Alexandra Wehrley, a senior and Dean’s List Award recipient majoring in Communications and Spanish at UW-Madison, knew from a young age she was made for the entertainment industry. When she was crowned Miss Wisconsin USA 2009, she was one step closer to her dream of becoming a nationally recognized model, TV and film personality.

As soon as she was old enough to walk, Alexandra would put on her mother's high heel shoes, fancy scarves and jewelry and proudly walk around the house. Her parents have home videos of her as a young child dancing, making commercials with her friends and pretending she was a TV talk show host.

After signing with Arlene Wilson Modeling Agency at age 10 and becoming a national model for Kohl's Department store, Alexandra was in front of the camera and on stage regularly. In high school, she was on a nationally competitive dance team. Last year, she signed with Ford Models and has done several TV commercials and print work. This past summer she was an intern at a Madison news station, NBC15, learning the ins and outs of news reporting.

Alexandra is also passionate about helping others be their best. She has been a big sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization, taught English to Spanish speakers, and has dedicated herself to under-privileged youth at Lad Lake (a non-profit organization) for three years. She helped the Lad Lake boys prepare for an appearance on two TV specials where she co-hosted the event and raised money for Milwaukee Public Television. Alexandra explains, “Dance is such a great way to teach young people teamwork, dedication and self-esteem.” This is also her second year coaching the Dance Team for Edgewood High School.

Alexandra feels so blessed to be the new Miss Wisconsin USA and would like to thank God for the gifts that have been given to her and her family for their continuous support and positive example. A special thanks to her father, Gary, for teaching her how to stay humble; her mother, Susan, for teaching her how to believe in herself; and her big sister, Lisa, for showing her how to stay disciplined towards her goals.

This year she intends on giving back to her generous community, working hard for Wisconsin, and preparing to be her best for the national Miss USA competition. As Miss Wisconsin USA, she will speak to many non-profit organizations, especially focused on youth development, encouraging others to “Go for a yes!” She explains, “With hard work and persistence, your dreams can come true. And you don’t have to compromise your values along the way. Sometimes you just need to change your strategies.”

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