McKenzie, Bethel Alumna to Represent Tennessee in Mrs. International Pageant

A Greenfield resident and alumna of McKenzie High School and Bethel University will represent Tennessee in the 2026 Mrs. International Pageant this summer.

Kaitlin Robbins (nee Sturdivant) is a marriage and family therapist with the Association of Behavioral Counselors in Jackson, where she provides pro-bono therapy on an income-based sliding scale.

She is a 2012 MHS graduate. She earned a BA in Psychology from Bethel in 2016 and an MA (with honors) in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northcentral University in 2023. She is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success and the National Honor Society.

Robbins and husband Christian started Robbin's Nest, LLC in 2024, combining her expertise with his as a contractor.

Robbins told The Banner, "I don't have any of that experience, but I know how to help families. So we decided together that we would create Robbin's Nest, where we would provide resources, housing and free education. It's for people who are suffering from domestic violence or are in need in any way. We give free therapy, free education resources, and we're working on providing free housing and putting a therapist in the house with these families so that we can intervene before people go to jail.

"We pushed for the domestic violence registry, and that has happened now. And so we're trying to intervene before they get on the registry. We're not going to be able to save everybody, but as long as they're willing to cooperate, we can talk to the courts. If for some reason, they do get into an altercation and get charged while in therapy, we can work things out for them where they won't be on the registry as long as they are compliant.

"[Being on the registry] will affect things like jobs and things of that sort, because if you can't interact with your partner at home, how can you interact in a public setting consistently?

"There are things like the way they were raised and the way they think… they never realized that was the wrong way of thinking. We're firm believers that you can turn any situation around as long as you're willing to try. All of the consequences may not go away, but you can prevent more from happening."

Robbins was contacted in October 2025 by Mary Richardson, executive director of Mrs. International, about serving as Tennessee's representative.

Richardson told Robbins she fit what the pageant was looking for and believes that Kaitlin could win.

Contestants in the annual pageant must have no prior modeling experience, be married for at least six months and be involved in community service.

Some states have pageants to determine their representatives, but many, like Tennessee, do not, and Richardson selects one herself.

"The program is all about the legacy that you're leaving behind," said Robbins.

Mrs. International was developed to promote today's married women, their accomplishments, and commitment to family and marriage. Each contestant competes in an interview competition (which is 50 percent of her overall score), evening gown (25 percent) and fitness wear (25 percent). Each contestant has the opportunity to select a platform of her choice that she spends the year promoting. Husbands are a direct part of the show, escorting their wives in the evening gown competition, and the husband crowns his wife titleholder.

The 2026 Mrs. International Pageant is July 23-24 in Chicago at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. It will be aired live nationally on NBC News and will stream on Peacock, Youtube, Telemundo, Fubo and pageantslive.com.

Robbins is seeking sponsors and contributions for the pageant. Fifty percent of contributions go to the WRAP, a domestic abuse treatment center in Jackson.