Desiree Lowry

{{short description|Puerto Rican beauty pageant contestant}} {{family name hatnote|Lowry|Rodríguez|lang=Spanish}}'''Desiree Lowry Rodríguez''' (born June 25, 1972 in San Juan) is a Puerto Rican beauty pageant titleholder, fashion model, tv host, event coordinator, model agency owner and former pageant director for Miss Universe Puerto Rico.

==Early life== Lowry was born on June 25, 1972, in San Juan, Puerto Rico to a Puerto Rican mother and an Irish American father from Oregon.<ref>{{cite AV media| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/lrxqmWg6GF0| archive-date = 2021-12-11| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrxqmWg6GF0| title = MISS UNIVERSE 1995 Top 10 Interview ( 1 / 2 ) | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> She was raised in Corozal. She speaks Spanish and English. She learned English from her father who refused to speak to her unless she spoke to him in English.<ref>{{cite AV media| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/lrxqmWg6GF0| archive-date = 2021-12-11| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrxqmWg6GF0| title = MISS UNIVERSE 1995 Top 10 Interview ( 1 / 2 ) | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Pageant participation==

===Miss Puerto Rico 1995=== On August 6, 1994, at Teatro Yagüez, in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Desiree Lowry won the title of Miss Puerto Rico 1995, gaining the right to represent Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 1995. She was crowned by Miss Puerto Rico 1979 Teresa López and Miss Puerto Rico 1984 Sandra Beauchamp.

===Miss Universe 1995=== Desiree traveled to Windhoek, Namibia to compete in Miss Universe 1995 where she placed in the Top 6 (5th overall). The eventual winner was Chelsi Smith of the United States.

'''Preliminary competition scores:'''

*Swimsuit - 8.88 *Evening Gown - 9.58 *Interview - 9.54 *Preliminary Score - 9.333

'''Final Scores''' *Interview - 9.65 *Swimsuit - 9.56 *Gown - 9.66

==Miss Universe Puerto Rico franchise==

In 2009, Lowry, along with Luisito Vigoreaux, obtained the rights to the Miss Universe Puerto Rico franchise. Desiree's role as pageant director left her in charge with training and preparation of the island's delegate to the Miss Universe pageant. Her most successful delegate was Mayra Matos who finished as 4th Runner-Up in 2009. Other successful delegates were Mariana Vicente who finished in the Top 10 in 2010 and Viviana Ortiz and Monic Pérez who both finished in the Top 16 in 2011 and 2013 respectively. 2014 delegate Gabriela Berrios was also awarded Miss Photogenic Universe but did not place in the semifinals.

On February 5, 2018, it was announced that WME/IMG had stripped Vigoreaux and Lowry of the franchise rights and awarded rights to WAPA-TV.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metro.pr/pr/entretenimiento/2018/02/05/miss-universo-le-quita-franquicia-miss-universe-p-r-desiree-lowry.html|title=Miss Universo le quita franquicia de Miss Universe P. R. A Desireé Lowry}}</ref>

==TV Host== *1995: ''Tu Melodía'' - Telemundo PR<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.desireelowry.com/dl/somos/desiree/index.asp |title=Desiree Lowry |access-date=2009-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210021537/http://www.desireelowry.com/dl/somos/desiree/index.asp |archive-date=2009-02-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref> *1997: ''A Fuego'' - Teleonce *2004: ''De Magazín'' - WAPA TV<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.freewebs.com/televisionboricua/canal11.htm |title=Television Boricua {{!}} El Portal de la Television Boricua |website=www.freewebs.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070306111146/http://www.freewebs.com/televisionboricua/canal11.htm |archive-date=2007-03-06}}</ref> *2008: ''No Te Duermas'' - Telemundo PR<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.primerahora.com/noticia/tv/espectaculos_asi/no_te_duermas_inicia_una_nueva_era/144693 |title=Entretenimiento - Primera Hora |access-date=2009-02-08 |archive-date=2019-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726023152/https://www.primerahora.com/noticia/tv/espectaculos_asi/no_te_duermas_inicia_una_nueva_era/144693 |url-status=dead }}</ref> *2009: ''Anda Pal' Cara''' - Univisión Puerto Rico *2009: ''Buscando La Más Bella'' - Telemundo PR <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.primerahora.com/estrena_este_domingo_buscando_la_mas_bella-326488.html |title=- Primerahora.com |website=www.primerahora.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611173658/http://www.primerahora.com/estrena_este_domingo_buscando_la_mas_bella-326488.html |archive-date=2011-06-11}}</ref> *2010: ''De Magazín, Fin De Semana'' - Telemundo PR<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.primerahora.com/luisitovigoreauxydesireelowryrevivendemagazin-370308.html |title=- Primerahora.com |website=www.primerahora.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611173712/http://www.primerahora.com/luisitovigoreauxydesireelowryrevivendemagazin-370308.html |archive-date=2011-06-11}}</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|Puerto Rico}} *List of Puerto Ricans *Irish immigration to Puerto Rico

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.desireelowry.com https://www.desireelowry.com/] *[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0523309/bio Desiree Lowry at IMD]{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowry, Desiree}} Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:Miss Puerto Rico winners Category:Miss Universe 1995 contestants Category:Models from San Juan, Puerto Rico Category:Puerto Rican people of Irish descent [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0523309/bio B]

{{S-start}} {{S-ach}} {{S-bef|before={{flagicon|Slovakia}} Silvia Lakatošová}} {{S-ttl|title=Miss Universe 4th Runner-Up |years=1995}} {{S-aft|after={{flagicon|Mexico}} Vanessa Guzmán}} {{S-bef|before=border|22x20px|Cayey Brenda Robles}} {{S-ttl|title=Miss Puerto Rico |years=1995}} {{S-aft|after=border|22x20px|Lares María del Rocío Arroyo<br />(''Miss Puerto Rico'')<br />border|22x20px|Toa Alta Sarybel Velilla<br />(''Miss Universe Puerto Rico'')}} {{S-bef|before=Brenda Robles}} {{S-ttl|title=Miss Puerto Rico<br />Reina Internacional del Cafe |years=1995}} {{S-aft|after=María del Rocío Arroyo}} {{S-bef|before=-}} {{S-ttl|title=Miss Corozal |years=1995}} {{S-aft|after=-}} {{S-end}}