Joseph “Joe” Woods chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about representing New Hampshire in the 2025 Mister USA competition.
Repping the state of New Hampshire, Woods, 29, brings a spirit of exploration, resilience, and unity to the Mister USA 2025 stage. Born just outside of Boston in Milton, Massachusetts, his life has been a journey across the U.S.—from Florida’s coasts to Idaho’s mountains—and around the globe.
With a passport full of stamps and a heart full of curiosity, Woods has discovered that every place and every culture holds a lesson, and that true connection begins when we open our minds.
A lifelong learner and deep thinker fascinated by space and the meaning of life, Woods grounds his passions in action—channeling discipline into fitness, drawing strength from his Green Beret father’s survival teachings, and finding harmony in music and human connection.
Woods has looks reminiscent of Zac Efron meets Dave Franco meets James Marsden.
More than a contestant, Woods stands as a reminder that our world is stronger when united. Fueled by purpose and a passion for people, he is on a mission to inspire growth, strength, and togetherness—and he’s ready to make a lasting impact on the Mister USA stage.
Woods on competing for the 2025 Mister USA
Mister USA is an American beauty pageant, which is held annually, and the winner goes on to represent the United States in the Mister Universe competition. It is a celebration of culture, diversity, beauty, intelligence and empowerment. They believe in the power of young leaders to make a difference in the world. It is not solely about outer beauty; it recognizes the inner beauty and intelligence of their contestants.
The finals will be held on July 20th at the Universal Hollywood Hilton in Los Angeles, California.
On competing for Mister USA, Woods said, “It feels great! While I am not from New Hampshire, I’ve spent a lot of time there. My grandfather had a timeshare near there. I would go up there in the summer and in the winter, we would go skiing there. That’s where I learned how to ski as a kid, and I ended up doing ski team in high school.”
“Skiing is a big part of my life and that’s where I learned how to ski,” he noted.
Advocacy
Woods noted that he would like to raise awareness on alcoholism and PTSD. “My dad is a former Green Beret and he suffered with PTSD from doing that, and alcoholism,” he said. “Growing up, I could see what alcoholism can do to people.”
Daily motivations
Each day, Woods is motivated by “health and fitness.” “I love going to the gym and working out, eating healthy, and natural bodybuilding is a huge thing for me,” he said.
Why he should win Mister USA
When asked why he should win Mister USA, Woods responded, “There is no one like me. I’m very unique and very genuine as an individual. People would always tell me that I’m one of the most interesting people they’ve ever met. I was bullied a lot when I was younger, and that’s what inspired me to go into fitness. I would work out so people would leave me alone.”
Plans for the future
Regarding his future plans, he shared, “I am thinking about joining the Army, and doing what my dad did, either as a Green Beret or an Army Ranger. I always wanted to join the military in some way or form. I always want to push myself and do something greater than myself. I always wanted to join the best of the best.”
Success
On his definition of success, he said, “Honestly, it’s not about money. It’s about having great experiences through life… meeting people and traveling. You really learn more when you travel.”
To learn more about Joseph “Joe” Woods, follow him on Instagram.
