Kelsey Swanson is no stranger to the pageant stage. Nearly a decade after representing Rhode Island at Miss USA, the Real Housewives of Rhode Island star is stepping back into the world that first put her in the spotlight, this time from behind the judges’ table.
Swanson has been announced as one of the judges for Miss Teen USA 2026, adding an unexpected twist to this year’s competition. The 32 year old Rhode Island native previously competed in the Miss USA pageant after being crowned Miss Rhode Island USA in 2017. Now, instead of waiting for judges to decide her fate, she will help determine which contestant takes home the national title.
For Swanson, the role represents more than another television appearance. It marks a full-circle moment in a career that has taken her from beauty competitions to the beauty industry and, most recently, reality television. Before joining Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, Swanson built her reputation in the pageant world. She competed for the Miss Rhode Island USA title multiple times, finishing as a runner-up before ultimately winning the crown in 2017. She then went on to represent the state at Miss USA that same year.
Although she eventually stepped away from competing, pageants remained part of Swanson’s professional life. She owns Miss Makeup RI, a beauty business that works with pageants, photoshoots and weddings, and she has continued mentoring and coaching young women interested in competitions.
Her latest role comes as Swanson is enjoying a very different kind of spotlight. The Real Housewives of Rhode Island premiered on Bravo earlier this year, introducing viewers to her life outside the pageant stage. The series has made Swanson a recognizable reality-TV personality, creating an unusual combination of experiences that she now brings to the Miss Teen USA judging panel.
That combination could make her perspective especially interesting. Swanson knows firsthand what it feels like to compete, but she also understands the preparation that happens away from the stage. Years of working in beauty and mentoring contestants have given her a view of pageantry that extends beyond appearances.
Swanson herself described the opportunity as a full-circle experience, reflecting on the significance of returning to the competition from the other side of the stage.
The timing also adds significance. Miss Teen USA 2026 is taking place during a major week for the Miss USA organization, with the teen competition scheduled for Aug. 26 and the Miss USA competition following on Aug. 27 at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. For Swanson, the journey from contestant to judge illustrates just how dramatically a pageant career can evolve. Nearly 10 years after competing for a crown herself, she is returning with a different responsibility, helping decide who earns the next one. And this time, all eyes will be on her from the judges’ table.
