Lisa Harrigan Joseph is a Canadian entrepreneur, model, beauty queen, and pageant organizer based in Calgary. She has won multiple pageant titles, culminating in her becoming Mrs. Universe Canada 2019.
Early life
Lisa was originally from Regina, before moving to Calgary. Lisa began modeling when she was ten years old. She graduated from Central Memorial High School and attended the College of the Rockies in Cranbrook, B.C., where she studied business administration and marketing.
Pageant competitions
Lisa’s first big pageant win was as Miss Calgary 2006. She later won the title of Miss Earth Calgary 2008, leading her to compete for Miss Earth Canada 2008, where she was 3rd runner-up. She competed in the Miss Universe Canada pageant in 2006, 2007, and 2009. She was a top 10 finalist in Miss World Canada 2007. She also entered the Rose of Tralee Western Canada in 2009 and 2010, finishing as first runner up.
Pageant coaching and production
Lisa used her experience with pageants to coach other contestants, and also to organize pageants herself. She was the Director of the Miss Earth Alberta Pageant from 2009 to 2014.
In 2005 she created the Miss Sun and Salsa pageant, which she organized and operated. It ran as part of the annual Sun and Salsa Festival held in the Kensington community of Calgary. The pageant’s last year of operation was 2011. A number of the contestants of the pageant went on to enter and win in other pageants, at the local and national level. Miss Miss Sun and Salsa 2007 Adwoa Yamoah represented Canada at the Miss Universe 2012 pageant. Miss Sun and Salsa 2010 Casar Jacobson won the Miss Canada Globe 2013 title.
Lisa founded her own business, Canadian Beauties, which provides coaching to pageant contestants, event services like emceeing, scouting for pageants, and produces pageants itself. Lisa has also been a frequent judge in various pageants.
Pageants produced include Little Miss/Jr Miss/Miss Pre-Teen Calgary, Miss Teen Calgary, Miss Calgary, and Mrs/Ms Calgary. Pageants scouted for include Miss Teenage Canada, Miss World Canada, Top Model Search Canada, and Miss Earth Canada.
Other business
Lisa was responsible for managing marketing for the Kensington Fitness Studio. The twenty year old business was permanently shut down in 2020 due to effects of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Photo notes
I took the photos above at Miss Sun and Salsa pageants in 2010 (solo) and 2007 (group photo).
More photos of Lisa Harrigan Joseph
© 2021 Robert Thivierge