DeAnna Pappas - Newest Bachelorette

Millions of viewers watched DeAnna Pappas, 26, suffer through a painful, last-minute rejection by Brad Womack on the last season of ABC's "The Bachelor" - earning her the sympathy of women everywhere.

Now DeAnna will have the last laugh, as the tables are turned and she gets to choose from among 25 bachelors in her own bid for true love, when the fourth edition of "The Bachelorette" airs on ABC, starting May 19.

(Image of DeAnna Pappas - ABC - The Bachelorette - all rights reserved).

The brunette, brown-eyed real estate agent from Newnan, Georgia, became an immediate fan favorite and was the final woman remaining on the finale of "The Bachelor" last November. The ending proved to be a huge shocker, though, when Womack didn't select any woman - a first in "Bachelor" history. She found out she was tapped to star as the next "Bachelorette" on an episode of "Ellen" that aired in January of this year.

DeAnna demonstrated her assertiveness and independent nature during "The Bachelor," setting her apart from the other women. She is an interesting combination of Greek ancestry on her father's side and a mix of many ethnicities -- including Native American -- on her mother's. Growing up in Kentucky with her older brother, Thomas, and younger sister, Chrissy, DeAnna's parents divorced when she was six. Her mother's ultimately fatal battle with cancer meant that DeAnna was raised primarily by her aunt and grandmother, and when her mother died -- DeAnna was 12 -- she moved to Georgia to live with her father.

Given this family history, DeAnna wants to make sure that she gets married and plays an active part in her children's lives. She truly believes, after coming so close on "The Bachelor," that she will be able to find that special someone from the 25 lucky guys on "The Bachelorette."

No shrinking violet, DeAnna juggled playing softball, being vice president of both her junior and senior classes in high school and working with Habitat for Humanity through her church as she was growing up. Industrious and versatile, she has worked in a variety of jobs since she was 14, and had her first managerial position at 19 for a restaurant/bar. In fact, she showed off her top bartending and cooking skills on "The Bachelor." DeAnna additionally enjoys white water rafting and camping with her friends and family, and has traveled all over Europe.

A 2005 graduate from Georgia Military College with an Associates Degree in General Studies, DeAnna received her real estate license from the Gaddy School in Georgia in 2006.