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Heather French Henry
Heather French Henry
	French Henry in 2000
Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs
	In role; July 1, 2014 – March 15, 2016
Governor	Steve Beshear; Matt Bevin
Preceded by	Ken Lucas
Succeeded by	Norman E. Arflack
Second Lady of Kentucky
	In office; October 27, 2000 – December 9, 2003
Lieutenant Governor	Steve Henry
Preceded by	Judi Patton
Succeeded by	Ruth Ann Cox
Personal details
Born	Heather Renee French; December 29, 1974 (age 49)
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Steve Henry (m. 2000)
Children	2
Education	University of Cincinnati (BA, MDes)

Heather Renee French Henry (born December 29, 1974)^[1] is an American fashion designer, politician, veterans advocate and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss America 2000. She is married to former Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Steve Henry.^[2]

Biography

Raised in Augusta, Kentucky, Heather French Henry graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. She competed in pageants through her teens, including the Miss Ohio pageant. The vocalist competed in the Miss Kentucky Pageant four times before winning the state title on her fifth attempt in 1999. In September 1999, Heather won the Miss America pageant, the first Miss Kentucky to do so. She was the second native of Kentucky to win the Miss America title after Venus Ramey won in 1944, competing as Miss District of Columbia. Heather spent the year as Miss America 2000 promoting the scholarship pageant program and advocated her cause of support of American veterans.

Heather's platform for her reign was raising awareness of homeless veterans; her father was a wounded veteran of the Vietnam War. She received numerous awards for her work with veterans, including Kentuckian of the Year by Kentucky Monthly.^[3]

On October 27, 2000, Heather married Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Steve Henry, 21 years her senior, in Louisville.^[4] The wedding led to controversy over state resources being expended as part of the wedding and planning. The Henrys repaid the state $3,200 for services related to their wedding rendered to them by state employees.^[5] The couple have two daughters, Harper Renee (born 2001) and Taylor Augusta (born 2003).^[6]

In October 2003, French Henry struck and subsequently killed Karola Stede, 44, a native of Germany and mother of four who was crossing against the traffic light in a Louisville intersection. French said that the accident deeply affected her, and she subsequently recounted her story in venues such as The Oprah Winfrey Show.^[7]

In November 2007, she was named to Kentucky Governor-elect Steve Beshear's transition team.^[8] On July 1, 2014, Beshear appointed Henry Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs.^[9] She was replaced by Governor Matt Bevin with retired Brigadier General Norman E. Arflack on March 15, 2016, with French Henry subsequently being appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs.^[10]

French Henry was the 2019 Democratic nominee for Secretary of State of Kentucky.^[11] She lost the general election to Michael Adams.^[12]

References

^ "Kentucky Birth Index, 1911-1999". Ancestry.com. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
^ Contributor, Tops Louisville. "There She Is". www.topslouisville.com. Archived from the original on 2018-10-14. Retrieved 2018-10-13. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
^ "Miss America : 2000". Archived from the original on 2008-09-20.
^ Ex-Miss America becomes Mrs. Steve Henry today
^ Cheves, John (2009-12-23). "Plea agreement reached in Henry fund-raising case". Kentucky.com. Archived from the original on 2019-10-17.
^ "Louisville Wedding-Weddings in Louisville-Louisville-Kentucky". Archived from the original on 2008-12-04.
^ "Heather French Henry relives pain on 'Oprah'". Cincinnati Enquirer. November 15, 2003. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
^ "Richmond Businessman Lee Murphy to Serve on Governor's Transition Team" (Press release). Richmond, Kentucky: Chapel Communications. November 16, 2007. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
^ "Veterans Affairs : KDVA Commissioner". Archived from the original on 2019-01-29. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
^ wmadministrator (2016-03-15). "Gov. Bevin appoints commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs". Lane Report | Kentucky Business & Economic News. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
^ WKYT: Heather French Henry wins Democratic nod for Secretary of State
^ "Republican Michael Adams wins KY secretary of state race | Lexington Herald Leader". Archived from the original on 2019-11-06.

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by Alison Lundergan Grimes	Democratic nominee for Secretary of State of Kentucky 2019	Succeeded by Buddy Wheatley
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Chera-Lyn Cook	Miss Kentucky 1999	Succeeded by Shanna Kari Moore
Preceded by Nicole Johnson	Miss America 2000	Succeeded by Angela Perez Baraquio