Leanza Cornett - Biography - Former Miss America

Leanza Cornett whose full name is Eva Leanza Cornett is the winner of the Miss America title for the year 1993 and works as a Television Host for numerous shows. She gained success through the titles she was able to win in her early 20's. 

Early Life and Education

Born on June 10, 1971, in Virginia, Leanza moved to Jacksonville, Florida at the age of 13. She attended Terry Parker High School and further joined Rollins College in Florida. 

Leanza, from the age of 16, further enhanced her career working at various stage plays in Jacksonville, Florida. She worked at the Alhambra Dinner Theater as a performer and flourished herself. While at college, she played as Ariel from The Little Mermaid for a show at Walt Disney Resort. Her other stage roles include credits for Barefoot in the Park, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Bye Bye Birdie. 

Where it all started : Miss America 1993

Leanza, who is a well-known TV personality, entered the glamour industry with Miss National Sweetheart 1991 - a United States beauty pageant. Although born in Virginia, she represented Florida in Miss America State pageant since she grew up in Florida. She managed to win the title and further was placed to compete in Miss America State. Not only was she tall and pretty, she was equally talented and wise too. Once again, she excelled and won Miss America State title. She was announced the winner as Miss Florida in 1992. Although born in Virginia, since she was raised in Florida, she represented Florida in Miss America State.

Eventually, she was crowned Miss America 1993 in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 23 because she won the Muss America State title. Leanza is known to be the 4th Miss America to have won the title through Miss National Sweetheart.

Leanza Cornett : Career

Speaking about her career, just after a year of being crowned as Miss America, she worked for CBS show Entertainment Tonight as a weekend host and a reporter until 1995. Further, she continued with her work as a television host for shows such as New Attitudes in 1998 and  Who wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire? in 2000.  Moreover, she was also seen presenting shows for Animal Planet and DIY Network. She also had guest appearances on numerous television shows such as Fear Factor, The Tick etc.

In 2011, she made a comeback to the same theater she started her stage plays with - Alhambra Dinner Theater as Sister Amnesia in Nunsense. As of 2015, Leanza hosts a show called The Chat in California.

Social Work 

Just as 'With great power comes great responsibility', with the title, in her one year of service as Miss America, she first initiated to go with "AIDS prevention" as the theme of her journey. The first time she heard the word AIDS was when she was just 11. As years passed by, at the age of 6, she was already involved with theatre plays. She met someone with AIDS, a friend of hers. Since then, she wanted to aware the world about AIDS and prevent as many people as she can. Acing the controversial topic of AIDS awareness, she signifies herself as a proud woman to have the opportunity to speak up, raise funds and have a voice at such a time when AIDS was rarely discussed. She started her campaign at Capitol Hill for AIDS awareness and education, visited many states in the USA and acted as an advocate for AIDS patients. 

Moreover, Leanza also contributed for patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) by participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014.

Leanza Cornett : Personal Life

Leanza was married to 52-year-old journalist and actor Mark Steines in 1995. The couple started their relationship when both were working at Entertainment Tonight. Mark joined Entertainment Tonight the same year Leanza left the show. They got married on an island in Hawaii in July 1995 and lived in California. Unfortunately, after 17 years of marriage, the couple announced that they were separating in January 2013. The couple divorced one another and Leanza has full custody of their two sons, Kai Harper, 13 and Avery James, 12. 

Recently on August 20, Leanza's former husband Mark who works as a host at Home and Family, tied the knot with Julie Freyermuth, with whom he had been dating since a year now. 

Apart from her relationship, Leanza is known to be a pro-choice Republican. Her favorite TV show is Murphy Brown. She is 164 cm tall and prefers to drink sweet tea and is a beach lover.