She placed first in the swimsuit competition and was a Top 6 finalist in the nationally televised pageant, won by Bridgette Wilson of Oregon.
She represented her state in the 1996 Miss USA pageant held in South Padre Island, Texas, obtaining the 15th highest preliminary score.
[2] Barnett attended Harry S. Truman High School in Levittown, Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Delaware in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication with a Minor in History.
She began her television news career in Bridgeport, West Virginia where she worked as a reporter and anchor for WDTV.
In 2003 she was one of a team who received the "Golden Quill" award from the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania for Best Television Public Affairs/Documentary.