Ashley Zais
Encyclopedia
Ashley Derham Zais is a beauty queen from Newberry, South Carolina
who competed in the Miss USA
pageant in 2007 competed in the Miss South Carolina Teen USA
pageants from 2002–2003, making the semi-finals of the 2003 event and placing first runner-up to Lindsey Sporrer at Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2004. In 2005 she competed in the Miss South Carolina USA
pageant for the first time and in 2006 won the 2007 title. She was crowned by outgoing titleholder Lacie Lybrand
of Lexington
. Her sister titleholder was Caitlin Upton
, Miss South Carolina Teen USA
2007.
Zais represented South Carolina in the nationally televised Miss USA 2007
pageant which was broadcast live from the Kodak Theatre
in Hollywood, California on March 23, 2007 and placed in the top 15.
Zais graduated from Wofford College
with a Bachelor of science degree in psychology and a minor in religion. She is a recipient of the Palmetto Fellowship for academic excellence. She is a professional model who has worked in Tokyo, Japan. Her father, Dr. Mitchell M. "Mick" Zais, was the president of Newberry College
, the school attended by Amanda Pennekamp, Miss South Carolina USA 2004. Dr. Zais is now the State Superintendent of Education for South Carolina.
In 2008 Zais was hired as Summer Intern coordinator for the John McCain presidential campaign
. After the election she was hired by Decisive Analytics Corporation
in Arlington, Virginia.
Ashley is married to former John McCain presidential campaign staffer Michael Culhane Harper, a Silicon Valley lawyer. Ashley Zais and Michael Harper were married April 17, 2010 in Mt. Pleasant, SC.
Newberry, South Carolina
Newberry is a city in Newberry County, South Carolina, 43 miles west -northwest of Columbia. The charter was adopted in 1894. In 1890, 3,020 people lived in Newberry, South Carolina; in 1900, 4,607; in 1910, 5,028; and in 1940, 7,510. The population was 10,580 at the 2000 census. It is the county...
who competed in 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...
pageant in 2007 competed in the Miss South Carolina Teen USA
Miss South Carolina Teen USA
The Miss South Carolina Teen USA pageant is the competition that selects the representativies for the stat of South Carolina in the Miss Teen USA pageant. The pageant has been directed by RPM Productions since its inception....
pageants from 2002–2003, making the semi-finals of the 2003 event and placing first runner-up to Lindsey Sporrer at Miss South Carolina Teen USA 2004. In 2005 she competed in the Miss South Carolina USA
Miss South Carolina USA
The Miss South Carolina USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state South Carolina in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant has been produced by RPM Productions since 1980....
pageant for the first time and in 2006 won the 2007 title. She was crowned by outgoing titleholder Lacie Lybrand
Lacie Lybrand
Lacie Lyn Lybrand is a beauty queen from Lexington, South Carolina who has competed in the Miss USA pageant and who has held the Miss United States title....
of Lexington
Lexington, South Carolina
Lexington is a town in and the county seat of Lexington County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 17,870 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Lexington is located at ....
. Her sister titleholder was Caitlin Upton
Caitlin Upton
Lauren Caitlin Upton , also credited as Caite Upton, is an American fashion model and a beauty queen from Lexington, South Carolina. While Miss South Carolina Teen USA, Upton became an Internet meme for her nonsensical response to a pageant question.-Career:Upton became Miss South Carolina Teen...
, Miss South Carolina Teen USA
Miss South Carolina Teen USA
The Miss South Carolina Teen USA pageant is the competition that selects the representativies for the stat of South Carolina in the Miss Teen USA pageant. The pageant has been directed by RPM Productions since its inception....
2007.
Zais represented South Carolina in the nationally televised Miss USA 2007
Miss USA 2007
Miss USA 2007, the 56th Miss USA pageant, was held in Hollywood, California, on March 23, 2007, after two weeks of events and preliminary competition. The winner of the pageant was Rachel Smith, of Tennessee....
pageant which was broadcast live from the Kodak Theatre
Kodak Theatre
The Kodak Theatre is a live theatre in the Hollywood and Highland shopping mall and entertainment complex on Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles...
in Hollywood, California on March 23, 2007 and placed in the top 15.
Zais graduated from Wofford College
Wofford College
Established in 1854 and related to the United Methodist Church, Wofford College is an independent, Phi Beta Kappa liberal arts college of 1,525 students located in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. The historic campus is recognized as a national arboretum and features “The...
with a Bachelor of science degree in psychology and a minor in religion. She is a recipient of the Palmetto Fellowship for academic excellence. She is a professional model who has worked in Tokyo, Japan. Her father, Dr. Mitchell M. "Mick" Zais, was the president of Newberry College
Newberry College
Newberry College is a liberal-arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located on a historic campus in Newberry, South Carolina.The college has 1,025 students and a 19:1 student-teacher ratio...
, the school attended by Amanda Pennekamp, Miss South Carolina USA 2004. Dr. Zais is now the State Superintendent of Education for South Carolina.
In 2008 Zais was hired as Summer Intern coordinator for the John McCain presidential campaign
John McCain presidential campaign, 2008
John McCain, the senior United States Senator from Arizona, launched his second candidacy for the presidency of the United States in an unsuccessful bid to win the 2008 presidential election. His candidacy, in the works for a number of years, was informally announced on February 28, 2007 during a...
. After the election she was hired by Decisive Analytics Corporation
Decisive Analytics Corporation
Decisive Analytics Corporation is an employee-owned engineering company headquartered in Arlington, Virginia with offices in Huntsville, Alabama, Jeffersonville, Indiana, and Colorado Springs, Colorado...
in Arlington, Virginia.
Ashley is married to former John McCain presidential campaign staffer Michael Culhane Harper, a Silicon Valley lawyer. Ashley Zais and Michael Harper were married April 17, 2010 in Mt. Pleasant, SC.