Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Angela Perez Baraquio

Angela Perez Baraquio

Angela Perez Baraquio was born on June 1, 1976 in Mililani, Hawaii. Now known as Angela Perez Baraquio Gray, she was crowned Miss America 2001 on October 14, 2000 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Prior to her reign as Miss America, she was Miss Hawai'i. She became the first teacher, Filipino American, and Asian American to win the title. She was a daughter of an immigrant couple from Pangasinan.

Baraquio graduated from Moanalua High School in June 1994 magna cum laude. Upon graduation, she attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa where she graduated in May 1999 with a bachelor's degree in elementary education with an emphasis in speech. From August 1999 to June 2000, Baraquio was a faculty member at Holy Family Catholic Academy in the Salt Lake subdivision of Honolulu. She taught physical education, was athletic director and coached basketball, volleyball and track. Baraquio was also choir director of the historic St. Augustine Church in Waikiki.

She is married to Tinifuloa Grey. Grey was her high school sweetheart. They have one child and another due in 2006. According to her Web site, the couple will be celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary in 2006 (meaning they were married in 2002).

Baraquio has worked as a spokeswoman for First Hawaiian Bank and First Hawaiian Center. She recently returned to the University of Hawaii at Manoa for a master's degree in educational administration, a pre-requisite to become a public school administrator in Hawai'i.

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