Katie Blair

Katherine Amanda Blair (born December 29, 1987) is an American model, actress, and beauty queen. She won Miss Teen USA 2006. In 2011, she became Miss California USA. Katherine was also the first person from Montana to win a national pageant.

 Early life 
Katherine Blair was born on December 29, 1987, in Billings, Montana. She lived in Sugar Land, Texas for most of her life. She attended school from grades 9 to 11 at Stephen F. Austin High School. She graduated from Billings West High School in 2006. She planned to attend Louisiana State University, but did not go to college until after her reign as Miss Teen USA.

 Pageants 
 Miss Teen USA, 2006 
She represented Montana in the Miss Teen USA 2006 pageant held in Palm Springs, California on August 15, 2006. Blair is the first person from Montana to place in the pageant. She was crowned as the new Miss Teen USA by  Allie LaForce of Ohio. Melissa Lingafelt of North Carolina was the first runner-up. Before Blair's win in the nationally televised pageant, Montana had been the only state in the competition's 23-year history to never have had a semi-finalist.

Blair's Miss Teen USA winnings included a one-year modeling contract with Trump Model Management and a scholarship to The School for Film and Television in New York City, and also a a guest appearance in the NBC soap opera Passions.

On August 24, 2007, she passed on the Miss Teen USA title to Hilary Cruz of Colorado.
alt=|left|thumb|Katie Blair in a car during a rally at her homecoming to Billings, Montana

 Reign 
Katie spent her year as a titleholder in New York City. She lived in a Trump Place apartment with Miss Universe and Miss USA 2006, Tara Conner. During her time as Miss Teen USA, she made several appearances to raise money for charity.

After her win, she gave interviews with media organizations, including WPIX New York and Dayside on Fox News. In September 2006, she returned to Billings, Montana for her official homecoming as Miss Teen USA. The city council announced the day as "Katie Blair Day" and gave her a key to the city. She crowned Chelsea Nelson, also of Billings, as the next Miss Montana Teen USA 2007.

Blair earned some distinction as the first Miss Universe Organization pageant winner to endorse YMI Jeanswear. Among other things, Katie was interviewed by Patty Lopez and Rick Dees, and participated in a billboard advertising campaign in Los Angeles and New York.

Later in her reign, however, scandal erupted when she kissed Tara Conner at a nightclub in New York. A few days later, it was discovered Katie had been drinking underage (she was not yet 21). Katie initially denied the scandal, but later admitted to the charges, a move that probably took much courage and bravery, and resulted in her nearly losing her title.

 Miss California USA 2011 

 Decision to enter 
Katie was initially hesitant about entering in another pageant, because of the scandal during her time as Miss Teen USA. As she explained during a phone interview in Los Angeles, "I swore up and down I wasn't going to do a pageant again. But I wanted the opportunity to recover from my term as Miss Teen USA." Ultimately, Katie decided to enter the pageant.

 Winning the Pageant 
Blair was originally the first runner-up at Miss California USA 2011. The winner was Alyssa Campanella, who also was Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2007. On June 25, 2011, about a week after Campanella won Miss USA 2011, Miss California USA director Keith Lewis announced Blair as the new Miss California USA 2011, effectively giving her the title.

 Working in Support of Charity
She worked during her reign with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, along with the anti-bullying organization Love is Louder and the No H8 campaign (a silent protest in support of same-sex marriage, which was banned).

 Filmography 

 Films 
Katie has performed in one short movie, Jukebox, where she played Edith.

 TV Shows 
She has performed four times in TV shows, including Hell´s Kitchen (in 2012), and Pageant Place, from 2007-2008. However, Katie did not enjoy her experiences in Pageant Place, which although billed as a reality TV show, actually scripted some of the dialogue. Katie explained, "It put me in quite an unpleasant light", adding "I came off as immature, disrespectful, naive, young and ignorant." Katie has also performed in The Miss USA Teen Pageant.

 References 

Category:Living people
Category:1987 births
Category:Beauty pageant winners
Category:Models from Montana