Michaela McLean – 2019 Miss Florida Citrus - Florida Citrus Hall of Fame

Michaela McLean – 2019 Miss Florida Citrus

Michaela McLean’s family roots in the Florida citrus industry run deep. As an 8th generation Floridian and a part of four generations of citrus growers in the family, Michaela has grown up around citrus her entire life. Her dad, Ben McLean III, holds a master’s degree in fruit crops from University of Florida and has served as a board member of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation for the past eight years. Michaela’s uncle, Matt McLean, is the founder of Clermont-based Uncle Matt’s Organic, the nation’s best-selling organic orange and grapefruit juice. Uncle Matt’s is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles, supporting organic farmers, and producing the highest quality organic juices and beverages available on the market today. Michaela’s grandfather, Benny McLean is also a UF grad with an Ag Economics degree and has been involved in all aspects of citrus production throughout his storied career spanning over five decades. Additionally, “Papaw,” as Benny is affectionately called by his twelve grandchildren, was named “Organic Farmer of the Year” in 2016.

For the past several years, Michaela has worked the U-Pick for McLean Family Farms in springtime, while sending out fresh organic citrus gift fruit around the holidays. Fun fact: at the tender age of one-and-a-half, Michaela was featured on the 1st carton of Uncle Matt’s Organic orange juice, and two decades later, she can still be found on the back of the organic orange juice and lemonade packaging in Publix, Whole Foods, and Lucky’s Market. She was the 2015 Miss Florida Outstanding Teen and placed in the Top 10 at the 2015 Miss America Outstanding Teen Pageant. In May 2019, Michaela will graduate from the University of Alabama with a double major in dance and public relations. She is also the co-founder of Brave and Beautiful, LLC, which empowers women to live, love, and lead courageously. During her spring break this year, she taught dance in orphanages and brought the message of Brave and Beautiful into schools and churches in the Dominican Republic. For her talent, Michaela performed a lyrical dance to the song, “This Is Me,” from the movie The Greatest Showman.