Gretchen Carlson, a former Fox News anchor, joins board of directors, with three other past pageant winners also appointed

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

The new chair of the Miss America Organization’s board of directors was named on Monday as the pageant’s 1989 winner, Gretchen Carlson.

Three Miss America officials resign after leaked emails reveal abuse of winners Read more

The former Fox News channel anchor will be joined on the board by three other former Miss Americas, in a shake-up following a scandal at the group that runs the event.



The new leadership comes less than two weeks after leaked emails surfaced showing CEO Sam Haskell and others disparaging the appearance, intellect and sex lives of former winners. Haskell resigned on 23 December, along with two other top leaders.

The selection of Carlson marks the first time a former pageant winner has served as the leader of the nearly 100-year-old organization. Also announced were the appointments of three other past Miss Americas: 2012 winner Laura Kaeppeler-Fleiss, 2000 winner Heather French Henry and Kate Shindle, who won in 1998 and now serves as president of the Actors’ Equity Association.

Gretchen Carlson in September 1989 at the crowning of Miss America 1990. Photograph: Tom Patrick/AP

“Everyone has been stunned by the events of the last several days, and this has not been easy for anyone who loves this program,” Carlson said in a statement issued by the Miss America Organization.

“In the end, we all want a strong, relevant Miss America and we appreciate the existing board taking the steps necessary to quickly begin stabilizing the organization for the future.”

Carlson, 51, said she and the new board would immediately work with all Miss America stakeholders, including the organization’s state executive directors and former state titleholders, “to continue an ongoing inclusive and transparent process to identify additional new board members and management”.

In the emails published last month by the Huffington Post, pageant officials ridiculed the appearance, intellect and sex lives of former Miss Americas.

One email used a vulgar term for female genitalia to refer to past Miss America winners, another included a wish that a particular former Miss America had died and others speculated about the number of sex partners a former Miss America has had.

Former Miss America calls invitation to help choose new leaders 'laughable' Read more

The ensuing uproar led to the resignations of four people – Haskell; the group’s president, Josh Randle; board chairwoman Lynn Weidner; and another board member.

The emails have already cost the pageant its TV production partner and raised questions about the future of the nationally televised broadcast from Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall each year.

Dick Clark Productions cut ties with the Miss America Organization over the emails, calling them “appalling”.