AGE: 22 | HEIGHT: 5'6" | HOMETOWN: ETOBICOKE, ON

Driven by life's fast pace, Liz is a determined woman who strives to live life to its fullest potential through happiness and success during the time we have on this earth. Liz is of Italian heritage but was born in Toronto, Ontario, where growing up in such a diverse environment, Liz was not only exposed to many different cultures and lifestyles, but more importantly has developed a passion to learn about other ethnicities across the globe. Liz loves to travel and seeing other parts of the world has personally emphasized how lucky she is to live in such a wonderful country like Canada, which represents ultimate freedom of expression and individuality.

While completing her Business & Society degree at York University, Liz is also currently working full time as the Customer Relations Coordinator at TD Canada Trust. When Liz is not busy at work or school, she enjoys being in the company of her loving friends and family. Liz loves to sing and feels singing is a form of expression that brings tranquility to the busy life she leads. Liz has been singing in the St. Gregory's Church Choir since age fourteen and loves to share her gift with those who appreciate it. Being personally fulfilled each and every day is important because it works to ensure that not only are you leading a satisfying and happy life, you are working to encourage others to benefit and do the same.

Liz believes that because the world has so much to offer, giving back to the community is a way of expressing her appreciation for being blessed with life. She has coached the Etobicoke Under-6 Soccer team, helped direct and perform in a play with under privileged teens and volunteered at a children's camp after receiving her leadership training to be a camp councillor. Even at the workplace, Liz finds a way to give back to the community by teaching grade eight classes "The Economics of Staying in School" with the Junior Achievement program and organizing and running the Children's Miracle Network campaign for Sick Kids Hospital. Physical and mental fitness is another area of focus for Liz, believing that we are only given one body, so we must take care of it by eating healthy and staying active. Liz remains physically active by taking part in many kinds of sports and hobbies like soccer and snowboarding, playing the piano and composing her own music.

If Liz is to be chosen as the next Miss Universe Canada, she would continue to be highly involved in charitable groups as well as emphasizing personal development in herself and for others by showing that one can truly make a difference. Liz feels that being a Canadian enables her freedom of expression and growth as a person and to be an exemplary role model. It is in these changing and unstable economic times, that we sustain our focus on the real beauty and happiness of life, finding it from within and using it to make a difference for the benefit of Canada.

Sponsored by: Taz Hair Salon, Royal York Dental, Booty Camp Fitness, Liberty Grand Entertainment, BM Group, RAP Holdings, Family and Friends.

ARE YOU CURRENTLY A STUDENT? IF YES, WHERE? AREA OF STUDY:
Yes
York University
Business & Society

ARE YOU CURRENTLY EMPLOYED? IF YES, WHAT IS YOUR OCCUPATION?
Yes
TD Canada Trust
Customer Relations Coordinator (full time)

HAVE YOU COMPLETED SECONDARY SCHOOL? IF YES, WHERE?
Yes
Michael Power / St. Joseph

HAVE YOU COMPLETED UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE? IF YES, WHERE?
In progress… (2 more courses to complete)
York University

LANGUAGES SPOKEN FLUENTLY (PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE IF ENGLISH IS NOT YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE)
English

LIST ANY SPECIAL TRAINING YOU HAVE HAD (MUSIC, ART, DRAMA, DANCE, ETC).
Music - vocal, piano, Broadway productions, church choir
Dance - acro, jazz, hip-hop
Art - Drawing as a hobby

IN WHAT SPORTS, IF ANY, HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN EACH SPORT?
Soccer - 10 years (also coached under-6 soccer team)
Basketball - 3 years
Swimming - 8 years
Skating - 2 years

PLEASE LIST ANY SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES (PUBLIC/PRIVATE/GRADUATE/TRADE OR TECHNICAL) YOU HAVE OR ARE ATTENDING, AS WELL AS THE AREA OF STUDY, GRADUATION DATE AND ANY DEGREE OR CERTIFICATION YOU RECEIVED.
Michael Power / St. Joseph High school - Received high school diploma
York University - Business & Society; Media & Communication and Labour Studies (in progress)

WHAT CHARITY/CHARITIES HAVE YOU SUPPORTED WITH YOUR TIME AND/OR RESOURCES OVER PAST TWO YEARS?
CANFAR - The Canadian Foundation for Aids Research
TD Friends of the environment
Big brothers Big Sisters
Children's Miracle Network / Sick Kid's Hospital
St. Gregory's Catholic Church

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR "DREAM JOB" IN LIFE?
My "dream job" in life would be to be a singer and perform in front of thousands of people. To see the smile and joy of enjoyment from my music would be 100% satisfaction for me.

NAME ONE PERSON, OTHER THAN YOUR PARENTS, WHO HAS HAD THE MOST INFLUENCE ON YOUR LIFE? WHY?
While I was away on vacation many years ago, I met someone who taught me that you do not have to focus on and represent one thing in life. Rather, to learn and be open minded to the diversity of life and for that to shape you who you are.

WHAT IS THE PROUDEST PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT (OTHER THAN BEING IN THIS OR ANY OTHER BEAUTY PAGEANT COMPETITION)
My proudest personal accomplishment in my life thus far has to be getting over and accepting the fact that my father left my brother, mother and I so many years ago. It was so hard throughout my teenage years to be happy with who I was, knowing that one who created me could walk out of my life without one word. Getting the proper help and advice from very important people, played a major role in my changing my views on life. I one day realized that my father's absence shaped me more than his presence. I have accepted my past and only focus on life's path ahead of me instead of watching my life through the rear-view mirror.

WHAT IS YOUR CAREER AMBITION AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING OR PLAN TO DO TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL?
My career ambition is to never stop learning and striving to aim, action and accomplish what my business dreams may be. I am honoured to work for such a great organization powered by people who want to make a difference. My ambition is to eventually work at the top of the TD Tower, to manage and take care of customers, making them feel that TD is passionate to recognize and respect their differences in such a diverse country.

DESCRIBE WHERE YOU WERE RAISED AND WHAT YOUR CHILDHOOD WAS LIKE.
I was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. While most children from my generation would rely heavily on television for entertainment, my mother enrolled me in plenty of extracurricular activities, keeping me highly active and focused on a healthy lifestyle. Throughout my childhood, I struggled to find my confidence for who I was. My father has left when I was a year and a half old and it was so hard to accept and not let it affect me, even though he was not even in my life. I was kept busy on a daily basis, which turned my focus to positive and healthy actions. I have learned to adapt to many different environments socially and intellectually, I have strived to be successful in each aspect of my life to be the best I can be in what I find pleasure in.

LIST ANY INTERESTING OR UNUSUAL JOBS YOU MAY HAVE HAD.
I used to work at Party Pros, which is a party planning company. Not only did my job entail assisting customers choose party decorations, I also had to create the actual balloon arrangements. That is as far as an unusual job for me will go.

LIST ANY VOLUNTEERING YOU HAVE DONE.
Etobicoke Youth Soccer Club - Coached Under-6 soccer team
St. Gregory's Church choir - Active member of choir since 2000
Junior Achievement program - Taught grade 8's the economics of staying in school
Camp Claireville - children's camp councillor's assistant
CANFAR - Spoke at a fashion show fundraiser event to raise the awareness of aids in Canada
Children's Miracle Network - Through TD Canada Trust, I ran the CMN campaign throughout the branch to raise the awareness of sick children with customers

WHERE IS THE MOST INTERESTING PLACE YOU HAVE BEEN?
Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was quite interesting because of the multicultural atmosphere. It was a complete tourist town, as if a portion of each country around the world all travelled to the same part of the world. Everywhere you turned, I heard so many different languages, restaurants with types of food from every part of the globe.

WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER CONTESTANTS?
Being the shortest girl who made the top 12 for the Ontario Preliminaries, it makes me different from the other contestants because I realize there is no "definition" for a Miss Universe Canada contestant. There is the stereotype that models are to be tall, I definitely want to focus and show everyone that the way God has made you should not interfere with anything one may strive to do.

WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY OF/IN LIFE?
My philosophy of life is to be 100% confident and happy in your own skin. Once you have achieved inner happiness, everything in life is free to come. Success, happiness and love can only occur in one's life once you are happy and love yourself for who you are, and nothing else.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO BE DOING IN 10 YEARS?
In 10 years, I hope to have a family, to be set in my career and to be leading a happy and healthy life. I hope to be able to tell the story that I was Miss Universe Canada 2009 and that it was the greatest experience of my life. I hope to have experienced and learned as much about life as I could, being happy with every decision I made in my past, and proud to be me.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF? SOMETHING UNIQUE THAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU? SOME INTERESTING THING ABOUT YOU?
For me, I have learned as each day passes, through each experience whether good or bad, has helped to shape who I am today and who I will be tomorrow. I believe that there is no reason to dwell on the hardships of the past because it is only I who will allow it to affect my future. I am dedicated and passionate to help others in need and successful amongst the people around me to follow. My hope is that my dedication to helping others in need will inspire more individuals around me to do the same.