Shawnae Jebbia
Encyclopedia
Shawnae Jebbia is an entertainer and former beauty queen from Mansfield, Massachusetts
who won the Miss USA
title in 1998.
Jebbia won the Miss Massachusetts USA
title in 1997, in her first attempt at a pageant title. She went on to represent Massachusetts in the Miss USA 1998
pageant, becoming that state's first Miss USA
winner. Whilst Jebbia had little prior experience, her first runner-up Shauna Gambill
had previously held the Miss Teen USA
1994 title. Jebbia's "sister" titleholder, Miss Massachusetts Teen USA
1998 Susie Castillo
, went on to hold the Miss Massachusetts USA title and became Massachusetts' second Miss USA titleholder in 2003.
Jebbia then competed at the Miss Universe 1998
pageant later that year. High scores in evening gown
and in the swimsuit
competition advanced her to the final 5 but after the interview round she did not make the final 3 finalists. The winner was Wendy Fitzwilliam
of Trinidad and Tobago
, with whom Jebbia lived and made appearances during her reign.
Jebbia grew up in Sonoma County, California
and lived in Sebastopol, California
for six years. She received a degree in Communications from Jacksonville University
and graduated cum laude on an athletic scholarship. She has appeared on television and film, including a stint on the ESPN2
exercise program Co-ed Training
prior to winning Miss USA. After experiencing a hearing impairment caused by Ménière's disease
, Jebbia moved out of the entertainment industry and is currently studying towards a Masters degree in nursing. She has acted as the spokesperson for the Siemens Pure 700 hearing aid.
Mansfield, Massachusetts
Mansfield is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population is 23,184. Mansfield is in the south-southwest suburbs of Boston and is also close to Providence, Rhode Island....
who won the Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
title in 1998.
Jebbia won the Miss Massachusetts USA
Miss Massachusetts USA
The Miss Massachusetts USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss USA pageant....
title in 1997, in her first attempt at a pageant title. She went on to represent Massachusetts in the Miss USA 1998
Miss USA 1998
Miss USA 1998, the 47th Miss USA pageant, was held in Shreveport, Louisiana in March, 1998. The preliminary competition was held on 6 March 1998 and the final competition on 10 March 1998...
pageant, becoming that state's first Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
winner. Whilst Jebbia had little prior experience, her first runner-up Shauna Gambill
Shauna Gambill
Shauna Gambill is a beauty queen from Acton, California who has held the Miss Teen USA title and competed in the Miss USA and Miss World pageants....
had previously held the Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
1994 title. Jebbia's "sister" titleholder, Miss Massachusetts Teen USA
Miss Massachusetts Teen USA
The Miss Massachusetts Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Massachusetts in the Miss Teen USA pageant....
1998 Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo
Susie Castillo is a former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants...
, went on to hold the Miss Massachusetts USA title and became Massachusetts' second Miss USA titleholder in 2003.
Jebbia then competed at the Miss Universe 1998
Miss Universe 1998
Miss Universe 1998, the 47th Miss Universe pageant was held at Stan Sheriff Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA on May 12, 1998. Brook Lee, Miss Universe 1997, of the USA crowned Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago as Miss Universe 1998...
pageant later that year. High scores in evening gown
Evening gown
An evening gown is a long flowing women's dress usually worn to a formal affair. It ranges from tea and ballerina to full-length. Evening gowns are often made of a luxury fabric such as chiffon, velvet, satin, or silk...
and in the swimsuit
Swimsuit
A swimsuit, bathing suit, or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn by men, women or children while they are engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, water skiing, or during activities in the sun, such as sun bathing.A...
competition advanced her to the final 5 but after the interview round she did not make the final 3 finalists. The winner was Wendy Fitzwilliam
Wendy Fitzwilliam
Wendy Fitzwilliam is a former Miss Trinidad & Tobago Universe, the third woman of African heritage to capture the Miss Universe crown and the second Miss Universe in history from Trinidad and Tobago.-Early life:...
of Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
, with whom Jebbia lived and made appearances during her reign.
Jebbia grew up in Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
and lived in Sebastopol, California
Sebastopol, California
Sebastopol is a city in Sonoma County, California, United States, approximately north of San Francisco. The population was 7,379 at the 2010 census, but its businesses also serve surrounding rural portions of Sonoma County, totaling about 50,000 people...
for six years. She received a degree in Communications from Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its...
and graduated cum laude on an athletic scholarship. She has appeared on television and film, including a stint on the ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
exercise program Co-ed Training
Co-ed Training
Co-ed Training is a TV fitness and exercise show that aired on ESPN2 in the 1990s.The cast of the program included Christian Boeving, Deprise Brescia, Carol Grow, Shawnae Jebbia, Michael Perron, Michel Jean-Philippe, and Kathy Derry....
prior to winning Miss USA. After experiencing a hearing impairment caused by Ménière's disease
Ménière's disease
Ménière's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance to a varying degree. It is characterized by episodes of vertigo and tinnitus and progressive hearing loss, usually in one ear. It is named after the French physician Prosper Ménière, who, in an article published...
, Jebbia moved out of the entertainment industry and is currently studying towards a Masters degree in nursing. She has acted as the spokesperson for the Siemens Pure 700 hearing aid.