Colleen is considered to be Survivor's first ever "sweetheart." She is also remembered for being the first female to win an individual challenge and for being the last member standing from her Pagong tribe.
Born and raised in Bethesda, Maryland, Colleen attended a catholic, all-girls school at Connolly school of the Holy Child in Potomac Maryland during middle school through her junior year. She transferred to Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda for her senior year, where she graduated in 1994. Colleen's first love in school was behind the scenes of a theater, working with such aspects as lights, sound and set design, say her parents John, director of support systems for Geico Insurance, and Patricia, a career counselor in Bethesda. After high school, Colleen decided to earn her bachelor's degree in theater at the University of Georgia in Athens. During her time at UGA, she was able to study abroad in London, England on a six-month internship with the London Film Festival, and upon graduation, she spent two months in Ghana, West Africa followed by two months traveling in France. Upon her return, Colleen relocated to Miami, where she enrolled in a 2-year portfolio program at Miami Ad School. She studied copyrighting and computer graphic design, with aspirations to make a portfolio that she hoped would eventually lead to a job in creative advertising. Her previous jobs include working as an intern for Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., being a waitress, and working as a clerk at Books & Books on Miami Beach. Colleen describes herself as talkative, independent and a bit spacey. Her favorite topics at a dinner party are stories and jokes ("I still believe in story time"). In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and cooking, and prefers to listen to talk radio. An avid lover of French films, she admits that Kevin Costner's "Robin Hood" can still make her cry.[1]
Colleen currently resides in Miami Beach, Florida. Her birth date is Dec. 6, 1976.
Survivor
Colleen was a contestant on the original season of Survivor. She was a castaway on the Pagong tribe, a tribe composed primarily of young adults, especially when compared to the Tagi tribe. Early on, Colleen was linked with contestant Greg Buis, and fellow Pagong member Jenna Lewis speculated that the friendship had become a romance. Both Greg and Colleen adamantly denied there was a romance, with Colleen ultimately joking that "it was all about the sex."
After the two tribes merged into the Rattana tribe, members of Pagong were surprised by Tagi's strategy of voting them out one by one at Tribal Council. Colleen was the last of the former Pagong members to be voted out.
After being voted out, Colleen told the remaining castaways "Be nice, play fair". She said this just before her torch was snuffed. Once she was gone, Richard Hatch commented that she was "a wonderful person".
Colleen originally planned on voting for Richard at the Final Tribal Council, but when he answered poorly to her question, she voted for Kelly Wiglesworth. Kelly ultimately lost to Richard Hatch.
After returning from the island and surviving the media whirlwind that followed, she finished the rest of her first year at Miami Ad School. Then, she decided to move to San Francisco to intern for her second year at the school, and possibly entertain the constant offerings to work in the entertainment industry.
Colleen is the first female to wear the Buff as a skirt.
Colleen is the first castaway to cry during the show. This was for losing the Immunity Challenge and having to send somebody home.
Colleen is the first contestant to cast an ouster vote for the eventual winner of their season.
Colleen is the first female to win an individual challenge.
Colleen is the first contestant to be allowed to bring one tribemate with them on a reward.
Colleen was the last standing Pagong member, making her the first contestant to be the last one remaining from their original tribe. Thus, Colleen is the highest ranking castaway of Pagong and is the first castaway to be the highest ranking castaway from a starting tribe.
Colleen was asked to come back for Survivor: All-Stars but she was the only one from Survivor: Borneo who declined, stating she "had moved on with her life" and "just genuinely didn't want to go through that again." Her replacement in All-Stars would end up being fellow Pagong tribemate Jenna Lewis. She was also considered for Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, but ultimately declined.
