Meet our 2025 Miss Nebraska & Miss Nebraska's Teen Judges
Blaine Ikaika Dutro
Blaine Ikaika Dutro is a proud graduate of the University of Hawaii at Hilo with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Hawaiian Language and Communications. Upon completing his undergraduate studies, he went on to obtain his Master’s degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Teaching with focus on indigenous studies. Blaine currently works as a high school teacher in Honolulu and has his own hula studio which focuses on developing and promoting Hawaiian Culture.
Blaine Ikaika Dutro is no stranger to the Miss America Organization. He first served as the choreographer for a local preliminary competition in Honolulu. He then started the Miss Latina Hawaii Scholarship Competition, which is a festival competition that is affiliated with the Miss America Program. He now serves as the Executive Director for the Miss Hawaii Organization
Jill Pennington
Jill Pennington holds the title of Miss Nebraska 2000. Scholarship funds she earned through the Miss America Organization helped Jill to earn two debt-free degrees: a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and a Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from Oklahoma City University. Jill has toured the nation performing professionally in musical theatre, and she has taught music for two decades in New Hampshire. She continues to sing, dance, act, choreograph, and direct professionally throughout New England. She’s also a mother of two great kids. Jill’s son Lincoln is named after Nebraska’s capital city, and Jill’s daughter Willa is named after her pageant host mother here in North Platte!
David Yanoshik
David Yanoshik is Brand Strategist for several Marketing firms in the Allentown area. David spent 3 decades leading consumer marketing teams in the industries of health care (St. Luke’s University Health Network), higher education (Penn State) and news media (The Express-Times/ lehighvalleylive.com) in the Lehigh Valley.
A graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with a Journalism major and Graphic Design minor, he has also served on the adjunct faculty at Cedar Crest College. Active in the Miss America organization as a local and State judge and Board member for 4 decades, he has judged several state pageants across the country.
He is the recipient of the Outstanding Friend to Kids Award from the Weller Health Education Center, a Shining Star Award for employee engagement at St. Luke’s University Health Network, the Linny Award recognizing a Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism from Artsquest, and the 2024 MVP Award for Community Services for Children.
David resides in Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Hillary Watter, Mezzo-Soprano
Dr. Hillary Watter is a distinguished mezzo-soprano and educator with over three decades of experience in vocal performance and pedagogy. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from the University of Maryland, a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Kansas. She further enriched her training at the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, and pursued specialized study in voice care at the Vanderbilt Voice Research Center in Nashville.
Dr. Watter served as Professor of Music at Hastings College in Nebraska for 30 years, where she taught a wide range of courses, including private voice, vocal pedagogy, music history, and ear-training. As chair of the voice area from 2017 to 2020, she mentored countless students, many of whom received accolades through the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), where she was a dedicated member and contributor for over 30 years.
An accomplished presenter and adjudicator, Dr. Watter was well-regarded across the tri-state area for her expertise and insight. Since retiring in 2020, she has relocated to Florida, where she enjoys life with her beloved dog, Poppea.
Jayme Sandberg
Jayme Sandberg is an accomplished public relations professional and business owner with extensive experience in corporate philanthropy, workplace wellness, and healthcare.
She spent nearly 15 years at the American Heart Association developing and implementing innovative marketing communications strategies for key initiatives at regional and national levels prior to opening her publishing, consulting and coaching business in 2023.
Jayme is also the author of Total Solar Eclipse: A Stellar Friendship Story, a bestselling children’s picture book that helped over a million children safely view the 2024 North American eclipse.
She is the president of Lincoln’s Delta Delta Delta Alumnae Chapter, membership chair of PRSA Nebraska and professional advisor for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s PRSSA chapter.
She lives in Lincoln with her husband Tyler, an active-duty pilot for the Nebraska Air National Guard, and their two daughters.
Jonathan Black
Jonathan Black hails from Bethesda, Maryland and currently serves as a Project Lead in the Peer Review / Grants Management Department for Leidos. Academically, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1987 from Yale University and a MBA from The University of Chicago in 1995.
An avid sports fan, Jonathan enjoys following and supporting teams and figures in his native Washington, DC area like the Capitals, Nationals, and Commanders. While his loyalty to Washington is strong, he does also have an affinity for teams (especially football) from The Ohio State University, the school of his father’s matriculation.
Regarding special interests, Jonathan enjoys contributing to Miss America. He has served as the Panelists’ Chairman for the Miss Maryland Organization since 2006. Previously, from 2001-2003 he was the Executive Director of the Miss Bethesda & Miss Potomac Scholarship Programs in Maryland. He also frequently serves as a judge. He has had the opportunity to judge the National Sweetheart Pageant and several local events in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. While this is Jonathan’s first visit to Miss Nebraska, he has extensive experience judging state programs. In particular, he has judged in Connecticut, Ohio, New Hampshire, Delaware, Minnesota, Mississippi, Florida, The Virgin Islands, Georgia, New York, Oregon, Hawaii, Utah, Kansas, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Michigan, where he selected his first national winner, Kirsten Haglund, Miss America 2008.
