Shawn Cunningham is an Anchor/Reporter for WAGM-TV and serves as an anchor for the station's 5:30 p.m. newscast, "The First Edition" AND the Primetime Anchor/Producer of "The Late Edition", as well as the station's Ten O'Clock newscast "Newsource 8 at Ten". Shawn is also the station's Education Beat reporter, Consumer Reporter for "Consumerwatch" and the Health/Medical Reporter for "Medical Mondays".
Since joining WAGM, she has received several awards including two 2003 Aegis Media Awards, three Maine Association of Broadcasters awards and two Telly Awards. Shawn has also won awards from the National Federation of Press Women. Some of Shawn's stories have appeared on CBS Newspath, Maine Public Broadcasting and CNN Network.
Shawn is a Past President of the Maine Federation of Business and Professional Women and was twice named Maine Young Career Woman of the Year. Shawn has been named in Who's Who in America 2007, 2008, and 2009. She's been awarded the Who's Who Among American Women for 2008 and 2009. Shawn has been awarded the Young Career Woman Award for Maine for the third time in 2009, having already winning the accolade in 2003 and 2005.
Shawn has been a proud participant and member of the Queen of Queens family for several years having held the titles Miss Maine QoQ 2007, Miss American QoQ 2008 and this year as Ms. United States QoQ 2009. Last year, Shawn won the coveted Queen of Queens crown and sash award. Shawn says she kept coming back because "I believe in this system and have seen how I've grown by continuing serving my community and a determination to persevere. But I'm so excited to see that perseverance pay off this year!"
Shawn is extremely proud of her past pageant background and experiences. Shawn was crowned Ms. Royal America and Ms. US of America and Miss Maine OWA she placed first runner up at the 2006 Outstanding Woman in America Competition. In addition she also received two prestigious awards for Lifetime Achievement and Outstanding Leadership.
"Pageants...have been very good for me!" Shawn has been crowned Miss African American United, Ms. African American United and Miss Maine Galaxy 2007. She is the only one in that pageant's history to win the interview award with a perfect score unanimously from the judging panel.
Shawn belongs to many professional organizations including the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club, a Board Member of the PI Chamber of Commerce, Board Member of Momentum Aroostook and member of the Caribou Business and Professional Womens Club.
As Ms. Queen of Queens 2009-2010 I plan on promoting my title through service in many activities. Please look for me to journal my Queen's journey through a yearlong blog. I'm so excited to be representing this system and encourage all my sister queens on the national, state and local level to make the most of your year and titles...be blessed that we have a platform to make a difference in our communities...and never take the responsibility of our titles lightly.
