her job is the opportunity to connect with new people and capture today’s little moments so that they can become tomorrow’s precious memories. Tori is a longtime, passionate volunteer for her hometown festival of New Brighton Stockyard Days and is constantly seeking out new ways to better her community. In her spare time, you can find her sharing her love for the outdoors with her daughter by exploring state parks.”
Quote: “Smile, shine, and take it one day at a time.” — Christina Smallwood
Elizabeth Mark, 24, of Vadnais Heights. Sponsored by Rice Street Festival. Provided bio: “Elizabeth is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Morris, where she earned a degree in elementary education. She was a consistent dean’s list member and was honored to be a recipient of the Carrie Wickstrom Scholarship Fund. Elizabeth has a passion for education and now teaches fourth grade in St. Michael. She is in the process of applying for her master’s degree in educational leadership and administration and hopes to be a school principal one day. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering with a variety of organizations, attending hockey games, sightseeing and venturing into life with her friends and family.”
Quote: “Growing up, my mom often said, ‘Life is not a dress rehearsal.’ Her words remind me to be real and always give my best towards all that I do.”
Jenna Maslowski, 23, of Maplewood. Sponsored by Re/Max Results Greg Kuntz of the River Run Team. Provided bio: “Jenna recently graduated with honors from Century College with an associate’s degree in education. She is currently employed as a teacher at Maple Tree Child Care Center, where she loves the children she works with! Also, during the summer months, she is an outdoor education instructor at the YMCA Camp St. Croix where she facilitates team-building exercises and teaches environmental education classes. When she is not working or going to school, she enjoys spending time at her family’s cabin, going for a ride on her motorcycle or finding a new recipe to experiment with. As a former Winter Carnival Junior Royalty Queen, Jenna enjoys volunteering with the Junior Royalty program. When time allows, she also volunteers with the ALS Association and Second Harvest Heartland.”
Quote: “Life is a gift and I don’t intend on wasting it. You don’t know what hand you’re going to get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you. To make each day count.” — Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson
Jilla Nadimi, 27, of St. Paul. Sponsored by Party Time Liquor. Provided bio: “Growing up as an immigrant, Jilla found community to be an essential resource. Throughout her youth, Girl Scouts nurtured this passion as she earned her Gold Award. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in French and global studies, she continues to build community both at home and abroad. Currently, as a monitoring and evaluation officer for the American Refugee Committee, she supports field teams in providing aid to refugees and internally displaced people in countries including Rwanda, Somalia and Syria. Through her involvement with the St. Paul Winter Carnival, she will expand her community service locally and proudly represent the city she loves. A fun fact: She once rode her bicycle from St. Paul to Duluth and fell even deeper in love with Minnesota along the way. She is a proud resident of the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood of St. Paul.”
Quote: “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.” — Mother Teresa
Dani Ross, 43, of Hudson, Wis. Sponsored by White Bear Country Inn/ Rudy’s Redeye Grill. Provided bio: “A nostalgic enthusiast for tradition, Dani has long dreamed of taking part in the magic of the Winter Carnival that has warmed her heart since she was a young girl. The oldest of four, she grew up in St. Paul and attended St. Bernard’s High School, where she met, and went on to marry, her high school sweetheart, Eric. Her greatest joy (and greatest heartbreak) is watching their two sons grow into wonderful young men. They have settled in Hudson in the home built together with Eric’s parents, so they could join forces in caregiving after her father-in-law survived a stroke. Dani earned her master’s degree in public affairs and works for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Patriotic at heart, she considers it a true privilege advocating for veterans who have sacrificed for the greater good.”
Quote: “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” — Wayne Gretzky
Joleen Sadaka, 37, of Mankato, Minn. Sponsored by Simply Delicious Restaurant & Catering. Provided bio: “Joleen is currently living in Mankato, but her heart is here in St. Paul. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in communications from Minnesota State University-Mankato, she continued to work in some of the top restaurants — bringing her unique ideas and creativity to every place she walked into. Finally, it was time to live out her dream and open her own catering business, Simply Delicious, which serves corporate offices in southern Minnesota. Her next stop is to open a place in St. Paul. Born and raised in Stillwater, she’s been part of the Winter Carnival for 24 years, ranging from parade director’s assistant at 12 to twirling a fire baton in the Torchlight Parade to waving on a float as Miss Cottage Grove. Nowadays, she brings her two beautiful children to the Winter Carnival every year as a way of making family memories they can remember forever.”
Quote: “The 3 C’s in life: choices, chances and changes. You must make the choice to take the chance if you want anything in life to change.” — Zig Ziglar
Brianna Vujovich, 39, of Woodbury. Sponsored by Wulff Funeral Homes. Provided bio: “Brianna has made her passion for people into a career. As a funeral director, Brianna has provided compassionate care to families in the Twin Cities area during their most difficult time of need. Brianna earned her degree in mortuary science from the University of Minnesota in 2011 and also has a degree in marketing with a minor in biology. When she is not serving families, she enjoys competitive sports and challenges. Her favorites are roller derby, rugby, skating in more than 30 inline marathons, hiking the Grand Canyon, running Ragnar (an extreme relay race), the Warrior Dash (an obstacle course race), and the Tough Mudder (also an obstacle race). She also is passionate about kids and volunteers her time every year at a leadership camp for high school students. Leading by example and forming lifelong bonds with St. Paul students keeps her coming back year after year!”
Quote: “Oh, the places you’ll go!” — Dr. Seuss
Heather Westling, 39, of Hopkins. Sponsored by Quality Insurance Service. Provided bio: “Heather values family and friends above all else. She loves spending as much time as possible with her nieces and nephew. After her father suffered a stroke, Heather changed her career path by obtaining a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. She follows her passion by enriching the lives of her patients and helping them develop a ‘new normal.’ Her sense of adventure led her to work in London and travel throughout Europe. One of her most memorable experiences was attending plays and musicals in the historic theatre district of London’s West End. Her dog, Pippi, brings joy to everyone who meets her. She hopes to share that joy by training Pippi to become a therapy dog. Heather’s favorite pastimes include reading, knitting and attending musicals.”
Quote: “Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.”
IF YOU GO
- What: The magical journey of the 2018 royal family begins with this theatrical-like royal coronation, a Winter Carnival tradition that dates back more than 130 years.
- When: 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26
- Where: St. Paul RiverCentre, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul.
- Note: While tickets to the royal dinner are sold out, the public is welcome to attend the royal coronation portion of the evening.
- Cost: $15 with a 2018 St. Paul Winter Carnival Button
- Note: Admission and buttons can be purchased at the door starting at 7 p.m. Doors open for general seating at 7:45 p.m. Public seating is first come, first served and is limited.
- Welcome reception: A welcome reception for the newly crowned 2018 Winter Carnival royalty is free and open to the public and will be held immediately after the dinner and program (approximately 10 p.m.) at the St. Paul RiverCentre.
- Info: Wintercarnival.com/events/royal-coronation/
Copyright 2018 Pioneer Press.
