Lissette Garcia

Lissette Garcia
Born (1985-05-03) May 3, 1985 (age 39)
Miami, Florida, U.S.[1]
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMiss Florida USA 2011
Hair colorBrown
Eye colorBrown
Major
competition(s)

Lissette Garcia (born May 3, 1985) is an American television personality and beauty pageant titleholder from Miami, Florida. She was crowned Miss Florida USA 2011 and was named a finalist for the Miss USA 2011 title.

Pageant career

Garcia won the title of Queen of the World in Germany in 2006.[1] She also competed in the Reina Hispanoamericana 2007 pageant in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, representing Cuba and finishing as a top 8 finalist.[1] In July 2006, Garcia entered the Miss Florida USA 2007 pageant and was a top-fifteen finalist for the statewide title.[2][3]

In July 2010, Garcia entered the Miss Florida USA pageant as Miss Miami Tropic USA.[4] After competing in talent, interview, and swimsuit categories, she was crowned Miss Florida USA 2011 on July 10, 2010.[5][6] Her goals as Miss Florida USA included raising awareness of Ovarian Cancer and raising money for the cause.[7] She worked with both the American Cancer Society and the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation throughout her reign.[8][9][10]

In June 2011, Garcia represented Florida in the Miss USA 2011 pageant at the Theatre for the Performing Arts in the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. During the preliminary competition, Garcia won a hula hoop contest judged by Richard Simmons which earned her a shopping spree and a $1,000 donation in her name to the American Cancer Society.[11] She was a Top 15 finalist for the national crown.[12]

Broadcast career

After her reign as Miss Florida USA, Garcia began working for WPLG-TV, the ABC affiliate in Miami, Florida. She worked as both an associate producer and on-air personality.[13]

In January 2013, Garcia joined the staff of KFOX-TV, the Fox Network affiliate in El Paso, Texas.[14][15] She worked as an anchor and as the station's on-air traffic reporter.[13][16] She departed the station to return to Florida in late May 2013.[17]

Garcia worked as an on-air host for WFOR-TV and WBFS-TV, respectively the CBS and MyNetworkTV affiliates in Miami, from June 2013 until June 2014. Garcia left the stations after she and her then-fiancé, WPLG anchor Jason Martinez, announced they were moving to Los Angeles.[18]

Personal life

Lissette Garcia was born in Miami Beach, Florida, and is one of five siblings.[10] As her parents, Miguel and Carla Garcia, were both born in Cuba, she is a first-generation American.[19] She is a 2003 graduate of Southwest Miami Senior High School.[10] She attended Miami Dade College and earned a degree in journalism.[14][20][10] Garcia married Jason Martinez on December 13, 2014.

References

  1. ^ a b c Berry, Jasmine (August 18, 2010). "Miss Florida USA lends her voice to cancer awareness". South Miami News. Miami Community Newspapers. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  2. ^ "Miss Florida USA 2007 At-Large Qualifiers". Miss Florida USA. Archived from the original on October 14, 2006. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  3. ^ "Miss Florida USA 2008 At-Large Qualifiers". Miss Florida USA. Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  4. ^ "Miss FL USA 2011 Contestants". Miss Florida USA. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  5. ^ Wolfe, Kathi. "Lissette Garcia: Pageant Champ Has Lovely Attitude". Independence Today. Troy, NY: ILCHV. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  6. ^ "Past Queens - Miss Division". Miss Florida USA. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  7. ^ VIlla, Walter (November 2010). "Using Her Crown to Fight for a Cure". College Forum. Miami, FL: Miami Dade College. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  8. ^ "Chanel Interview with Miss Florida USA 2011, Lissette Garcia". Miami Beach, FL: Mega 94.9 (WMGE). July 14, 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved February 18, 2015 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ Garcia, Lissette. "Miss Florida USA 2011". Miss Florida USA. Retrieved September 6, 2010.
  10. ^ a b c d Suarez, Monica (November 2010). "Celebrated Beauty Queen Attending Wolfson Campus". The Reporter. Miami, FL: Miami Dade College. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  11. ^ Leach, Robin (June 13, 2011). "Miss USA photos: Hula Hoop contest, Best Buddies and Human Nature". Las Vegas Sun. Henderson, NV: The Greenspun Corporation. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  12. ^ "Reign of First Muslim Miss USA to End at Las Vegas Pageant Tonight". Jacksonville, FL: WTLV-TV. June 19, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2015.[dead link‍]
  13. ^ a b "Lissette Garcia - KFOX14 News - Anchor/Reporter". El Paso, TX: KFOX-TV. Archived from the original on May 18, 2013. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  14. ^ a b "Meet KFOX's new traffic reporter: Miss Florida USA 2011". El Paso Times. El Paso, TX: MediaNews Group. January 29, 2013. Archived from the original on April 27, 2013. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  15. ^ Knox, Merrill (January 30, 2013). "KFOX Adds Traffic Reporter Lissette Garcia". Adweek. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  16. ^ Martinez, Mike (January 31, 2013). "New KFOX 14 Traffic Reporter Knows all about Stopping Traffic Read More: New KFOX 14 Traffic Reporter Knows all about Stopping Traffic". El Paso, TX: KSII. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  17. ^ Bracamontes, Aaron (June 7, 2013). "Media Buzz: Miss Florida USA Lissette Garcia, Veronica Macias leave KFOX". El Paso Times. El Paso, TX: MediaNews Group. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  18. ^ Lambiet, Jose (March 14, 2014). "Tweeting WPLG Anchor Jason Martinez: My Place is Not in South Florida!". Gossip Extra. Miami, FL. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  19. ^ "Miss Miami Tropic Lissette Garcia The New Miss Florida 2011!". Miss Florida USA/Teen USA Pageants. July 15, 2010.
  20. ^ Raterman, David (June 23, 2011). "Miss Florida Lissette Garcia: Being healthy is 'who I am'". Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, FL: Tribune Publishing. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
Preceded by
Megan Clementi
 Miss Florida USA
2011 		Succeeded by