Miss Illinois USA 2012, Ashley Hooks, poses for fashion photographer Fadil Berisha at the "Gardens of Goddess" photo shoot at Caesar's Palace Las Vegas Hotel & Casino pool.

Miss USA 2012 Contestants will spend the next 2 weeks touring, filming, rehearsing, and making new friends while she prepares to compete for the coveted Miss USA Diamond Nexus Labs Crown. Tune in to the LIVE NBC Telecast at 9:00 PM on June 3, 2011 to see who will win the title of Miss USA® 2012.
HO/Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP
 
Images Courtesy of Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP
 

 

From the Miss Illinois USA website:
Ashley Hooks graduated from the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) in 2008 as a presidential scholar where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Planning. As a student, she was involved in a number of community and social action activities and fundraising activities that raised awareness of, and provided monies to, various social causes. Upon graduation, she accepted a community organizing position in Albany, NY, with Citizen Action of New York. As a CANY organizer, she was involved in many issue- and political-related campaigns. She was most passionately involved and devoted to causes supporting quality education for all children. In her free time, Ashley volunteered with Equinox, an after-school program geared to inner-city youth in Albany.

Ashley's father was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to fill a Cook County Circuit Court judicial vacancy in August 2008. At his request, Ashley returned home to run his judicial campaign and to prepare him for the February 2010 primaries. As Campaign Manager for the Committee to Elect, she was the ultimate voice on all campaign field operations. It will always be a source of pride that she helped her father win his election.

When Ashley is not busy with work, family, pageant preparation, and friends, she continues to find time to volunteer and seek additional ways to help the community. She has volunteered her time by assisting Goodcity Chicago, whose mission is to identify and then support high potential community-based entrepreneurs seeking to create or enhance neighborhood and faith-based programs, and Hales Franciscan High School in their strategic planning initiatives. She also enjoys volunteering with Chicago Cares for their large community service events and running 5Ks in support of various causes. This year, as a State of Illinois Central Management Services employee, she was active in organizing CMS-hosted events for the State and University Employees Combined Appeal, a State of Illinois program for which state employees raise money to give to several different Illinois-based charities, including the Chili Cook-off and the Charity Basketball Tournament. She is proud to say that she even played in all three of the CMS games and scored!