Shining Scars

2021 Diana Award Recipient

President and Founder of Shining S.C.A.R.S.
Author & Motivational Speaker
Miss West Virginia Collegiate America 2015
Zoom Into Books Author

Krystian experienced first-hand the trials and self-esteem issues associated with visible scars beginning at age 4. Healing with visible scars left her feeling damaged and ashamed. She found the strength she needed to overcome her self-image and entered her first beauty pageant at the age of 14. Krystian began to volunteer in her community and searched for a platform she could resonate with. She wanted to choose a platform that she could be passionate about, and thus Shining S.C.A.R.S. was born. Through her healing campaign for Shining S.C.A.R.S. Krystian has used her personal experience and pain as a way to reach out to others, helping them to feel PROUD of their imperfections knowing that those scars and the stories of those scars helped shape the person they have developed into.

Krystian has shared her vision and mission for Shining S.C.A.R.S. at TEDx Boca Raton, Contagious Optimism Live and Next Gen Summit. She works to gather funding to provide her book Shining Scars, to children’s recovering centers treating patients relating to burns, cleft palate, spina bifida and cancer recovery. Her book was awarded the Mom’s Choice Award – Silver in 2013. By creating a positive and character building organization it is Krystian’s goal to build an informative community aiding in the healing process.

Krystian traveled to New York in 2013 for Book Expo America, where she met David Mezzapple, which led her to the Contagious Optimism Family, and co-author of 10 Habits of Truly Optimistic People. Krystian is currently an anti-bullying speaker for ICubed Agency, and is scheduled as one of the speakers on The Rise Above Tour 2016.

Modeling is another passion of Krystian’s, she has been featured in local commercials and gained modeling jobs nationwide, for designers as Rachel Allen and Fernando Wong.

Looking to the future, Krystian is interested in continuing to write and publish children’s books, and is studying Broadcast Journalism at West Virginia University.

Krystian has been featured in the following:

WV Living Magazine Winter Edition 2013 ‘Scars To Prove It’

Photo Op: America’s Got Talent Winner; Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr., Best Selling Autobiography

Who I Am: American Scar Stories, by Jenny Cutler Lopez, Indie Recon Best Nonfiction Howey Award

10 Habits of Truly Optimistic People, by David Mezzapple

Contagious Optimism Live Speaker April 4, 2014

TEDx Boca Raton speaker May 9, 2014

Next Gen Summit speaker August 2, 2015

Krystian has received the following awards:

Miss Morgantown’s Outstanding Teen – 2012

Miss Southern WVOT – 2013

Miss Northern WVOT – 2014

Duke of Edinburgh, Bronze and Silver

Miss West Virginia Collegiate America 2015

2015 Next Gen Humanitarian Award, Austin Texas