Lecturers & Speakers, Women's Issues, Cancer Survival & Issues, Health & Wellness, Ethical Discussion, Novelty Act, Musical Entertainment/Speaker, Classical, Opera, Female
Named Miss America 2002 just days after tragedy rocked the nation on September 11, 2001, Harman encountered both a heart-wrenching and heart-warming firsthand look at the nation in its rise from the ashes. She chose to serve as an ambassador of hope—aiming the Miss America spotlight at those touched by breast cancer, in addition to those serving the nation in the wake of terrorism. Together with her 2001 Miss America Competition sisters, Harman also co-authored, Under the Crown: 51 Stories of Courage, Determination and the American Spirit, the first book of its kind, expressing the thoughts and experiences of each young woman during her year of service as touched by the tragic events of September 11th.
Today, Katie Harman's spirit, enthusiam, and superb vocal talent come to light in her highly anicipated, debut, semi-classical album, SOUL OF LOVE. This album effortlessly marries the worlds of classicla and pop music to reveal melodies of timeless appeal. Produced by Mah Records, Katie partnered with renowned concert pianist and composer Michael Allen Harrison to creat original arrangements from 18th and 19th century Italian poetry, as well as personal messages of love in English. The original arrangements are combined with two well-loved operatic pieces to create an enduring collection of II songs. This beautiful album serves as the artistic rendering of a soul that has truly experienced the joyful magic of having given and received love.
Her personal conviction about life and how to live it says it best: “serve greatly, love deeply, live passionately.” And throughout her journey, with every new challenge, and with every success, Katie Harman has adhered to her deep-seeded faith. It earned her the nickname “Ambassador of Hope” among her fans. It fuels the passion that flows from her classically trained voice, and it gave her the strength as Miss America 2002 to work to heal a nation as it grieved after the tragedy of September 11th.
As the reigning Miss America, Katie traveled the nation from September 2001 to September 2002 at an astounding pace of 20,000 miles each month. With every stop, in every city, and with every handshake, she delivered a message of comfort and hope to Americans such as the rescue workers at Ground Zero and the Pentagon, family members of those lost in the attacks, military officials, breast cancer patients, medical professionals, legislators, businesses, students, media entities, and more.
After her remarkable performance during the Miss America Pageant, Katie was sought after to sing with the famed Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Keith Lockhart, the Shreveport Symphony, the Oregon Symphony, the US Army Band, the USO, and other concert events across the nation. In 2003, she made her professional operatic debut with the Gold Coast Opera, and has since appeared in both full-scale productions and concerts with Obsidian Opera, Eugene Opera, Portland Summer Fest, Portland Musical Theater Company, and the Vancouver Symphony.
And somehow in those four quick years of performing across the country, Katie Harman married her true love, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Portland State University with a degree in Communications, gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, and bought a farm in the scenic countryside of Oregon.
Now her spirit, enthusiasm and vocal talent come together on her debut, semi-classical album, SOUL OF LOVE, which effortlessly marries the worlds of classical and pop music to reveal melodies of timeless appeal. Produced by MAH Records, Katie partnered with renowned concert pianist and composer Michael Allen Harrison to create original arrangements from 18th and 19th century Italian poetry, as well as personal messages of love in English. The original arrangements are combined with two popular operatic pieces to create an enduring collection of 11 songs. This beautiful album celebrates the joy of the soul when it has truly experienced the giving and receiving of love. Today, Katie can be found touring nationally as a performer, television personality, and speaker. She is the national spokesperson for the Touched by Cancer Foundation, offering support for cancer patients and their families. She is also a celebrity ambassador for Providence Cancer Center and the face of Portland Rescue Mission’s annual Drive Away Hunger campaigns. She also serves on several boards, including the Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization and the Honorary Board of Directors of Volunteers in Medicine. Her work as an advocate and philanthropist has been featured by numerous media outlets, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN with Paula Zahn, Late Night with David Letterman, People Magazine and The Washington Post. Her work has been honored by Fox Chase Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center, Metcalf Institute of Radiation Oncology, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and the Cancer Research Foundation of America, among many others
