Join the sisterhood...
virginiaregencyinternational@gmail.com
Our Mission
Our mission at Virginia RIO is to form a sisterhood of queens committed to using their titles to positively impact their communities, their sister queens and themselves.
We hope every queen takes this opportunity to form new friendships, serve her community, learn from others and GROW!
Whether you’re new to pageantry or are looking to level up your game, Virginia RIO is for you!
OUR VALUES
Community
We are stronger together and support our community because we believe community is an essential element of life.
Leadership
We are role models in our communities and believe in leading with humility and integrity.
Growth
We strive to be better each day and believe it’s about the journey, not the destination.
Areas of Competition
25%, Judging criteria: conversational skill, personality, demeanor, beauty, grooming, fashion sense, content, and personal brand
25%, Judging criteria: modeling, flair, and style
25%, Judging criteria: modeling, personality, beauty, grooming, fashion sense and overall impression
25%, Judging criteria: photogenic appeal, photo quality & clarity, beauty of face, personality, and grooming
Scoring
All areas of competition are judged on a score of 1 - 10. Judges are instructed to use following scoring criteria:
9 -10
Excellent
7 - 8
Very Good
5 - 6
Good
Average
3 - 4
1 - 2
Below Average
At Virginia RIO, we value integrity and growth. Upon request, contestants will receive their average score in each area of competition along with the winner’s average scores. We believe feedback is essential to individual growth in pageantry.
age
divisions
Contestants are placed into age divisions based on the age they will be during the 2024 Regency International Pageant. Appointed titles available for girls age 4 - 15.
Teen
Age 16 - 18, never married, never had a child.
Miss
Age 19 - 28, never married, never had a child.
Ms.
Age 18 - 44 who are divorced, widowed, have child or age 29 -44, never married.
Mrs.
Must be legally married, age 18 - 44.
Age 19+ and size 14W or 1X and up.
Curve
rio
2024 Regency International Pageant Information
Avanti Resort & Conference Center
Orlando, FL
Jul 30 - Aug 3, 2024
Mandatory Areas of Competition:
Interview: 25%
Photogenic: 25%
Evening Gown: 25%
Fashion: 25%
Optionals: TBD
Past optionals have included:
Costume
Portfolio
Talent
Swimwear
Everyday Wear
Spokesmodel
Mother/Daughter
Men’s
Meet the Virginia RIO Staff
Raliene Banks
Director
Raliene Banks was born and raised on the island of Guam. She spent 15 years serving on active duty as an Air Force pilot and is currently stationed at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.
In 2019, she developed with Graves’ Disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid and prohibits her from flying for the Air Force. She refused to let her diagnosis get her down and decided to transform her pain into purpose with pageantry.
In 2020, she competed in her first pageant and placed in the top 10. Less than a year later, she won the Mrs. Regency International title and spent the year promoting her platform of aviation and resilience.
But, 2 months before she crowned her successor, her resilience was challenged more than she ever imagined. She and her husband, Joshua, learned their unborn baby had Trisomy 13, a chromosomal abnormality that leads to miscarriage, severe disability or death. Raliene was blessed to have carried her baby to term, and named her “Faith.” Not knowing how long Faith would live, they lived each day fully and treasured each moment. Faith lived a full week before passing away due to Trisomy 13 complications. Faith inspired Virginia RIO’s values and taught Raliene that sometimes it’s not about the destination...it’s the journey that counts.
As a director, Raliene’s goal is to promote the Virginia RIO values of Community, Leadership, and Growth, and to see each queen live up to her full potential.
Raliene’s Awards & Titles
- Top 10, Mrs. North Carolina America 2020
- Mrs. Guam Petite 2020
- 1st Runner Up, Mrs. Petite USA 2021
- Ms. Virginia North America 2021
- Best in Evening Gown
- 1st Runner Up, Ms. North America 2021
- Best in Fitness
- Mrs. Regency International 2021
- Spokesmodel Award
- Best in Everyday Wear
- Best in Swimwear
- Mrs. Virginia International 2023
- 3rd Runner Up, Mrs. International 2023
Taia L.C. Reid
AssistantDirector
Taia L.C. Reid is a dedicated mother, advocate, mentor, coach, and educator. Growing up in a military family, she received her education from various public school systems, ultimately graduating from Tabb High School in 2004. Her academic journey continued at Thomas Nelson Community College and Saint Augustine's University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Motivated by a desire to make a difference in the lives of college students, she pursued further education, earning a Master of Science in Education Leadership with a focus on Higher Education Administration in 2013. During this time, she also obtained her Master Mentor Certification through the College Reading and Learning Association, graduating with honors and active membership in the Golden Key honor society.
Since graduating, Taia has held various Assistant Director roles at Old Dominion University before transitioning to her current position as Academic Counselor and Program Coordinator for the TRiO Upward Bound program. As a passionate advocate for education, she is committed to assisting high school students in preparing for college while providing support and resources to pre-college students and their families. Outside of work, Taia finds joy in coaching tumbling, competitive cheer, traveling, volunteering, and attending live sporting events, particularly as a devoted Baltimore Ravens fan.
Above all, Taia's greatest source of joy is her son, Zion, who serves as her inspiration and driving force. She founded Zion's Cradle, an organization dedicated to supporting single mothers pursuing higher education, as a testament to her commitment to empowering women and children. Additionally, Taia is an active member of the Messiah Center of Hampton and a missionary. She lives by the words of Dr. Cornel West, "You can't lead the people if you don't love the people. You can't save the people if you don't serve the people," embodying a deep desire to effect positive change on a global scale within her community.
Taia’s Awards & Titles
- Ms. Northeast North America 2021
- People's Choice Award
- Ms. Virginia North America 2022
- 3rd Runner Up, Ms. North America 2022
- International Influencer Award
- People's Choice Award
- Ms. District of Columbia 2023 UIM
- 1st Runner Up, Ultimate International Miss
- Peoples Choice Award
- Anne Koren Scholarship Recipient
- Ultimate International Miss Spirit Award
- Ms. Virginia 2024 UIM
Dianne Wilson
Brand Strategist
Dianne Wilson is an Army wife and business owner that is stationed with her husband in South Korea. She is a passionate educator with a mission to equip women that are in pursuit of their dreams with the tools for success.
As a former Miss competitor, Dianne was crowned Miss Taste of Charoltte in 2019. Her journey as a titleholder at the height of the COVID pandemic taught her valuable lessons about the importance of resourcefulness & ingenuity in pageantry. As a titleholder, she used her platform to educate and inspire women to pursue entrepreneurship.
In 2021, she began her personal entrepreneurship journey by starting a wardrobe styling business that landed her work in multiple publications and helped her make meaningful connections with creatives and professionals.
Her journey naturally led her to fall in love with the world branding and design and in 2023 she launched Suited to Reign, which is a company that provides brand development services to the pageant and beauty industry to help them build a memorable brand and platform with long-term impact.
Dianne strongly values creativity, community impact, work life harmony, and her faith in Jesus. As a mentor, these core pillars are what motivate her to make a positive difference in the lives of others around her.
Owner, Suited to Reign