Named Miss America 2008 after taking Miss Michigan honors, she later became President of the Kirsten Haglund Foundation, an organization that provides financial aid for women dealing with illness.
She attended Walled Lake Western High School in Farmington Hills, Michigan, then briefly studied musical theatre at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
She became lead anchor on "Morning Briefing," a program on the news network Styrk.com.
She married Ryan Smith in 2012.
After receiving the honor of Miss America, she appeared on the talk show Live with Regis and
