Brook Antoinette Mahealani Lee is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Hawaii USA 1997, Miss USA 1997 and Miss Universe 1997. Lee was the first native Hawaiian to win the title of Miss Universe.

Early life

Lee is of Chinese, Korean, Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, French, Dutch and English ancestry. Her Korean grandfather emigrated to Hawaii in the 1950s. Lee's mother, Toni, was president of Na Pua Ke Ali'i Pauahi, an alumni association of the school that petitioned the board for reforms. Lee attended University Lab School for one year (1987–88) and graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1989. She is a graduate of Chaminade University. Lee also pursued graduate-level studies in communications at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Her Korean name is Lee Shi-nae (이시내).

Pageantry

Miss USA 1997

Lee won Miss Hawaii USA, then went on to participate in Miss USA 1997 at Shreveport, Louisiana on February 5, 1997, and was crowned by outgoing titleholder Ali Landry of Louisiana.

Miss Universe 1997

Lee represented the United States at the Miss Universe 1997 pageant in Miami Beach, Florida. On May 16, 1997, she won the crown at 26 years and 128 days, becoming the oldest Miss Universe to win the crown at the time. Lee and Al Masini, along with funding from the state, helped bring the Miss Universe 1998 pageant to Honolulu, Hawaii, for the first time.

Career

"She is the host of KHON2’s “Modern Wahine Hawaii;” she is the co-host for the Podcast “It’s a Hawaii Thing;” and she dances hula at Halekulani’s “House Without a Key.” She also believes in service to the community, taking on the Artistic Director role with the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame, where she produces the annual Lei of Stars installation of Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame inductees, and serves as the secretary for the nonprofit BEHawaii."