Lee Baalman
Lee Baalman is a Speech Pathologist and resident of Kansas City. He has spent the past 30 years as a public educator serving preschool and primary age children. Lee earned a Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders from Fort Hays State University and is an active member of the American Speech/Language/Hearing Association.
An enthusiastic volunteer of the Miss America Organization for the past 15 years, Lee has had the pleasure of being involved in everything from production to judge’s chairperson.
He has judged state level Miss and Outstanding Teen pageants in eight states. Additionally, he is a frequent judge for dance, cheer, and winter guard competitions across the Midwest. Lee continues to serve as an image and wardrobe consultant for numerous local and state competitors.
Lee believes in giving back to his community by acting as a physician-patient liaison for hearing impaired individuals and their families addressing issues involving patients’ medical history, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.
In his spare time, Lee authors and illustrates children’s literature and dreams of one day being able to write fulltime. As a “square state” resident, travel more than likely will find him on a beach somewhere in the world.

Krystal Banfield
A native of Detroit, Dr. Banfield is Director of Berklee City Music-Boston, Berklee College of Music, a division of preparatory schools and programs for students grades 6-12 and college levels. As a concert singer she is recorded on the INNOVA label and served as an adjunct professor in voice and music education in the Graduate Music Education program, University of St. Thomas, and Saint Paul Conservatory of Music. As an administrator, Dr.  Banfield was Director of Education and Community Partnerships for VocalEssence, Minneapolis, where she was responsible for curriculum development, writing and research for multicultural music education, assessment and evaluation, and concert and community programs and assisted with fund raising.
For eight-years, she was Director of Education for the American Composers Forum, a national non-profit organization, and continues serve the Composers Forum as a consultant to their educational programs. There she engaged with community partners around the country in education and community-building initiatives through the arts. She was contributing architect, developer and editor to the Composers Forum’s BandQuest® (distributed by Hal Leonard), newly composed concert band works, CDROM curriculum and online resources; and architect and developer to the Composers Suitcase®, an elementary arts-infused program. Additionally, Dr. Banfield has assisted in producing national and international concert and education projects at Indiana University-Bloomington, with the African American Arts Institute and the Latin American Music Center, and with the Charlin Jazz Society in collaboration with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Washington Performing Arts Society.
She holds a Bachelor of Music Education, Howard University, Washington, DC; a Masters of Music, Indiana University-Bloomington; and a Doctorate in Education with concentrations in curriculum development and educational leadership, University of St. Thomas—Minneapolis. She serves on the boards of Learning Through Music Consulting Group and the Boston Children’s Chorus and is currently completing a book titled, The Music Centered Curriculum, Rowman & Littlefield, with an excepted release in 2008.
 

Ed Bryant
Mr. Bryant is a native of Jackson, Tennessee and holds both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Mississippi.  Following graduation, he served in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps as a Captain, which included an assignment teaching law at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.
He returned home to Jackson where he has been a partner in the law firm of Waldrop and Hall, P.A. during much of his 37 years of life as an attorney.  On two occasions, he has served in the public sector as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, appointed by President George Bush in 1991, and then as the Congressman from the 7th Congressional District for eight years.  He also has taught and lectured at Union University.
Mr. Bryant has been married for 36 years to Cyndi Bryant, a former Tupelo (Mississippi) Homecoming Queen and Ole Miss Cheerleader.  They have three sons and two grandchildren, with another expected in June.
 

Mia Seminoff Davis
Mia Seminoff Davis began her career in dance with Ballet Oklahoma, where she performed professionally for six years.  Her performance credits include such classic ballets as Coppelia, Swan Lake, Giselle and Firebird, as well as Balanchine’s Serenade and Rodeo set by Agnes deMille. 
Mrs. Davis holds a bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance and a Minor in music from The Juilliard School.  In 1988 she won the title of Miss New York and was honored with a special talent award at the 1989 Miss America Pageant.  Her television experience includes that of Assistant to the Producer of the Emmy Award winning public television series, DANCE IN AMERICA. 
Mrs. Davis now makes Dallas, Texas her home where she leads the advanced ballet division at the prestigious Preston Center Dance studios.  She has judged pageants throughout the country and served as choreographer for the 2003 & 2004 Miss Teen Texas Pageants.  Mia now trains and choreographs for pageant contestants who come to Texas from around the country to utilize her award winning Choreography.
 In 2006 Mia was thrilled to act as Choreographer and talent coach for Miss Oklahoma, Jennifer Berry who won a preliminary talent award for her ballet performance and ultimately won the title of Miss America 2006.  Most recently Mia was honored to serve as talent choreographer for Miss Texas and Miss Missouri for their competition in the 2008 Miss America Pageant.
Mia is very active on several community boards.  She is a past President of the Highland Park Presbyterian Day School, as well as past President of the Dallas Summer Musicals Guild.  She is a member of the Junior League of Dallas and a 6th grade Sunday School teacher at Highland Park Presbyterian Church.  Mia and her husband, Rob, have two young daughters.
 

Rosanne Nielsen
Rosanne comes to the judges table well prepared with experience in the Miss America Scholarship Program. She was Miss Washington D.C., a Preliminary Talent and Swimsuit Winner, and First runner-up to Miss America. Her husband, Norm, has also been a part of the system, serving twice as president of the National Association of Miss America State Pageants. Rosanne was Executive Director of the Miss Utah Scholarship Program for 22 years. During that time, serving as head of the Preparation Committee for Miss America competition, she helped several contestants place in the top ten, had several preliminary talent and swimsuit winners, and prepared a Miss America. The Miss America Pageant also recognizes the Nielsens as having originated the community service/platform issue which has provided more meaningful involvement for the contestants and sponsors. Rosanne continues to perform, is active in community works, is a popular motivational/religious speaker, and owns a women’s finishing school, Totally You. She is the mother of 8 and grandmother of 12.
 

David Weincek
David resides in New York City.  A theater veteran, David has appeared in over 100 stage production both Off-Broadway and in major regional theaters around the country.  On film, he has been featured in many motion pictures including The Stepford Wives, New York Minute and Baby Mama.  On television, David recently appeared on Cashmere Mafia,  Law & Order: Criminal Intent and frequently on One Life to Live.  David has starred in several national commercials and maintains a successful print modeling career.  An avid traveler, this past spring, David realized a lifelong dream and took a trip around the world.  David has judged over 25 state pageants and twice served as a national judge on the America’s Junior Miss telecasts.