Jennifer Gareis

Jennifer Gareis (born August 1 or August 28, 1970; sources differ) is an American actress and former beauty queen. She is best known for her roles as Grace Turner on The Young and the Restless and as Donna Logan on The Bold and the Beautiful.

Early life

Gareis was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Franklin and Marshall College there with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting, then earned a Master's of Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University. She is of part Italian descent. Her great-grandmother Sebastiana Tringali came from Militello in Val di Catania, and the city gave her the honorary citizenship.

Career

Gareis competed in her first beauty pageant in 1992 when she placed second runner-up at Miss Pennsylvania USA. She later competed in New York, winning the Miss New York USA 1994 title, and representing New York in the Miss USA 1994 pageant held in South Padre Island, Texas on February 11, 1994. Gareis placed in the top six of the nationally televised pageant, which was won by Lu Parker of South Carolina.