When 21-year-old Jennifer Hawkins heard her name announced as the new Miss Universe 2004 in Quito, Ecuador, the self-described "vivacious" former legal secretary says, "I was caught completely off guard!"

Jennifer has been a dancer since the age of five. In 2001 she was chosen as the winner of a national dance competition by a panel of judges, the audience and her peers.

In the years that followed, Jennifer has turned her 'agility' on the stage into 'ability' on a surfboard! She says she loves all water sports, especially surfing and wakeboarding and heads to the beaches of the Gold Coast whenever she can.

As Miss Universe 2004, Hawkins used her title to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS and the research needed to find a cure for the deadly disease.

Her year-long reign took her around the globe as an ambassador for organizations like Youth AIDS, the Global Health Council, amfAR, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and God's Love We Deliver.

During that time, she combined these duties with her role as television presenter with The Great Outdoors, which has taken her on assignment to places like the Bahamas, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and the place she temporarily called home, New York.