Meet our Team

Anne Maes

Co-Executive Director

Anne & her husband Max have both been involved in the Miss Iowa System for over 20 years. Anne has been a state & local board member, field director, & pageant mom. Anne currently holds a Call Center Manager position at Mediacom. She serves as our contestant recruiter, sponsor coordinator, & her expertise lies in interview & paperwork. 

Carol has been involved with pageants behind the scenes for over 20 years, first as a pageant mom & then as a local volunteer & director. Her daughter Aly was Miss Iowa's Outstanding Teen 2010 & was the Non-Finalist Interview Winner at Nationals. Aly was also Miss Iowa in 2014 where she was a Top 12 finalist at Miss America. Carol's personal professional experience contributes to her interviewing, paperwork, & current events expertise. Carol recently held the title of Ms. Senior Iowa. 

Carol Olson

Co-Executive Director

Michelle Yoshimura-Smith has been volunteering with Miss Greater Des Moines since 2012. She has been involved in pageants since 2006 when she competed in her first local pageant in the Miss America Organization. Michelle has a Bachelor's degree in music & an extensive background in many forms of performance art. Michelle also brings her passion for personal & professional development in her work with our titleholders. Michelle recently held the title of 2019 Bacon Queen.

Michelle Yoshimura-Smith

Board Member

Gabby has been involved with pageants since the age of 7. She has held numerous local & state titles, & most recently her first national title. Gabby and her husband Kipp recently bought their first home in Davenport, Iowa where they reside with their one year old son Myles, and fur baby Tank. They will soon welcome a baby girl in October.  Gabby currently holds an IT Governance Analyst position at RSMUS LLP. She currently serves as our Outstanding Teen Director & Social Media Expert. 

Gabrielle Andresen

Board Member