Marissa Janine Whitley Bio/Wiki, Net Worth, Married 2018
Marissa Whitley is a former Miss Teen USA, having won the 2001 title representing the state of Missouri. She was the first titleholder from that state to win the national competition.Whitley won her first title, Miss Missouri Teen USA in 2000, and reigned until she won the Miss Teen USA 2001 title at South Padre Island, Texas on August 22, 2001. Whitley was crowned by Jillian Parry of Pennsylvania and later gave up her title to Vanessa Semrow of Wisconsin on August 28, 2002. Whitley is also the 3rd biracial (African American/White) winner of the pageant.Less than a month into her reign, and now living in New York City (as part of her prize package), Whitley witnessed the 9/11 Attacks first hand, and was able to use her title to reach out to children affected by the terrorism.As Miss Teen USA, Whitley represented the Miss Universe Organization. Her "sister" 2001 titleholders were Kandace Krueger (Miss USA, from Texas) and Denise Quiñones (Miss Universe, of Puerto Rico).Marissa Whitley is still residing in New York City where she is working for MTV Networks on the College Television Network and as a commercial print model for Ford Models. She continues to speak at events around the country.
You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
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Fact
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Mother was Scotch-Irish, English, Indian decent.
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She was the Editor-in-Chief of her high school's Literary Magazine that won 2nd place in National Journalism Convention in San Francisco.
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Grew up with two cats, Sissy and Sylvester and a black Labrador, Casey.
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Worked for The State of Illinois as a Marketing Assistant.
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Has her own organizing business.
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She enjoys philanthropic work including helping refurbish a Habitat for Humanity house that her sister and nieces live in! Other work includes being chosen as a spokesperson for the United Way of the Ozarks, serving food at Ground Zero after 9/11 and helping to speak to kids at the Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the nation.
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Larissa Meek, from Average Joe 2: Hawaii is a good friend and designed her website and was her big sister for a year while she was Miss Missouri USA when Marissa was Miss Missouri Teen USA in 2001.
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She was voted Best Dancer of her senior class at Glendale High School in Springfield, Missouri.
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Marissa was voted Miss Congeniality at the Miss Missouri Teen USA 2001 Pageant and then went on to win the state title!
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Marissa grew up in Springfield, Missouri which is Brad Pitt's hometown. They went to rival high schools and her first car was owned by Brad Pitt's mother.
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She was a varsity athlete excelling in both basketball and track and field. Her team made it to AAU Nationals in 1996 and played in Cincinnati.
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Marissa created the Diversity Club her senior year of high school that promoted student differences and service by volunteering at various organizations and events such as Habitat for Humanity, the AIDS Walk and the Martin Luther King walk in Springfield, Missouri.
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She is the first person from Missouri to win the Miss Teen USA crown
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Miss Teen USA 2001
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
One Step a Mile
2013
Jamie "Chanel" Goldwyn
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Miss Teen USA Pageant
2001
TV Special
Herself - Miss Missouri Teen USA (Miss Teen USA 2001)
Known for movies
The Miss Teen USA Pageant 2001 as Herself - Miss Missouri Teen USA (Miss Teen USA 2001)
$500,000
