Katie Stam

Early life

Katie Stam was born to Keith and Tracy Stam on July 9, 1986. Growing up, she was a 4-H member and showed dairy cattle at the Jackson County Fair. She graduated from Seymour High School in Seymour and is an alumna of the University of Indianapolis with a degree in communications. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Seymour, where her mother teaches fifth grade at a Lutheran elementary school. Stam interned at the Indianapolis news station WTHR in 2007.

Pageants

Stam began competing in pageants at the age of 15, won the Indiana's Junior Miss title in 2005, and was named second runner-up at the 2005 America's Junior Miss competition. In November 2007, Stam won the local Miss Duneland title (Michigan City, Indiana). She competed in the Miss Indiana pageant for the first time in June 2008, and was crowned Miss Indiana. For her state talent she performed "Art Is Calling Me."

Miss America: Countdown to the Crown

On this TLC reality series, viewers followed the 52 Miss America contestants vying for the Miss America 2009 crown. Viewers then had the opportunity to vote online for a contestant to help them earn a "Golden Sash", signifying a secured spot in the top 15. Stam was the first to receive a "Golden Sash" during the first episode.

Preliminary competition

In the week prior to the televised pageant Stam won a preliminary swimsuit award. Additionally, the three previous Miss Americas, Miss America 2006, Jennifer Berry, Miss America 2007, Lauren Nelson, and Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund, had predicted prior to the pageant that Stam would win the Miss America crown.

Miss America telecast

The Miss America 2009 pageant was broadcast live on TLC from the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 24, 2009. For her talent, Stam sang "Via Dolorosa" despite suffering from a throat infection.

At the conclusion of the telecast, Stam beat out first runner-up Miss Georgia 2008, Chastity Hardman, for the title of Miss America 2009 and was crowned by Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund. With this win she became the first Miss Indiana ever to claim the Miss America title. Along with the title of Miss America, she also won a $50,000 scholarship.

In interviews held after her winning the Miss America crown, Stam expressed interest in completing her bachelor's degree in communication at the University of Indianapolis and seeking a career as a television news reporter and anchor after her reign.

Miss America role

Her platform was "Passion for Service: Promoting Community Service and Involvement." As Miss America, Stam traveled approximately 20,000 miles each month promoting and speaking on her platform of community service and acted as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for the Children’s Miracle Network.

On Thanksgiving Day 2009, Stam served food at the New York Rescue Mission and also appeared on a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the first Miss America to do so in nearly a decade.

Stam met President Obama through a joint meeting with the Children's Miracle Network Hospital Champions at the White House.

Personal life

In January 2010, Stam's boyfriend, Brian Irk, proposed to her. They married in July 2010.

Stam Irk gave birth to a daughter, Charlotte Bell, in August 2013. Stam Irk delivered a second daughter named Rose Lee Esther, in May 2015.

On October 31, 2016, Stam Irk gave birth to a son, whose name was determined by the outcome of the 2016 World Series. Stam Irk's husband, Brian, is a Chicago Cubs fan. So when the couple found out they pregnant, they decided that if Chicago Cubs won the World Series, their baby boy would be named Wrigley and if not, then he would be name Oliver. Their son was nameless for 3 days, until the Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 on November 3, 2016, and he was officially given the name Wrigley Oliver.