Month: August 2009

Elizabeth Kim
Age: 33
Hometown: New York, NY
Occupation: Attorney

CBS Bio
Elizabeth Kim wasn’t born in this country, but that is not stopping her from living the American dream. “Everything I’ve gotten to this date has been out of pure determination.” Emigrating from South Korea with her parents at age two, Elizabeth grew up in Franklin Lakes, NJ and is the elder of two children. The first in her family to go to college, this Ivy Leaguer’s positive outlook combined with her determination has served her well in life helping her to earn degrees from Barnard-Columbia, Princeton, and University of Pennsylvania, Law School, where she served on Law Review.

After several years of practicing litigation at a top New York City law firm, Elizabeth now works as an urban planner in coordinating and managing industrial real estate development projects for New York City government, although just how much she’ll reveal to her fellow tribemates is still up in the air. “I’m not sure I’m going to tell people where I went to school or that I’m an attorney.” A self-described “social butterfly,” Elizabeth sees herself as an “outgoing people person” who is opinionated and passionate about life. She admits that this behavior often leads to her being blunt with others and putting her foot in her mouth, and that her biggest challenge will be “being assertive without being abrasive.”

A runner and avid tennis player, Elizabeth tries to stay active as much as possible. She recently completed training for a marathon, and is looking forward to tackling the game’s many physical and mental challenges.

Currently, Elizabeth resides in New York City. Her birth date is November 24th.

Dave Ball
Age: 38
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Fitness Instructor

CBS Bio
“Danger” Dave Ball grew up in a family full of preachers but don’t be fooled because he is not your typical “son of a preacher man.” After he earned a degree in opera from Oklahoma State, this “rock and roll rebel” took many odd jobs to stay afloat including one as a flight attendant at a major airline.

Although Dave’s fiery personality may have gotten him into hot water more than once, he has a knack for reading people which has helped him through the rough spots. His innate intelligence has been honed through years of playing strategy games and his body benefits from the martial arts, biking and hiking he enjoys in his spare time.

Dave is currently teaching fitness and nutrition to people who want to lose weight and improve their health. “It took me a long time to sort out my own health issues and if I can help others get healthy, then it will be worth it.” Dave is the most physically fit he has ever been and he is counting on the element of surprise to propel him to the top of this game.

After spending 10 years on the road, this journeyman says, “I’ve never been terribly concerned with money. I’ve always been more interested in making my life a rich experience. Having said that, I can do anything for a million dollars because that will set me up for life.”

Dave is single and currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif. His birth date is August 13th.

Brett Clouser
Age: 23
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: T-Shirt Designer

CBS Bio
Brett Clouser grew up in Salem, Oregon before coming to LA in 2004 to attend Pepperdine University. After graduating with a degree in Business Administration, Clouser first decided to go the corporate route, only to find his passions were elsewhere. Brett then pursued his dream of launching a cause based clothing company which would soon become, “The Monument of Our Hearts.” An up-and-coming social entrepreneur, Clouser strives to leverage his brand to actively support and advocate for healthy body image.

Brett’s flirtatious behavior with women could be his biggest asset in the game or it could be his biggest hindrance. “I’m going to try and put up the best wall I can, but I feel like I’m going to be a sucker for a couple of them.”

Always a showman, Clouser loves to be in front of people and make them laugh. When he’s not operating his clothing company, Brett can be found in his element, the great outdoors. Never a fan of the gym, Brett enjoys trail running and extreme outdoor activities. His charm and competitive nature will make him a dynamic player and force to be reckoned with on SURVIVOR.

Brett is single and currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif. His birth date is December 27th.

Betsy Bolan
Age: 48
Hometown: Campton, NH
Occupation: Police Officer

CBS Bio
Betsy Bolan dreamed of being a cop her entire life and at age 47 finally turned that dream into a reality. Her friends and family still cannot believe this mother of four is an officer of the law. Even though she is nicknamed “Officer Friendly,” Betsy isn’t naïve and knows that “nice people can be snakes.” She feels her skills as a cop will help her stand up to the possible jerks and alpha-males she could run into during SURVIVOR.

Betsy is happily married with two boys and two girls ranging in age from 8 to 16, but her world almost came apart when her husband was diagnosed with stage-four prostate cancer. Now with his cancer in remission, “all is good” on the home front, but Betsy says the money would mean a lot to her family since her husband does not have health insurance.

After going through a wild time in her youth, this former hippie has now been clean and sober for 21 years. Betsy’s overcome a number of obstacles in her life and is ready to tackle the next one, especially, now that she has become the person “she’s always dreamed of being.”

Currently, Betsy resides in Campton, N.H. Her birth date is March 20th.

Ben Browning
Age: 28
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Bartender

CBS Bio
Ben Browning is a transplanted country boy helping to run some of the most successful bars and restaurants in Los Angeles. A bar supervisor and drink mixologist, Ben is often seen with a girl on each arm and boldly claims he’s never been rejected.

“I’m one of those people that just get lucky for some reason, if I want it, I do what I have to do to get it.”

Growing up in Kirksville, Missouri, Ben’s parents raised him with a strict set of morals and instilled in him a strong work ethic. His parents would always be there to whip Ben into shape whenever necessary.

Ben has worked hard for all he has in life and says “I don’t like cry babies, I like people who work their asses off, like people from where I’m from.” He is also quick to admit that the one thing he can’t stand is “whiners and wimps.”

When he is not hunting or fishing, Ben can probably be found on his motorcycle. Despite breaking his leg in a wreck in 2007, he is still an active rider and even part of a motorcycle club called “WhiskyBoys.” Described by friends as “a big hillbilly who will be rich someday,” Ben intends to leave his mark on the game of SURVIVOR.

Ben is single and currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif. His birth date is August 28th.

Ashley Trainer
Age: 22
Hometown: Maple Grove, MN
Occupation: Spa Sales

CBS Bio
This 22 year-old woman describes herself as funny, outgoing and flirty, with an emphasis on flirty. Ashley once moved to San Diego for a relationship that did not work out, but now this bubbly former competitive cheerleader plans to use her flirty ways to endear herself to and at the same time manipulate the male castaways. Not only relying on her womanly wiles, Ashley feels that her strong determination will get her far in the game. She claims that she usually gets whatever she wants as long as she puts her heart and mind to it.

In her spare time, Ashley loves kickboxing, watching movies, and shopping. She describes her perfect day as sleeping in followed by working out and shopping, then ending her day with a nice dinner and a movie. During her time away from home, she will miss her mother, whom she describes as her best friend. She will also miss her favorite comfort item, which is her pillow.

Ashley works in a very competitive commission based sales job where she can sell almost anything. She has no qualms about selling items that she hates as long as it helps her reach her quota. She hopes that her “get it done” attitude will win her the title of Sole Survivor. Her first purchase, should she take home the grand prize, would be a condo or new house.

Currently, Ashley resides in Maple Grove, Minn. Her birth date is February 27th.