MD Woman Searches For Love On 'The Bachelor'

ODENTON, MD — Get your roses ready because "The Bachelor" premieres Monday night. This season of the ABC dating show will feature a Maryland woman.

Meet Mariela "Mari" Pepin. The 24-year-old marketing director is from Odenton. In true Maryland fashion, Pepin hopes to get her boating license.

Though Pepin now calls the Old Line State her home, she is originally from Puerto Rico. She moved here as a teenager before going to college and competing in pageants.

Pepin has represented the state in the following competitions:

• Miss Teen USA 2014
• Miss World America 2017 (Top 10 finish)
• Miss Maryland USA 2019 (Winner)
• Miss USA 2019 (Top 10 finish)

Now, Pepin hopes to capture Matt James' heart. This season's bachelor is a 28-year-old real estate broker from New York City. James is the first Black bachelor in the show's 25-season history.

Pepin says she is a romantic partner. She loves cooking, planning surprises and giving massages. Pepin hopes to settle down, start a family and continue her already-successful career.

"She also loves that she can work completely remote because she can't wait to have kids and wants to be a working mom that shows young women they truly can have it all," Pepin's profile says.

The Bachelor airs every Monday at 8 p.m. on ABC. Viewers can also livestream the show on fuboTV.

Patch Field Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed reporting to this article.

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