ABOUT THE PC&D TEAM

More About Kari Volen

Kari Volen is a leading force in the pageant industry, with over 25 years of

experience spanning competitor, director, choreographer, judge, producer, and coach. Her journey began as a contestant in systems including American Coed Pageants, Miss Teen USA, and the Miss America Organization, later earning titles such as Mrs. California America (Top 6 at Mrs. America), the inaugural America’s Most Beautiful Mrs., and most recently, Royal International Ms. 2023–24.

As the founder of Pageant Coaching & Designs, Kari leads an award-winning team recognized as a six-time Pageant Planet Best Coach recipient and Global Beauty Awards nominee. Together, they have coached thousands of contestants to success at the local, state, national, and international levels, with titleholders spanning multiple countries and continents.

With a professional background in corporate sales and a deep understanding of human behavior, Kari specializes in helping contestants master the art of nonverbal communication, creating a powerful “silent impact” that sets them apart in competition and beyond. She is also the visionary behind PC&D’s signature team-based coaching model, intentionally designed to mirror the dynamics of a judging panel. This innovative approach has consistently produced results across virtually every major pageant system.

In addition to her coaching work, Kari has produced and directed pageants across a variety of systems and has served as a sponsor and approved coach for many of the industry’s most respected organizations.

Our Other Coaches

Jenai Wilcox has been involved in pageantry since 2014 as a top level competitor and coach and has over 13 years of experience as a sought after dance teacher, choreographer, and mentor. She began dancing at the age of 2 and performed her first solo at just 3 years old, laying the foundation for a lifelong passion for performance and the arts. She has extensive experience in a variety of pageant systems including Royal International Miss, National American Miss, International Junior Miss, and America’s Ideal Miss. In 2019, she was crowned Royal International Miss after winning 8 International Optional Titles.

Jenai specializes in talent and modeling preparation, where she brings a unique blend of technical expertise and performance artistry to develop confident, captivating stage presence. With a trained eye for detail and a deep understanding of movement, musicality, and projection, she helps contestants not only refine their skills, but truly command the stage. As a teacher of ballet, pointe, jazz, lyrical, contemporary, modern, and hip hop at studios across California, she is dedicated to making learning both fun and impactful, empowering her students to grow not only in pageantry and dance, but in life.

Jenai Wilcox

Jenai is the Owner of Jenai Wilcox Photography, where she specializes in portraits, dance photography, and working with pageant contestants to capture confident, polished imagery. She is also a certified POP Pilates Instructor, further reflecting her commitment to strength, confidence, and overall wellness.

Jenai is also the Founder of Jenai’s Jewels, a business she launched in 2020 where she designs, creates, and sells her own handmade jewelry. Alongside all of her creative pursuits, she holds four business degrees, equipping her with a strong foundation in entrepreneurship, branding, and professional development. She has also served as a Brand Ambassador and Model for companies including Covet Dance, Metronome Dancewear, Orange Blossom Belle, Noell Store, Marc Defang, and Crowning Around. She has been featured in Pageantry Magazine, Top Model Magazine, Dance Spirit, and on Target.com.Since joining Pageant Coaching & Designs in 2022, Jenai has become a valued member of the team, assisting clients across all phases of competition while bringing her expertise in performance, presence, and confidence to every session.

Kate Platten

With over ten years of experience in the pageant circuit, Kate has held local,

state, and international titles. Most notably, Kate is a former Royal International Miss International Role Model and the 2025 National American Miss California. During her years of service, Kate advocated for those living with low vision through Service for Sight, Delta Gamma’s foundation.

After graduating from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in

Business Administration and a minor in Criminology, Law, and Society, Kate

found her passion for empowering young women on Delta Gamma’s national

staff as a Collegiate Development Consultant. She now serves Sigma Kappa as their Recruitment Support Specialist, coaching leaders on communication,

marketing, and confidence. As a sorority professional, Kate has traveled to nearly 40 universities supporting thousands of collegiate women in their professional development and leadership abilities. She has a passion for unlocking young women’s potential and motivating them to be the best version of themselves.

In her free time, Kate enjoys pilates, trying new sweet treats, and playing with her cats. As a client of PC&D for years and team member since 2023, Kate is

honored to serve as a mentor to pageant women worldwide!