Poker Player - Shana Hiatt
 |
In 2003 Shana Hiatt was named as the new host of the Travel Channel's World Poker Tour programme, a position she held until early 2006, when Courtney Friel took over.
Shana Hiatt was born in 1975 and grew up in New Jersey, near Philadelphia. She is used to travelling around the world, being a self confessed "Army Brat", an experience which would come in useful later on in her career. At an early age, she became interested in television reporting, and would watch new broadcasts, analyzing them and no doubt picking up tips that she would use as she pursued her dream of a having a television career.
Excelling at lacrosse and field hockey while at school, Shana still realised the importance of study, and enrolled at Burlington County College, New Jersey to study Broadcast Journalism. At 18, she was stunningly beautiful and began to model part time. It wasn't long before agents came calling eager to sign her to their books, and Shana signed up with Ray Manzella, the agent who built the careers of superstars Vanna White, Jenny McCarthy and Pamela Anderson. Manzella worked the same magic for Shana, and she achieved a successful modelling career, including being crowned Miss Hawaiian Tropic USA in 1995 and modelling for Playboy.
It is her work in the world of poker however that Shana Hiatt is most well known and respected. She is a model, dancer, and actress who has brought grace, elegance and beauty to the World Poker Tour. She is actually married to Jimmy Van Patten, poker player, and brother to WPT commentator Vince Van Patten, so she took the opportunity to present the WPT and gain more of an understanding of poker. Having now played a few games during the show, she says "the rush you feel when you know you have them beat. it's enough to make you want to quit your job and play poker for a living!"
Shana may not have a wealth of poker experience behind her, but she certainly seems to understand and have an admiration for the poker players on the World Poker Tour. She says "Poker is a game of skill and luck. I am extremely impressed with the focus and determination the players display during these tournaments. Anyone who is a dedicated player and is willing to take risks has a chance to win." And having interviewed the world's best players, she refuses to comment on who her favourite might be. "I can't be partial. I love them all!"
In November 2003, Shana Hiatt was named as the spokesperson for PartyPoker.com, one of the largest and most secure online poker rooms on the internet. She has accounts and plays at both PartyPoker.com and EmpirePoker.com, both of which can have up to 40,000 players at any one time, meaning that the poker action is non stop!
Shana is currently living in Los Angeles with her husband and dogs and it can be said without a doubt that although she is no longer the host of the World Poker Tour, her presence on the poker circuit is unlikely to disappear. She has a genuine interest in poker, and a family connection through her husband and brother-in-law. Most of all however, we can thank Shana's brains (and beauty) for helping move the poker world into genuine sports respectability through her informed and professional presentation of the World Poker Tour, bringing Poker to the masses.
|