 At age 17, Barnett won the Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA title and competed in the 1990 Miss Teen USA pageant, broadcast live from Biloxi, Mississippi on July 16, 1990.She placed first in the swimsuit competition and was a Top 6 finalist in the nationally televised pageant, won by Bridgette Wilson of Oregon.In her "Parade of States" introduction, Barnett stated that after college she wished to travel the world and start a career in fashion merchandising.