2024 Ms. Senior California Pageant Queen

Liz  Palmer is a California native, and as an only girl with two brothers she was a “hopeless tomboy” who later became a standout athlete in the sport of track and field. Her high school hurdle record stood for almost 40 years after she set it in 1978.

She was a collegiate scholarship athlete and after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and an MBA in Organizational Management, she began her career as a senior accounting supervisor and project leader that lasted close to 35 years. 

Liz is now a senior track and field athlete who holds the American age-group record in the 60 meter hurdles for women over 50 with a time of 9.32 seconds. Yes, she’s fast….catch her if you can!  She took her love of sport to the role of coach, first at the youth and high school level and now as a coach for Special Olympics. She shares and promotes the message of health and wellness with seniors, first as a State Executive Director, and now as the Pacific Region Vice-Chair for the National Senior Games Association.

Liz lives in Rancho Mirage with her husband Gary, an oncologist who works as the Chief Medical Officer for a biotech firm. Gary is a five-time Jeopardy winner. However, Liz likes to point out on one of their first dates they played Trivial Pursuit and she beat Gary three games in a row!  Gary and Liz have two sons, three daughters, and four very adorable grandchildren.