Face of Fox Press

The following was published last night on the Parkway Independent and Knapp's News.

This is so odd and exciting- I had nothing to do with this press release! I usually do all my own pageant press and Forensics team press, but now it’s done for me, sweet! (Although, it’s basically the bio I submitted at my final interview. I guess that fact that Fox didn’t completely rewrite it tells me my self-taught PR skills are sufficient.)

Abby Bollenbacher Crowned the New Face of FOX Toledo

Toledo, OH – August 30th, 2006 – FOX Toledo announces that the search is over for the New Face of FOX Toledo. Abby Bollenbacher has been chosen to represent FOX Toledo as the New Face of FOX Toledo and has won the job for a year.

Abby Bollenbacher is originally from Rockford, Ohio (Mercer County) and has resided in the Toledo area for the past six and a half years, pursuing her education. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Communications Degree in Theatre from Bowling Green State University. She performed in many university productions including “A Christmas Carol”, for which she earned a Joe E. Award nomination, and was twice a monologist for the V-Day movement. Abby was a “VJ” for the music show “Video Bank”, has acted in several student films and appeared in numerous BGSU promotional videos. She also enjoys directing and children’s theatre, having worked with the Chance for Change program at Collingwood Arts Center and interned with Horizon Youth Theatre.

Abby is especially proud to have been a member of BGSU’s Forensics (Speech, Debate and Competitive Performance) team. In her graduating season, she helped lead the team to the Ohio State Championship as well as the Collegiate Forensics Association National Championship and the Pi Kappa Delta National Championship. Individually, Abby earned National Championships twice in Dramatic Duo Interpretation and once in the Communication Analysis. She was secretary and public relations chair of BGSU’s Pi Kappa Delta Forensics Honorary and continues to assist the team as a coach and judge. Abby plans to continue her academic career at BGSU by pursuing a Masters degree from their exclusive Popular Culture department, beginning in the fall of 2007.

The Miss America program has afforded Abby wonderful opportunities to positively impact her community and earn scholarships to finance her education. Her current title, Miss Maumee Valley, is her fifth; meaning she owns five crowns and competed for the title of Miss Ohio five times. At Miss Ohio, she was a Top 10 Semifinalist and Interview Award Winner. At the local level, she earned several Talent Awards for her skills as a vocalist.

She enjoys singing everything from opera to popular music. Abby auditioned for Fox’s “American Idol”, once in Detroit and once in Atlanta. Within Ohio, she has made several television appearances on the vocal talent search “Dream Big”. Abby studied voice privately for twelve years and was a member of Ohio’s All-State Choir.

In her spare time; Abby enjoys blogging, bird watching and playing Texas Holdem’ poker. In addition to her aspiration to be a successful actress, she hopes to be the first woman to win the Main Event of the World Series of Poker.

FOX Toledo is very excited to welcome Abby to the FOX Toledo team. She will begin her duties as the New Face of FOX Toledo in early September taking over the job from our current Face of FOX Toledo Leah D’Emilio. Leah has been an outstanding representative of FOX Toledo and has set the bar extremely high for all who follow her. Abby will take on Leah’s responsibilities as on-air personality and station representative.