22-year old Indira Massiel Taveras Henriquez, 5’7″ brunette will represent the Dominican Republic in Miss Universe, to be held this June in Cancun, Mexico. She is an interior decorator student, who has studied English and Italian. She likes to paint, and loves to dance, having studied jazz and belly dance. She represented Santiago in the event. Her win is a family story of perseverance. Her sister, Isaura Taveras was the runner up in the 2004 pageant.