Delanie Craighead and Oceanna Escribano to promote US beekeeping
The American Beekeeping Federation has officially announced Delanie Craighead as the 2026 American Honey Queen and Oceanna Escribano as the 2026 American Honey Princess. Both young leaders will represent and promote the beekeeping industry across the United States for the coming year.
Delanie Craighead is from Descanso, California. She is the daughter of Don and Laurie Craighead. Delanie graduated from the University of California, Davis with a bachelor’s degree in animal biology and a minor in veterinary medical entomology. She previously served as a Peace Corps volunteer in South America, where she gained valuable global experience. Currently, she works as a kennel attendant at a dog daycare facility.
Oceanna Escribano is from San Antonio, Texas, and is the daughter of Neville and Leslie Escribano. She graduated in 2025 from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a bachelor’s degree in biology. Her studies focused on plant biology, and she also completed a minor in French. During her undergraduate program, Oceanna conducted research on the medicinal properties of honey and studied honeybee behavior during the 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses. She is currently an apprentice beekeeper in the Texas Master Beekeeper Program and plans to pursue a career in dentistry.
Over the next year, the Queen and Princess will travel throughout the country promoting the importance of honeybees and beekeeping. They will attend fairs, festivals, school events, media interviews, and virtual programs. Their role is to educate the public about pollinators and highlight the importance of honey production in agriculture.
Through outreach and education, they aim to strengthen awareness about the beekeeping industry and its contribution to food production and farming communities nationwide.
Photo Credit: AHQ-P