Savannah Gankiewicz

{{Infobox pageant titleholder

| name=Savannah Gankiewicz

| image=Savannah_Gankiewicz_-_August_2023.png

| caption=Gankiewicz in 2023

| birth_name= Savannah Marʻi Gankiewicz

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|11|28|mf=yes}}

| birth_place= Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.

| title={{ubl|Miss Hawaii USA 2023|Miss USA 2023}}

| nationalcompetition={{ubl|Mutya ng Pilipinas 2017|(Mutya ng Pilipinas Overseas Filipino Communities)|Miss Hawaii USA 2023|(Winner)|Miss USA 2023|(1st Runner-Up; Assumed){{efn|Gankiewicz was originally first runner-up, but became Miss USA after the original titleholder, Noelia Voigt, resigned.{{Cite web |title=Miss Hawaii Savannah Gankiewicz Named Miss USA 2023 After Noelia Voigt Resignation: 'I Accept the Crown' |url=https://people.com/miss-hawaii-savannah-gankiewicz-named-miss-usa-2023-after-noelia-voigt-resignation-8646647 |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2024/05/09/miss-hawaii-2023-named-miss-usa-after-current-titleholder-relinquishes-crown/|title='I accept the crown': Miss Hawaii USA named Miss USA after titleholder resigns|website=Hawaii News Now|language=en|date=2024-05-09|access-date=2024-05-14}}}}}}

| education = George Mason University

| eye_color=

| hair_color=

}}

Savannah Mari Gankiewicz (born November 28, 1995) is an American beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 2023. Gankiewicz is the fifth woman from Hawaii to become Miss USA.

Gankiewic won Miss Hawaii USA 2023, and was the first runner-up at Miss USA, receiving the title after the original winner Noelia Voigt resigned in May 2024.

Early life and education

Gankiewicz was born on Oahu to parents Yvienne Tagorda Peterson and Mark Gankiewicz; her mother is from Maui and of Filipina descent, while her father is of Polish and Vietnamese descent.{{cite instagram|user=savannahmarai |postid=C0NTbv9BakO |title=Memories from the best weekend!|author=Savannah Gankiewicz|date=November 28, 2023}} Her mother had a background in pageantry, having been crowned Mrs. Maui and serving as a director for the Miss Maui Filipina pageant. Gankiewicz spent the first six years of her life with her family on Maui, and later lived between Maui and Stephenson, Virginia, where her father relocated.{{cite web|url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/video/2023/10/17/maui-native-represented-hawaii-miss-usa-winning-1st-place-an-outfit-honoring-lahaina/|title=Maui native represented Hawaii at Miss USA, winning 1st place for an outfit honoring Lahaina|date=October 16, 2024|work=Hawaii News Now}}{{cite web|url=https://filamvoicemaui.com/savannah-gankiewicz/|title=Savannah Gankiewicz: A Filipina's Journey as the newly crowned Miss Hawai'i USA|date=February 25, 2023|work=FilAm Voice Maui|last=Evangelista|first=Alfredo G.}}

Gankiewicz was educated in Virginia, attending Sherando High School in Frederick County, Virginia and George Mason University in Fairfax County, Virginia. She later returned to Hawaii at age 21, settling in Kihei, Hawaii on Maui, where she began working as a professional model and a marketing coordinator at The Agency Maui.

Pageantry

Gankiewicz moved to the Philippines to model and competed in Mutya ng Pilipinas 2017, where she was a finalist and received the title of Mutya ng Pilipinas Overseas Filipino Communities for representing the Filipino-Hawaiian community.{{cite web|url=https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/472919/miss-hawaii-usa-savannah-mari-gankiewicz-places-self-love-above-all-else/|title=Miss Hawaii USA Savannah Mar'i Gankiewicz Places Self-Love Above All Else|date=August 23, 2023|last=Agustin|first=Carl Martin|work=Lifestyle}}{{cite news|url=https://entertainment.inquirer.net/520928/mutya-ng-pilipinas-is-miss-usa-first-runner-up|title=Mutya ng Pilipinas is Miss USA first runner-up|last=Adina|first=Armin P.|date=September 30, 2023|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer}} Following the pageant, she continued to live in the Philippines to work as a model for over a year.

Gankiewicz entered and won Miss Hawaii USA 2023, competing as Miss Wailea. She was also awarded Miss Photogenic. Aged 27 at the time of her win, Gankiewicz opted to compete in her final year of age eligibility as she had wanted to wait until she felt ready for the responsibilities of being a state titleholder. With her win, Gankiewicz became the first woman from Maui to be crowned Miss Hawaii USA in over 20 years.{{cite web|url=https://mauinow.com/2023/01/18/maui-duo-crowned-savannah-gankiewicz-named-miss-hawaii-usa-noelani-denisi-earns-miss-hawaii-teen-usa-title/|title=Maui duo crowned: Savannah Gankiewicz named Miss Hawaii USA, Noelani DeNisi earns Miss Hawaii Teen USA title|last=Osher|first=Wendy|date=January 18, 2023|work=Maui Now}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2023/01/coming-home-with-crowns/|title=Coming home with crowns|date=January 18, 2023|work=The Maui News}}

=Miss USA 2023=

As Miss Hawaii USA, Gankiewicz entered Miss USA 2023. The competition was held on September 29, 2023, in Reno, Nevada and aired on The CW.{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-watch-miss-usa-pageant-2023-9|title=How you can watch the Miss USA 2023 pageant from home|date=September 27, 2023|work=Business Insider|last=Konstantinides|first=Anneta}}{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/1338158/how-the-miss-usa-2022-pageant-will-honor-cheslie-kryst-after-her-death|title=How the Miss USA 2022 Pageant Will Honor Cheslie Kryst After Her Death|work=E! Online|last1=Vulpo|first1=Mike|last2=Sobol|first2=Beth|date=July 15, 2022}} During the state costume portion of the pageant, Gankiewicz wore a costume paying tribute to the victims of the 2023 wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii on her home island of Maui, for which she won the Best State Costume award.{{cite web|url=https://www.khon2.com/local-news/miss-hawaii-usa-wins-best-costume-representing-lahaina-banyan-tree/|title=Miss Hawaii USA wins best costume representing Lahaina banyan tree|date=September 29, 2023|work=KHON2|last=ʻUfi|first=Elizabeth}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/09/29/miss-hawaii-usa-wins-national-stage-costume-inspired-by-lahaina-banyan-tree/|title=Miss Hawaii USA wins on national stage for costume inspired by Lahaina banyan tree|date=September 28, 2023|work=Hawaii News Now}} Gankiewicz was the first runner-up in the competition, behind winner Noelia Voigt of Utah, and additionally won the Best in Interview award.{{Cite web |last=Rees |first=Alex |date=September 30, 2023 |title=Miss USA 2023: Noelia Voigt of USA wins pageant |url=https://www.cnn.com/style/miss-usa-2023-noelia-voigt-utah/index.html |access-date=October 10, 2023 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Botelho |first=Renan |date=September 30, 2023 |title=Miss USA 2023: All the Evening Gowns, Swimsuits and Finals Looks |url=https://wwd.com/pop-culture/celebrity-news/gallery/miss-usa-2023-photos-1235850212/ |access-date=October 10, 2023 |website=Women's Wear Daily |language=en-US}}{{cite web|url=https://ksltv.com/600852/utahs-noelia-voigt-crowned-miss-usa-2023-2/|title=Utah's Noelia Voigt crowned Miss USA 2023|date=November 10, 2023|last=Rees|first=Alex|work=KSL-TV}} Gankiewicz later crowned Breea Yamat as her successor at the Miss Hawaii USA 2024 pageant in April 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.khon2.com/local-news/watch-live-who-will-be-the-new-miss-hawaii-usa/|title=Our new Miss Hawaii USA 2024 is…|date=April 19, 2024|work=KHON2|last=Lopez|first=Lucy}}

In May 2024, Voigt announced that she was resigning her title as Miss USA, citing her struggles with mental health.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/05/06/miss-usa-2023-noelia-voigt-resigns/73586925007/|title=Miss USA Noelia Voigt makes 'tough decision' to step down. Read her full statement.|date=May 6, 2024|work=USA Today|last=Jensen|first=Erin}}{{cite web|url=https://www.al.com/news/2024/05/miss-usa-noelia-voigt-steps-down-relinquishes-title.html|title=Miss USA Noelia Voigt steps down, relinquishes title|date=May 6, 2024|last=Gore|first=Leada|work=al.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/news/miss-usa-2023-resigns-rcna150853|title=Miss USA 2023 announces she's resigning from title for her mental health: 'This may come as a large shock'|date=May 6, 2024|last=Wood|first=Becca|work=Today}} Later that day, it was reported in the Hawaiian media that Gankiewicz had been asked to take over the Miss USA title.{{cite web|url=https://www.khon2.com/living-808/noelia-voigt-surrenders-her-miss-usa-crown-to-prioritize-mental-health/|title=Miss Hawaii USA offered Miss USA crown after titleholder stepped down|date=May 6, 2024|work=KHON2|last=ʻUfi|first=Elizabeth}}{{cite web|url=https://www.kitv.com/video/miss-hawaii-savannah-gankiewicz-offered-miss-usa-title-after-2023-winner-resigns/video_549ab019-398f-5e04-8976-2b3463d64df1.html|title=Miss Hawaii Savannah Gankiewicz offered Miss USA title after 2023 winner resigns|date=May 6, 2024|work=KITV}} Due to pageant protocol, the first runner-up is asked to step in to fulfill the duties of Miss USA should the winner be unable to, and on May 9, it was announced that Gankiewicz would assume the title of Miss USA 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C6weGRcrxvr/|title=The Miss USA Organization is thrilled to announce that Miss Hawaii USA Savannah Gankiewicz is Miss USA 2023. She will be crowned in her native state of Hawaii in a celebratory coronation on Wednesday, May 15.|date=May 9, 2024|publisher=Miss USA}}{{cite web|url=https://www.khon2.com/local-news/miss-hawaii-usa-2023-to-be-crowned-as-miss-usa/|title=Miss Hawaii USA 2023 to be crowned as Miss USA|date=May 9, 2024|work=KHON2|last=ʻUfi|first=Elizabeth}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2024/05/09/miss-hawaii-2023-named-miss-usa-after-current-titleholder-relinquishes-crown/|title=Miss Hawaii 2023 named Miss USA after current titleholder relinquishes crown|date=May 9, 2024|work=Hawaii News Now}}{{cite web|url=https://mauinow.com/2024/05/09/mauis-savannah-gankiewicz-to-be-crowned-miss-usa-2023-after-titleholder-resigns/|title=Maui's Savannah Gankiewicz to be crowned Miss USA 2023 after titleholder resigns|last=Osher|first=Wendy|date=May 9, 2024|work=Maui Now}}{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/miss-hawaii-new-miss-usa-after-noelia-voigt-resignation-2024-5|title=Miss Hawaii is taking over as Miss USA following Noelia Voigt's historic resignation|work=Business Insider|date=May 9, 2024|last1=Konstantinides|first1=Anneta|last2=Grindell|first2=Samantha}}{{Cite web |title=Miss Hawaii Savannah Gankiewicz Named Miss USA 2023 After Noelia Voigt Resignation: 'I Accept the Crown' |url=https://people.com/miss-hawaii-savannah-gankiewicz-named-miss-usa-2023-after-noelia-voigt-resignation-8646647 |access-date=May 14, 2024 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}} Gankiewicz was later officially crowned as Miss USA 2023 by Josh Green, the governor of Hawaii, in a ceremony held on May 15 in the neighborhood of Waikiki in Honolulu.{{cite web|url=https://www.etonline.com/savannah-gankiewicz-is-crowned-miss-usa-says-she-didnt-accept-job-lightly-after-noelia-voigts|title=Savannah Gankiewicz Is Crowned Miss USA, Says She Didn't Accept Job 'Lightly' After Noelia Voigt's Resignation|date=May 15, 2024|work=Entertainment Tonight|last=Sloop|first=Hope}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/15/style/new-miss-usa-crowned-hawaii-savannah-gankiewicz/index.html|title=New Miss USA crowned amid ongoing turmoil at pageant|work=CNN|date=May 15, 2024|last1=Palumbo|first1=Jacqui|last2=Choi|first2=Christy}}{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/hawaii-native-savannah-gankiewicz-crowned-miss-usa-after-110289672|title=Hawaii native Savannah Gankiewicz crowned Miss USA after the previous winner resigned|date=May 16, 2024|work=ABC News}} Following this, she became the fifth woman from Hawaii to be crowned Miss USA.{{cite web|url=https://www.staradvertiser.com/2024/05/16/hawaii-news/maui-native-crowned-new-miss-usa-following-pageant-controversy/|title=Maui native crowned new Miss USA following pageant controversy|date=May 15, 2024|last=Yamamoto|first=Kacie|work=Honolulu Star-Advertiser}}