Conner has held the titles Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2002, Miss Kentucky USA 2006 and Miss USA 2006. She placed second runner-up in the Miss Teen USA 2002 pageant and fourth runner-up in the Miss Universe 2006 pageant. Conner's overall results are higher than any of the seven other women who have competed in each of the three Miss Universe Organization pageants, narrowly beating Lynnette Cole of Tennessee, Miss USA 2000, for this honour.

Conner graduated from Russell County High School in 2004 and at the time of her Miss USA win was studying toward a degree in Business Administration from Somerset Community College. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model and waitress. Conner was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Destinations in 2004, posing for the cameras in Lake Tahoe.