Now Gaston will travel to Kingsport, Tennessee, in July to compete for the Mrs. International title. The pageant, which was started 30 years ago, is for married women ages 21-56 years old and promotes “today’s married women, their accomplishments, and commitment to family and marriage,” according to the website.
Gaston is no stranger to pageants. She competed when she was younger, but hasn’t done a pageant in years. Gaston grew up all over the United States and the world. Her parents were in the Army, and she said that this fact will help her in the competition.
“I’m very global-minded. My personality is more international and welcoming of all people. I’ve always done activities that have me engaging with other people,” she said.
Gaston has a love for numbers as well as the law and politics. She received her law degree from the University of Dayton and her MBA from Johns Hopkins. Currently, she is working on her Ph.D., and she works as a contract negotiator for the Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
If that wasn’t enough, Gaston also runs a financial consulting business called the Finance Doctor. The business was started during the pandemic, and she offers services, including getting out of debt, improving credit and investing. She said so far, she has helped 3,000 families, including her own family.
“I started off helping my siblings, then my parents. Now everyone I’ve met I’ve helped with finances. My main purpose is to help families rebuild themselves and realign,” she said.
Family is incredibly important to Gaston. She is married and has an 11-year-old son. She is passionate about helping working mothers, and that passion will be a major focus of the Mrs. International Pageant.
When Gaston travels to Tennessee for the competition, she will be involved in numerous activities. Each contestant’s score is comprised of an evening gown, fitness wear, and interview competition. The interview portion is worth 50% of the score and is what Gaston is focusing on.
“We could choose any artistic form. I choose a video to express myself and what my platform is. I want to reach out to and encourage others through my nonprofit,” she said.
Each contestant must have a platform that they promote throughout the year. The platform must be an issue or cause that the contestant has a passion for. For Gaston, that passion is her nonprofit organization Not Just a Pretty Face. Gaston said the organization is meant to give women confidence.
“I decided to push moms to have a positive work life. I created it just to encourage women to focus on self-esteem and to challenge themselves. Make sure they are following their dreams and turning negatives into positives. We need to make sure we are taking care of ourselves, so it will be second nature,” she said.
Until the July competition, Gaston will be working on her platform and video. She’s currently searching for an evening gown as well. Gaston said she wants to make sure that she represents Ohio well in the competition, but she said ultimately the goal is to have fun.
“Winning would mean that you can have fun and win as well. You can be a winner. I really wanted to challenge myself and do something that will boost my self-confidence. I wanted to get out of my element and try something new,” she said.
If Gaston wins, she’ll receive a cash prize and go on a national tour where she can promote her platform. Until then she’ll continue to work on her degree, spend time with family and get involved in her community. She’s active in the Beavercreek Chamber of Commerce and Beavercreek City Council to name a few. Gaston will continue to push women to be the best they can be.
“Serendipity rewards the prepared. Even though you might not see the situation in front of you, or if you don’t see the reward right in front of you, (it) doesn’t mean that what you’re doing now isn’t important. Keep striving and working hard will work in your favor,” she said.
For more information about Gaston or her business and nonprofit, visit her LinkedIn profile at http://linkedin.com/in/financedoctor.
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