Post by Valerie on Feb 17, 2005 21:46:59 GMT -5
From nbc.com/passions
Reigning Miss USA®, Shandi Finnessey will be making her debut acting appearance on "Passions" on Thursday, March 24, 2005. She plays a store clerk in scenes with former Miss USA (1991), and Passions cast member, Kelli McCarty (Beth).
Shandi Finnessey was crowned Miss USA® 2004 before a live audience of 13 million viewers. The 26-year old from Florissant, Missouri was the first-ever Miss Missouri USA to be crowned Miss USA®.
Finnessey is an honors graduate from Lindenwood University where she received a BS in Psychology, which she completed in only three and a half years. There, Finnessey conducted research on androgyny that proved significant and was published in the SEPA Journal. She is currently working to obtain her Masters degree in counseling at Lindenwood.
Dedicated to helping children and people with disabilities, Finnessey was awarded the "Angel Award" for her service and given a key to the city of Florissant for her work to promote inclusion of individuals with mental challenges. One of her proudest achievements was publishing a children's book on this very subject titled "The Furrtails."
A professional model since the age of six, Finnessey has credits in television commercials, runway, print and billboards. In her spare time she enjoys playing the violin and piano, which she has studied for more than 12 years, as well as practicing yoga and meditation, painting abstracts and knitting.
Finnessey spent her year-championing the official cause of Miss USA®, which include breast and ovarian cancer education, research and legislation. She traveled nationwide as an advocate for organizations such as NABCO, the Ovarian Cancer Research Fun, the National Breast Cancer Coalition, Susan G. Komen, and Gilda's Club, among others.
Finnessey will appear on the upcoming 2005 Miss USA® Pageant, live from Baltimore, Maryland on Monday, April 11, on NBC (check your local listings for time and channel). For more information on Miss USA® visit www.missusa.com.
She taped her scenes at "Passions" on Wednesday, February 16.
