Crowned After Clocking Out: CPA to Pageant Queen

By Julia Bush, CPA, MST - Miss Summerlin 2026

Balancing a 9-to-5 career while serving as a Miss America Organization local title holder often sounds exhausting on paper, and some days, it absolutely is. My Google Calendar is very full, and everything must be color coded. However, it is also one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever taken on, and one I believe more career women should feel empowered to pursue.

My career is something I’m very proud of; I’m a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in both Nevada and New York and I’ve been working as a tax accountant for seven years in some of the most demanding financial hubs, like New York City, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. When you have a career in tax, you are required to operate in a structured environment where deadlines matter, professionalism is expected, and showing up prepared is non-negotiable. That discipline has been one of my greatest assets while serving as Miss Summerlin. My weekdays are spent balancing tax returns and emails, while evenings and weekends are reserved for appearances, my community service initiative work, and preparation. The determination and time management I’ve learned as a tax accountant are important skills I have transferred to being a title holder. Just like how working as a tax professional requires hard work, rectitude, and strategy, so do my duties as Miss Summerlin. 

Although there are a lot of transferable skills between my career and my title, there are many that are not. A big one for me is the creativity that comes with being a title holder. Doing taxes is extremely structured. When a tax accountant gets creative in her work, it usually results in an angry call from the IRS. Being Miss Summerlin has given me space to dream, innovate, and express myself authentically, which has brought so much joy to my life. From designing meaningful community initiatives, to crafting engaging social media content, to styling myself for every occasion, the Miss America Organization allows me to bring my full personality, especially to my community service initiative: financial literacy education access for K-12 students. Bringing the financial knowledge I use every day for work to children requires some extra creativity and thinking outside the box. Working with kids with organizations like Junior Achievement or teaching my own financial literacy courses for teens for the Las Vegas Clark County Library District has given me a new perspective on my career: financial knowledge is for everyone and can be made fun! 

Apart from my community service work, the most meaningful part of this experience is what it represents to other women. Too often, talented, driven women disqualify themselves before ever trying because they believe their career is a barrier. I know I did. I (wrongfully) assumed that my bosses and colleagues would look down on me for being a “pageant queen”. I was nervous they would view me as unprofessional or not dedicated to my job. However, since being crowned Miss Summerlin, I have been met with nothing but love, excitement, and support from everyone I meet - from CEOs, to government officials, to my fellow CPAs. You do not need a flexible schedule, unlimited free time, or to be perfect; that is not what the Miss America Organization is all about. It is about smart, confident women who believe they are capable of more than one dream at a time.

Balancing my career and being Miss Summerlin has brought me so much joy and purpose. I am truly grateful to the Miss Nevada Organization and the Miss America Organization for this opportunity. I’m happy to show that women can be professionals, creatives, advocates, and leaders - all at the same time. And while the days may be long, it is worth every moment. I am so excited for the road ahead and what this amazing opportunity has in store for me next. 

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Julia Bush is the current Miss Summerlin (NV). You can follow her on her Instagram. 

This is her first guest blog for Section 36 Forevers.