USOA Ms. Pennsylvania

When I chose the platform I wanted to carry as United States of America’s Ms. Pennsylvania 2026, it came from something deeply personal.

For much of my life, I knew far less about my own body than I realized.

I experienced painful and heavy periods, hormonal changes, and symptoms I didn’t always understand. Like so many girls and women, I had learned the basics, but I had not been taught how to recognize the messages my body was giving me or how those patterns could become valuable information about my health.

I cannot go back and give my younger self that education.

But I can help give it to someone else.

That is why I founded Vivydus, The Full of Life Company, and created Embracing Flow®.

My mission is to help girls, women, and families build body literacy so they can understand their bodies, recognize meaningful changes, ask informed questions, and advocate for their health with confidence.

Pageantry gives me another opportunity to amplify that mission and bring conversations about puberty, periods, hormones, reproductive health, and lifelong body literacy into communities that may not otherwise have them.

I want the next generation to grow up knowing something many of us had to discover much later:

Our bodies are designed to communicate with us. Body literacy gives us the knowledge to understand what they’re saying.

In every phase, embrace it. Love it. Crown it. Be Vivydus.

Empower | Inspire | Uplift

Heather Allmendinger
USOA Ms. Pennsylvania 2026

📷: Bob Schultz Photography

A title is more than a sash. For me, it’s an opportunity to educate.

Through my platform, Embracing Flow®, I help girls, women, and families build body literacy so they can better understand how their bodies communicate and make informed health decisions with confidence.

That work happens through speaking, workshops, books, educational resources, and conversations that make topics like puberty, periods, hormones, perimenopause, menopause and reproductive health easier to understand.

Pageantry gives me another platform to amplify that message, and I’m grateful for every opportunity to bring these conversations into schools, organizations, families, and communities.

Our bodies are designed to communicate with us. Body literacy gives us the knowledge to understand what they’re saying.

Some journeys begin long before the crown.

Before pageantry re-entered my life, there was a question that kept tugging at my heart:

What if girls grew up understanding their bodies instead of fearing them?

That question became Embracing Flow.

It inspired me to write Dominate Your Period years before I ever stepped back onto a pageant stage—not because I wanted to write a book, but because I wanted the next generation to have the knowledge so many of us never received.

Today, wearing the title of USOA Ms. Pennsylvania 2026 has given me something even greater than a crown. It has given me another opportunity to start conversations, encourage confidence, and remind others that education has the power to change lives.

Every time a young girl understands her cycle…
Every time a parent feels equipped to have an important conversation…
Every time a woman realizes it’s never too late to learn about her own body…

…that’s a victory.

Because this has never been just about a book.

It’s about helping the next generation grow up with confidence, understanding, and the knowledge that their bodies are worthy of being understood.

Empower | Inspire | Uplift

💙 Heather Allmendinger
USOA Ms. Pennsylvania 2026

📷: Grey Girl Photography

There is something incredibly special about being invited to judge a pageant.

This week, I had the privilege of serving as an Optionals judge for the National Miss Military Star Pageant. From the youngest contestants taking the stage to the accomplished women competing with confidence and purpose, each contestant brought her own unique story and strength.

As a judge, my role wasn’t to look for perfection—it was to recognize authenticity, poise, preparation, and the courage it takes to step into the spotlight.

Thank you Miss Military Star for trusting me with this responsibility. It was an honor to celebrate the dedication of these contestants and witness the support shown by the staff, their families, volunteers, and community.

To every contestant: I hope you safely return home knowing that your worth is never defined by a placement. The confidence you build, the friendships you make, and the person you become along the way are victories that last far beyond the crown.

Congratulations to all of the new titleholders! I can’t wait to see where your journeys lead.