About

Since 1954, the Miss Roanoke Valley program has mentored hundreds of local women and girls to achieve their dreams. As representatives of the Miss Virginia and Miss America Organizations, Miss Roanoke Valley and Miss Roanoke Valley’s Teen spend their year speaking at civic events, volunteering for local non-profits, and entertaining Virginians of all ages.

The Miss America Organization is one of the nation's leading achievement programs for young women and the world’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Miss America's values, Scholarship, Service, Style, and Success, are symbolized in the four-points of its crystal crown and are exemplified by the thousands of women who participate in local pageants every year.

Stars of the Star City

Meet
Miss Roanoke Valley

Susanna Shedd

Susanna Shedd, Miss Roanoke Valley 2026, is a junior at the University of Lynchburg pursuing a Biomedical Science major with a Chemistry minor. She serves as a Dental Assistant at the Free Clinic of Central Virginia and has volunteered nearly 500 hours in clinical settings. Inspired by her own career goal to be a Neonatal Physician, Susanna's Community Service Initiative is "Bridging the Gap: Addressing Healthcare Workforce Shortages and Access to Care."

Susanna empowers and educates students to pursue careers in the medical field. She has spoken to over 600 children, developed a curriculum for school visits, and spoken to six School Boards. Susanna has discussed healthcare workforce shortages and the need to implement more healthcare-centered education in schools with Virginia's First Lady, Suzanne Youngkin, the state Lieutenant Governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, and Virginia Delegates and Senators.

For her talent at the Miss Roanoke Valley Competition, Susanna performed a classical cello arrangement of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. She is a classically trained pianist and cellist with over 13 years of experience.

Outside of her medical studies, Susanna stays busy in her community. On Sundays, she serves her church as a caregiver in the nursery. At the University of Lynchburg, Susanna is a Bonner Leader, the Vice President of Intellectual Development in her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, and the Community Service Chair for the Westover Honors College. Fueled by her favorite cappuccino with maple and oat milk, Susanna has worked as a barista at Mission House Coffee on her campus.

Susanna has met five Miss Americas and she's ready to be one of the next!