"After the storms, puddles hold beautiful reflections."
- Mataya Lee
Turtle-Siobhan Travers (Nez Perce) is a parent, advocate, teacher and public speaker. She is also currently studying medicine and hopes to become a doctor on her Reservation. When she isn’t spending time with family, at work as an independent health and fitness coach or at her classes she can be found at the youth center or the local library. Some of her many passions are running, hiking, teaching others about nature and wildlife, photography, and her horse. She also enjoys participating in Special Olympics.
Turtles faith is a huge part of who she has become and she is blessed that she does not have to hide her beliefs.
Turtle, is an inspiration because she continues to strive and do things that she was told she could never do. In her lifetime she was told that she would never speak. Turtle, conducts public speaking events in two languages. When she was told she couldn't graduate high school and that she was uneducable. She knew that she needed to press fourth and finish her high school education and continue to college. When she was told she could never hold a job, she served in the army; she has become a teacher and works as a fitness coach. Lastly, when Turtle was told she could never walk again, she also proved others wrong and she participates in awareness runs.
Turtle has participated in several different pageants; she participates in many causes and advocacy activities that are not limited to, wolf education, teaching homeless and disabled youth, photography, tribal community activities, fundraising, Special Olympics, and she has become a self published author. Her primary goal is to mentor others through Integrity Beauty and to advocate to others who battle with disabilities that you can achieve anything you set your mind to do.
"I cannot even begin to start to describe the way my life has changed since I have had the opportunity to represent Integrity Beauty. I am so thankful that I have been given the opportunity to use the trials I have experienced in my life and create a platform to help encourage women of all ages about domestic violence, learning to love and value your self. As I look at my crown I believe that each stone represents each life that I have helped to mentor, encourage and inspire.
IB is an awesome program to help women who have not only powerful stories and desire to have their voice heard, but to improve confidence and self esteem working as a team with a network of women with the same goal in mind. To promote Integrity and Excellence in our lives and our communities but also to give back to those who so desperately want to be loved and valued.
IB is the first program I have ever worked with that allows women to be heard and recognized for their life experience. IB does more than Heals Hearts and Inspire Lives, it creates a fire with in you to forgive your self for your past mistakes and passionately birth a desire to help as many as you can who are lost in this world."
- Mary Kay Homchosky
Inaugural Integrity Beauty Woman of Excellence