A woman who combines beauty, talent, and intelligence is a force to be reckoned with. Gabriela (Gabby) Ortega, an Apex resident, is a prime example. In January 2022, Gabby won the title of Miss NC Teen USA at the age of 16. Since then, she has been hard at work spreading awareness of her social platform—human trafficking—through volunteer efforts, speaking engagements, and the National Miss Teen USA competition.
Gabby’s foray into pageants began in 2021 when she placed First Runner-Up in the Miss NC Teen USA competition. She came back in 2022 and took the title home, allowing her to compete in the national competition in Reno, Nevada, where she placed in the top 15 in the country and earned the Most Photogenic award.
“I feel like a big part of my year is having a friend in every state,” said Gabby. “These girls are so driven. I am so fortunate to have a sisterhood like this.”
Since winning the title of Miss NC Teen, Gabby has traveled the country to educate young people about the prevalence and dangers of human trafficking. She is founder and president of her school’s chapter of Youth4Abolition, an award-winning human trafficking awareness and prevention program. She is now the state spokesperson for the program.
In addition to speaking out about human trafficking, Gabby also provides encouragement to girls and young adults. She spoke at the LEAP conference at UCLA about giving yourself grace under pressure, she volunteers with the Best Buddies program helping children and adults with disabilities, and she worked at area churches providing help serving Christmas meals and gathering gifts for children.
Gabby has numerous responsibilities as Miss NC Teen USA, along with her commitments as a senior in high school. She is a good student, a competitive tennis player, and she is currently filling out applications for college, which she says she will attend in North Carolina.
“Moving at a fast speed forced me to dig deep and give myself grace,” said Gabby.
Gabby’s reign as Miss NC Teen USA will come to an end in February 2023, when a new winner is crowned. She is considering competing in the Miss USA pageant in the future. In the meantime, Gabby will continue her efforts to educate people about human trafficking. By doing so, she is saving lives.
Gabby’s advice to young girls: “Start with finding your inner ‘why?’ Set short-term goals and keep expanding them. Believe in yourself and surround yourself with people who will build you up. If I hadn’t believed in myself, I wouldn’t have been able to compete.”
Gabby’s future looks bright. She signed a modeling contract with Wilhelmina Modeling, she is graduating high school in a few months, and she is moving toward a career in media broadcasting. Gabby Ortega may be coming to a screen near you very soon!
