Sunday, June 29, 2014

GLAMOUR GAL: Kate Johnson


Kate Johnson Glamour Gal


 This season's featured Glamour Gal is Mrs Australia International 2014 Kate Johnson. In this exclusive interview Kate discusses her charity work, being crowned Mrs Australia and why she's oh so purfectly chic!  

 Adventurous Ambition. 

 Born in Manly, Sydney Kate Johnson enjoys being an outdoor adventure girl - yes don't be fooled by her pretty pageant persona this girly-girl packs a mean punch (if she has too!) Kate loves travelling - she's already visited 40 countries. Her childhood growing up in the laid back lifestyle of Darwin, Australia contributed to Kate's down-to-earth yet adventurous nature. Although Kate loves the glitz and glamour of being a model and beauty ambassador she isn't afraid of getting her hands dirty. She's roughed it in the Amazon, swam with stingrays in Bora Bora, trekked through Machu Picchu and experienced the best vineyards in Chile. Kate 'travel bug' has taken her to America, Asia, Europe, South Pacific and even the Middle East. Now at the age of 30 Kate lives in sunny Sydney, "I love going to the beach." Kate loves scuba diving and she has even learnt to fly with the Australian Air Force Cadets - Wow! 

 What has been your most memorable travel adventure so far? 

 Kate: "I’ve made a point of saving my hard earned dollars for travel over the years so I’ve had the opportunity to visit some amazing destinations! Travel really is the only thing you can spend that makes you richer. The most memorable would be my tour of South America. It was an unbelievable journey; over five weeks my husband and I hiked to Machu Picchu in Peru, homestayed on Lake Titikaka in Bolivia, toured Chile’s best beaches and vineyards and slept under the stars in The Amazon. I loved immersing myself in the culture, local cuisine, language and ancient history. Hiking at altitudes that even aircraft fly below when the cabin depressurizes…that’s out of your comfort zone. You learn so much about yourself when you travel to places that not many people get to, and being quite remote, hard to get out of. I loved every minute of being off the beaten track."
Kate Johnson | Willow and Co
The camera certainly loves Kate's beautiful smile, gorgeous blonde mane and fit physique.  Kate has modelled for Bra N Things, David Jones, Cloverlove, Willow and Co, Underwear of Sweden, Pash Lingerie Australia, Rebel Sport, Blockout Fitness and St Frock. Kate was even crowned Miss Photogenic at the 2009 Miss Hawaiian Tropics pageant. Although Kate has been modelling since 2007 her true passion is charity work. Being in the spotlight has allowed Kate to focus her professional and positive attitude into helping others. 
Crusade for a Cure. 

 She supports Ovarian Cancer Australia. After her aunty was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2008, Kate wanted to join Ovarian Cancer Australia to help spread awareness for this silent killer. 

 Can you tell us more about being an ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Australia? 
 
Kate: "People come to feel strongly about causes for a variety of reasons because cancer touches individuals and families in different ways. My Aunt was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer shortly after my wedding in 2008 and at the time I knew nothing about the disease, let alone knew it could even occur. The news was just devastating. She described the experience as just waiting to die, and the effects of the treatment took its toll. Seeing first hand how her quality of life diminished in the five years she fought it with everything she had was enough for me to make a stand. Throughout her chemotherapy and radiotherapy I was in close contact with Ovarian Cancer Australia. They helped my Aunt connect with Doctors for alternate treatments options, coping mechanisms via their Resilience Program and meet fellow survivors. They were also a wealth of support for me, giving me the tools and resources I needed to support Chez in every way I could. She sadly passed away in 2013 though her legacy lives on."

 "It’s a privilege to be a National Community Ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Australia, fundraising for the organisation and bringing awareness to the early signs and symptoms of the disease that has no early detection test or cure. Working in the modeling industry is a far cry from curing cancer, though it’s an avenue for me to combine a passion with a cause; by carrying the title of Mrs Australia and being directly involved with the charity I am able to use my profile and professional expertise to reach a broad range of people to ensure no woman walks alone." 


Aussie Ambassador.

 Kate has dedicated so much time to charity work and her efforts certainly paid off. In November 2013 Kate was crowned Mrs Australia for 2014. The aim of the Mrs Australia pageant is celebrate beautiful women of all ages who promote a healthy active lifestyle and being involved in your community. During her reign as Mrs Australia this year, Kate will represent the Touch of Goodness Foundation. Kate hopes to be a positive role model and tackle body and self esteem issues with today's youth. "One issue that I think needs more attention is body confidence and self-esteem, which led me to get involved in the Touch of Goodness Foundation. Life is not about striving for digital perfection - it's about being a better version of you, today and every day." 
Kate Johnson Mrs Australia 2014


Congratulations on being crowned Mrs Australia. Can you share with our readers what your role as Mrs Australia 2014 will involve? 

Kate: "Thank you so much! Since being crowned Mrs Australia International for 2014 I have directed my charity work with the Touch of Goodness Foundation (www.touchofgoodness.org.au) to focus on building teenage self esteem and tackling body confidence issues; all part of ‘sharing the goodness.’ As a long-term youth worker, and a professional model, I’ve witnessed first hand how the model industry can misrepresent to our youth, and the negative impact this often has." 

"Through my youth work with the Australian Air Force Cadets, model tutoring and delivering workshops the past few years I’ve learnt that as high as 80% of women across Australia say the images of women on television and in movies; fashion magazines and advertising, makes them feel insecure. These are serious social problems that can only be tackled by those very people who our youth look up to in these positions: models and beauty queens." 

"My own journey is a far cry from the glitz and glamour that my name and profile is often associated with today. By sharing my own story; complete with being raised by a quadriplegic mother, surviving a sexual assault and enduring a miscarriage; with my knowledge of how the industry actually works, I’m really aiming to inspire and empower teenagers to focus more on inner beauty than to strive for the digital perfection. I wasted more years than I’d care to admit hating what I didn’t like rather than celebrating what I had. It’s amazing what you can do with a change in perspective!"

"My charity work with the Touch of Goodness Foundation hasn’t stopped there either… I am honored to be an Ambassador for the Beautiful You Australia campaign, which challenges the stereotypical definition of beauty and celebrates women for what they are, and also a guest speaker at the Beautiful Minds Girlfriend Magazine Event for teenage girls. It’s wonderful my message is getting out there and I hope this leads to other public figures following suit in ‘keeping it real’ with their blogs and social media as well. The world is full of beautiful people; it’s time to add some substance!"

Kate will join her fellow international queens on the world stage in Florida, USA this July to compete for the title of Mrs International 2014 and we wish her the best of luck! 
Kate Johnson - Mrs Australia 2014

fit + fabulous.
 
Kate believes in mind, body and soul. "I religiously follow the healthy mind + healthy body philosophy. You keep fit and fabulous, and you feel incredible inspiring others!" 

We love your passion for promoting positive body image. How do you you stay so fit and fabulous?

Kate: "There’s nothing I like more than seeing people practice what they preach and leading by example. I’ve had a fitness routine since I was fifteen and have always been self-motivated to be active (I can thank my parents for their example). Maintaining a regular health and fitness regime is imperative in my business, not just because I work as a model and need to be swimwear ready 24-7 (regardless of the season), but because I have people who follow what I do and look up to me."

"Representing Australia at the Mrs International competition in Florida, USA this July was enough for me to insist on getting out of my comfort zone and trying a different training routine. I’m so glad I did…hello toned everything!! The results I've seen in the last few weeks of my 6 Weeks to Sexy Program would have taken me months to achieve on my own. My trainer, Blake Worrall-Thompson, is also a constant source of motivation and inspiration, and his fitness coaching encompasses all facets of health from strength training and cardio, to wellbeing and nutrition. Staying fit and feeling fabulous is a matter of investing in your health. It will set you up for a quality life and you never regret a workout!"
Kate is wearing Seafolly

Kate balances business, modelling and charity work all while keeping a positive attitude and inspiring others. How does she do it? She's a true role model for women!  

 From businesswoman to model to wife to charity ambassador - how do you keep balance living such a busy lifestyle? 

Kate: "Having a hectic lifestyle is something I’ve always known. From the day I turned 18 I registered my graphic design consultancy business and fast tracked myself through University so I could start travelling and working abroad. Now with my model, charity work and blogger profile taking centre stage…I sometimes find myself asking how I keep the balance too!

When you have three careers that blur into one crazy lifestyle it’s imperative to keep a diary. I use my iPhone for all my photoshoot, casting and travel details, and my Kikki-K hardcover diary as a backup to jot down the basics so I can see a week at a time. I’m a little old school in that I appreciate being able to use a pencil and turn a physical (recycled) page. You can also never make too many ‘to do’ notes for yourself. I make these for daily, weekly and monthly chores and goals.

Having the support around you is also a bonus. During my time as Mrs Australia there have been a number of people in my life that have really supported my efforts, especially with my husband deployed or away training with the Royal Australian Air Force. I know I can’t do what I do without loved ones, and I can’t thank them enough for being there when things get a bit overwhelming – even if it’s something as simple as cooking me dinner!" 



Beautiful You. 

So what does a true beauty queen wear? Chanel No. 5, of course! Kate describes herself as a "Chanel No. 5 girl through and through" and she doesn't leave the house without wearing sunscreen and lip balm - her favourite is Nivea's Lip Butter in Vanilla and Macadamia. To transform her locks from curly and frizzy to pageant worthy straight, Kate swears by Kevin Murphy's 'Damage Control' Instant Heat Shielding Spray. 

 When you're travelling, what are your top 5 beauty essentials?  
Kate Johnson |  Willow and Co


Kate is an ambassador for a new beauty campaign Beautiful You Australia. 

 Can you tell us more about your involvement with Beautiful You?

Kate: "It’s the best opportunity for me to keep it real. I never imagined as a teenager I’d be in the position I am now (working as a model and rocking a sparkly crown as Mrs Australia), and I’ll never forget the person I was and what I’ve had to do to get to where I am now. I fought for that. I know sharing my journey would have helped 15 year old me so being able to do that as an Ambassador for Beautiful You Australia I think will help them feel less isolated."

"Building teenage self esteem and tackling body confidence issues are global concerns and I feel it’s important for young girls to know that models (and pageant queens for that matter) aren’t perfect, so there’s no need for them to be. Sharing my own life experiences and work life (an insight into the theatre and fantasy that is often involved in the model industry) is a sure way to break down some of the insecurities was face everyday."

"The Beautiful You Australia campaign challenges the stereotypical definition of beauty and celebrates women for what they are – all beautiful and unique, and I am so excited to be a part of it! Stand up, reach out and share your own moments of beauty – because everyone’s definition is different and there is beauty in celebrating that. Share your images online and be sure to tag #BeautyRedefined."

I came across a beautiful quote recently: a flower does not compare itself to others, it simply blooms. We can all take a leaf out of that one!" 


Kate is a smart businesswoman, loving wife, caring charity ambassador, stunning pageant queen, talented graphic designer and beautiful model. Kate is classy, confident and chic. She's a force to be reckoned with and inspires to so many young women. Oh Kate, you're just purfectly you! 
Natalie Roser Photography | Kevin McKenzie Hair


Kate Heussler (Kate Johnson) 

Website: kateheussler.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/KateHeussler
Instagram: Instagram.com/kateheussler
Twitter: Twitter.com/kateheussler


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