Former members of the Miss USA organization this week blamed the organization’s leadership for a high-profile leak at the organization that supports one of the country’s longest-running pageants. It alleged that CEO Leila Rose created a toxic work environment.
Noelia Vogt, who resigned as Miss USA on Monday, wrote in a scathing eight-page resignation letter obtained by Yahoo News that the “stress, instability, and lack of support” she received from Rose had “affected my physical health.” It had a huge impact on me.” Excerpts from her letter were first published Thursday on NBC News.
“I’ve experienced heart palpitations, full-body tremors, loss of appetite, unintentional weight loss, lack of sleep, and hair loss,” she wrote.
Vogt cited Rose’s leadership style and pattern of abusive behavior as reasons for his resignation. Many of the accusations against Rose were corroborated to Yahoo News by former Miss USA social media director Claudia Engelhart. (In previous reports, Ms. Engelhardt was identified by her Instagram name “Claudia Michel.”)
“So-called leaders have huge egos, lack humility, lack self-awareness, and are willing to lie, gaslight, and manipulate to serve their own narrative. , throwing people under the bus and appearing to only care about herself. Her image alone is dangerous and cowardly, and she should never be allowed to be in charge of a women’s empowerment organization.” Vogt said in the letter.
The accusations about Rose followed the sudden resignations of Vogt and Miss Teen USA Umasofia Srivastava, who resigned two days after Vogt. Vogt did not elaborate on the allegations in his initial social media post announcing his resignation, which stated, “I am committed to making decisions that I believe are best for myself and my mental health. “Importance,” he said. After discovering that the first letters of the first 11 sentences of her post spelled out “I AM SILENCED,” internet sleuths speculated that something might be going on and the encrypted A theory has emerged that it may be a message. A social post announcing Srivastava’s resignation said her “personal values are no longer fully aligned with the direction of the organization.”
Rose and the Miss USA organization did not respond to repeated requests for comment from Yahoo News for this article. “Rest assured that the health of everyone associated with Miss USA is my top priority,” Rose said in comments to the media on Wednesday, the day before Vogt’s resignation was first reported.
In response to former social media director Engelhardt’s critical post, the Miss USA organization said in a statement to USA Today on Wednesday: Miss USA is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment, and we take these allegations seriously. In fact, we have and will continue to prioritize the well-being of everyone involved with Miss USA. ”
At least six people in various roles within the organization have left or claimed to have been fired in recent weeks. In her latest resignation, Miss Colorado Ariana Remus announced Friday that she is resigning in solidarity with Vogt and Srivastava.
Additionally, there has been a surge of support from current state title holders calling for Vogt to be released from the NDA he allegedly signed with the organization.
In his resignation letter, Vogt said the toxic work environment was “at best due to poor management and at worst… [was] bullying and harassment. She claimed Ms Vogt missed public events because Rose was “unable to communicate” and felt unsafe at the few events she was able to attend. As an example, Vogt said she was sexually harassed at the 2023 parade because she received insufficient support from her designated handler.
“[I was] “During the parade, I was alone in my car with a man who was driving a car, and he made several inappropriate comments to me about wanting to have a relationship with me,” Vogt wrote. “When I informed you, [Rose] of harassment, [she said] “You can’t prevent people from saying things to you in public. Unfortunately, that’s part of your role as a public figure.”
In text messages seen by Yahoo News, Vogt also expressed concern that someone was using Miss USA’s Instagram account without her knowledge and “commenting on my behalf.” did. Vogt found these posts “disturbing” and she called for “further conversation about safe and appropriate social media usage.”
Engelhardt said “everyone knows internally that Rose himself is micromanaging the accounts, rather than consulting or collaborating with Engelhardt as the brand’s social media director.” “Ta”. Engelhardt said this was not normal practice for someone in Rose’s position.
Engelhardt, who took over as the organization’s social media director in January, also told Yahoo News that if Rose posted something he personally didn’t like on social media, he would quote Vogt and Srivastava an excerpt from the contract. He said he would return it.
“They were shown screenshots, they were shown copy-and-pasted parts of the contract and they were told, ‘You’re doing it wrong.’ You’re in breach of contract. You have to fix this. , their wages will be garnished,” Engelhardt argued. “You live in fear. It’s like, okay, are they going to say anything if I take a breath? Are they going to text me?”
In Ms. Vogt’s letter, she mentioned the threat of having her pay garnished, saying, “While I was trying to do my job, I was constantly threatened with disciplinary action, including having my pay taken away, for never discussing it with me.” “It’s incredibly unpleasant to be exposed.” ..she wasn’t causing any problems other than it not being to her personal taste. ”
Vogt also alleged that Rose “slandered, defamed, and attempted to defame” members of the Miss USA national team. In one instance, she claimed Rose commented to someone that she hoped Vogt would hit her in the face with a baseball when he threw out the first pitch at a game.
Rose took over from the pageant’s former national director, Krystle Stewart, in August 2023 at a time of turmoil within the organization. Stewart resigned following accusations of fraud in the 2022 Miss USA pageant. (The Miss Universe Organization has since announced that it conducted an investigation and determined that the accusations of pageant fraud were false.) In 2022, former Miss USA Chesley Christ died by suicide.
Before becoming president of Miss USA, Rose owned a fashion line of the same name and was CEO of the VIP Pageantry network, a mobile app that Forbes magazine described as “focused on the beauty, fashion, and pageant industries.” Ta. (This is not affiliated with Miss USA.)
The Miss USA pageant has been in existence for more than 70 years, with the first winner, Jackie Lowry, being crowned in 1952. The winner of Miss USA usually represents the country at the Miss Universe competition, one of the “big four” beauty pageants. In the world.
In their resignation letters, Engelhardt and Vogt said they hoped their departure would bring about needed changes at the organization.
“This needs to be a wake-up call to the Miss Universe organization and the Miss USA organization,” Engelhart said. “Better management needs to be put in place. …Especially in women’s empowerment organizations, you have to practice what you preach. And this is the furthest thing from that.”
