Birmingham’s Samantha Havenstrite is Miss Alabama USA 2026

Samantha “Sam” Robinson Havenstrite competed in Miss Tennessee Teen USA and Miss Texas USA three times each. She represented Alabama, United States in the 75th edition of Miss USA.

BIOGRAPHY

Havenstrite is an American beauty queen working in finance. She is Jim Havenstrite and Candyce Robinson Havenstrite‘s only daughter.

Candyce was an alumna of Central High School in Rapid City, South Dakota, USA and South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota. She was born in Murdo, South Dakota to Bill Robinson and Donna James.

Originally from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA, Sam moved to Houston, Texas, USA then to Birmingham, Alabama. She is an alumna of Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro and Southern Methodist University  in University Park, Texas.

On January 26, 2026, Sam turned 27. Here are 13 more things about her:

1. In 2005, she and her moved moved to Murfreesboro where her mother worked at Bradford’s Interiors before becoming a self-employed interior decorator.  
2. From 2012 to 2017, she attended Central Magnet School.
3. She was Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2016 second runner-up.
4. From 2017 to 2021, she attended Southern Methodist University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
5. She was Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2017 second runner-up.
6. She was a Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2018 semifinalist.
7. From 2018 to 2020, she was an executive function skills coach at Coaching for Academic Success at the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex in Texas and from 2019 to 2020, she was an incoming investment banking summer analyst at Guggenheim Partners in Houston.
8. In 2020, she lost her mother to peritoneal cancer.
9. From 2021 to 2022, she was an investment banking analyst at Guggenheim Partners.
10. She was a Miss Texas USA 2021 semifinalist.
11. In 2022, she joined Hanover Company in Houston and she was a Miss Texas USA 2022 semifinalist.
12. She was Miss Texas USA 2023 fourth runner-up.
13. She is Miss Alabama USA 2026 and a Miss USA 2026 candidate.

TIMELINE

Sam serves as a mentor at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a nonprofit organization based in Tampa, Florida, USA. She is also involved with the American Cancer Society.

2010s

• In August 2012, she entered Central Magnet School.
• On October 10, 2015, she represented Murfreesboro at Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2016 at at Austin Peay State University’s Mabry Concert Hall in Clarksville, Tennessee. She was second runner-up to Savannah Chrisley.
• On October 8, 2016, she competed at Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2017 as Miss Music City Teen USA 2017 at Austin Peay State University. She was second runner-up to Allee-Sutton Hethcoat.
• In May 2017, she graduated from Central Magnet School as the class valedictorian.
• In August 2017, she entered Southern Methodist University.
• On October 14, 2017, she competed at Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2018 at Austin Peay State University and finished in the Top 15.
• In August 2018, she joined Coaching for Academic Success.
• In November 2019, she joined Guggenheim Partners as an incoming investment banking summer analyst.

2020s

• In January 2020, she left Coaching for Academic Success and Guggenheim Partners.
• Her mother turned 63 on February 18, 2020 and passed away on October 5, 2020.
• Her uncle Rodney Will Robinson turned 61 on November 29, 2020 and passed away in Rapid City on December 27, 2020.
• In June 2021, she graduated from Southern Methodist University.
• In July 2021, she joined Guggenheim Partners again as an investment banking analyst.
• On September 4, 2021, she represented North Dallas County at Miss Texas USA 2021 and competed against 131 other candidates at the Hilton Houston Post Oak Hotel in Houston. She finished in the Top 16.
• On July 2, 2022, she represented Houston at Miss Texas USA 2022 and competed against 88 other candidates at the Hilton Houston Post Oak Hotel. She finished in the Top 19.
• In September 2022, she left Guggenheim Partners.
• In October 2022, she joined Hanover Company as a capital market analyst.
• On July 15, 2023, she represented Post Oak at Miss Texas USA 2023 and competed against 91 other candidates at the Hilton Houston Post Oak Hotel. She was fourth runner-up to Lluvia Alzate.
• In January 2024, she became a Hanover Opportunities Fund analyst at Hanover Company.
• In May 2026, she became a Hanover Opportunities Fund associate at at Hanover Company.
• On July 11, 2026, she represented Birmingham at Miss Alabama USA 2026 and competed against eight other candidates at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, USA. She won the title.
• On August 27, 2026, she represented Alabama at Miss USA 2026 and competed against 50 other candidates at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida.