Finnessey was born to Patrick and Linda Finnessey, and she grew up in Florissant, Missouri. She attended McCluer North High School public high school for two years where, according to an interview with ABILITY M… See more

Finnessey first competed in the Miss Missouri USA 2000 pageant in 1999 where, as Miss Saint Louis County in her senior year of college, she finished first runner-up to Denette Roderick. She competed again in the follo… See more

After completing her reign as Miss USA, Finnessey became a co-host of Lingo and PlayMania on GSN. She hosted Lingo from August 2005 at the start of the show's fourth season until the show went on hiatus in 2008. In … See more