Taryn Delanie Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 23, 1996 |
| Alma mater | St. John's University |
| Occupation(s) | Beauty pageant competitor, TikToker |
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Title | Miss Northwest 2017 Miss Greater New York 2022 Miss New York 2022 |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Major competition | Miss America 2023 (first runner-up) |
| Instagram information | |
| Page | |
| Followers | 1.1 million |
| TikTok information | |
| Page | |
| Years active | 2021–present |
| Followers | 1.6 million |
| Last updated: October 13, 2025 | |
Taryn Delanie Smith (born 23 September 1996)[1] is an American beauty pageant titleholder and TikToker. She was crowned Miss New York 2022, and was named first runner-up in the Miss America 2023 competition.[2]
Early life and education
[edit]Smith was raised in Seattle, Washington, where she experienced housing insecurity as a child.[3]
She attended St. John's University, where she earned a Bachelor's in communication studies and a Master's in International Communication & Intercultural Studies.[3][4][5] She worked as a receptionist at a call center to finance her education.[1]
Pageants
[edit]Smith was first inspired to participate in pageants during a talent show in high school, when one of her teachers suggested she compete for Miss America.[3] She began competing at age 17, and placed as second runner-up for the Miss Washington 2017 title on July 1, 2017 while competing as Miss Northwest 2017.[3][6]
Smith was crowned Miss New York 2022 on May 29, 2022 while competing as Miss Greater New York 2022.[4] She was the first Black Miss New York to be crowned while wearing her natural hair.[7] For her advocacy work in the role, Smith focused on initiatives to assist those experiencing homelessness.[3] She was named first runner-up in the Miss America 2023 competition on December 15, 2022.[2][7]
Online presence
[edit]Smith began posting on TikTok in 2021. In March 2023 Smith posted a video where she played Denise, a receptionist in Heaven, which quickly went viral.[8] She continued to focus on sketches about Denise and her job.[1][5] As of May 2023[update] she had 1.2 million followers.[1]
Personal life
[edit]Smith married personal trainer and business owner Alec Castillo on July 24, 2024.[9]
Smith lives in upstate New York.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Olson, Emily (18 May 2023). "Heaven has a bathrobe-clad receptionist named Denise. She's helping TikTok grieve". NPR. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Miss Wisconsin Grace Stanke crowned as Miss America 2023". The Economic Times. 2022-12-16. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ a b c d e "Service while Serving Alumna Emphasizes New York". www.stjohns.edu. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ a b "2022 Miss New York". Miss America. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ a b Cohen, Kate (15 May 2023). "Opinion: Why Denise, Heaven's Receptionist, is the best thing on TikTok". The Washington Post. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Females Who Inspire: Miss New York 2022, Taryn Delanie Smith". Ally Shoes. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ a b Stanford, Kaitlin (2023-02-14). "How TikTok star Taryn Delanie Smith went from working at a call center to Miss New York: 'I'm glad that I didn't make myself smaller'". In The Know. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ Lloyd, Andrew. "Miss New York 2022 is charming viewers with her TikTok sketches playing a receptionist in heaven, as some fan requests have added an emotional layer". Insider. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ https://www.theknot.com/content/taryn-delanie-smith-wedding