She represented Montana in the Miss Teen USA 2006 pageant held in Palm Springs, California on August 15, 2006, and became the first Montana native to place in the pageant. Outgoing titleholder, Allie LaForce of Ohio, crowned her as the new Miss Teen USA. Melissa Lingafelt of North Carolina placed first runner-up. Before Katie's win in the nationally televised pageant, Montana had been the only state in the competition's 23-year history never to have had a semi-finalist.