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Cooley expressed a desire to move into the entertainment industry after she has passed on her crown.
Just prior to giving up her crown in April 2006, Cooley competed on NBC's Celebrity Cooking Showdown, where she beat Tony Gonzalez and "Big Kenny" (Half of Country Music Duo Big & Rich) by a narrow margin.
Cooley acted as a judge in numerous Miss USA 2007 state pageants, including South Carolina, Louisiana and Minnesota. Cooley is currently writing a book entitled, "Beauty Pageant Confidential," to be published in the Spring. Currently Cooley is the president of an image consulting company, StandOut. Productions, which she founded along with A.T. Dunn. She married Heath Altman in October 2008.
Since late 2012 Cooley is a member of the girl music group BQ Girls.
Read more about this topic: Chelsea Cooley