Ellise Kakazu, 33, of Waikiki, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, United States is one of the 17 women competing for the Miss Hawaii USA 2025 crown. This is the third time she is competing for the title.
If Kakazu wins, she will make history as the first mother, the first married woman and the first woman older than 28 to represent Hawaii in Miss USA, which selects the Miss Universe candidate of the U.S. In 2023, the Miss Universe organization started allowing mothers and married women to compete.
Women had to be between 18 and 28 years old to compete in Miss Universe but that changed in 2023. Now, the only age requirement is that a candidate has to be at least 18 years old.
Aside from Waikiki, Kakazu has lived in other parts of Honolulu including Ala Moana. She is an alumna of the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu.
Cherry Blossom Festival Queen 2016
On March 26, 2016, Kakazu competed in a beauty pageant for the first time. She was one of the 15 candidates at 64th Cherry Blossom Festival Queen at Sheraton Waikiki in Honolulu.
It was Alexis Sayuri Okihara who won the title with Brittney Yasuko Kawahara as the first princess. Ritsuko Sarah Tomari, Kristi Kiyo Murakami and Asia Rei Katsura Ayabe were also crowned as princesses.
Miss Hawaii USA 2017
On November 6, 2016, Kakazu represented Ala Moana at Miss Hawaii USA 2017 at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. She was runner-up to Julie Kuo of Honolulu.
North Shore’s Paige Knight was second runner-up. The respective third and fourth runners-up were Diamond Head’s Tesia Worley and Niu Valley’s Julianne Chu.
On May 14, 2017, Kakazu went to the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA to watch Miss USA 2017 where Kuo represented Hawaii. Washington, D.C.’s Kara McCullough won the title while Kuo was unplaced.
Miss Hawaii USA 2018
On November 19, 2017, Kakazu and Chu competed for the Miss Hawaii USA 2018 at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. Kakazu was runner-up to Chu.
Celine “Tali” Silva was second runner-up. Elizabeth Pualani Armstrong and Michaela Spaulding were the respective third and fourth runners-up.
Kakazu won the Best in Evening Gown and Miss Photogenic awards. Silva was Miss Congeniality and Armstrong was Best in Interview.
Miss Hawaii USA 2025
On May 5, 2018, Kakazu and Mando Cayabyab got married at the Sunset Ranch Hawaii in Pupukea, Pupukea, Ko’olauloa, Oahu. On June 1, 2019, she gave birth to their daughter at the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu.
On October 20, 2024, Kakazu announced her Miss Hawaii USA 2025 candidacy. On March 22, 2025, she will represent Waikiki and compete against 16 other candidates at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu.
Among Kakazu’s fellow candidates are Leeonda Lee and Issha Rose Mata. Lee was unplaced at Miss Hawaii USA 2021 and Miss Hawaii USA 2024 while Mata finished in the Top 10 at The Miss Philippines 2023, Top 15 at Miss Filipina International 2023 and Top 18 at Miss California USA 2023.
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