Background
She was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
She was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Her family subsequently moved to Houston, Texas, where she attended Langham Creek High School though her junior year. She spent her senior year at, and graduated from, Baker High School in Mobile County, Alabama in 1994.
She is the eldest of four siblings. Ward earned a degree in vocal performance from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 1998. She earned master"s degrees in voice and in opera performance from the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts in 2002.
Ward has worked as a manager at a plastic surgery office.
The Biggest Loser
Ward"s motivation for being on The Biggest Loser was the fact that her weight, which had climbed to over 261 pounds, combined with a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, meant she would likely never have children if she didn"t lose a significant amount of weight. She felt her obesity was a reason she had not received many opera singing roles.
Other
As of 2013, Ward is an instructor at the New York City location of SoulCycle. As of 2013, Ward operates a website called MyFitspiration.com.
Opera
Ward was a mezzo-soprano opera singer.
Ward"s operatic work includes appearances with Ash-Lawn Highland Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Las Vegas Opera, Mobile Opera, Nashville Opera Association, and Nevada Opera. She appeared in the Music City Community Chorus and in their Operalooza! in Nashville, Tennessee. She appeared in the Nashville Symphony, Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera.
By 2007, she had begun attracting regional operatic and orchestral attention.
Ward played Mistress Baines in the opera Elmer Gantry.