What Happened To Nicole Linkletter From America's Next Top Model?

Many "America's Next Top Model" winners have gone on to lead impressive lives. Some, like Kyla Coleman and Naima Mora, have continued to work as models, while others, like Eva Pigford, have forayed into television and worked on reality series. Still, some of the "ANTM" winners have decided to pursue different careers altogether. 

When Nicole Linkletter was 20 years old, she won Cycle 5 of the reality competition series. Tyra Banks said that the North Dakota native "had that 'it' thing," while Twiggy said that she "had that magical something that you can't quite put your finger on," per Elle Girl. After winning, Linkletter scored campaigns with Forever 21, a number of runway gigs, and even a contract with LA models, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Over the past few years, however, Linkletter appears to have stepped away from modeling in favor of a different path. Let's dig into what the 36-year-old is up to today.

Today, Nicole Linkletter is married and has two young children named Theo and Olive. As of 2013, when Linkletter's engagement to Adam Nathanson was announced in the Grand Forks Herald, the couple was living in Los Angeles, California. Today, Linkletter frequently documents her children and husband on her Instagram page, where she has more than 24,000 followers. Most of her recent pics are tagged in Washington state, suggesting the couple has moved from California. 

According to the Grand Forks Herald, Linkletter graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2000. As of 2013, her husband worked as the creative director of his own design and branding studio, Colony, which is described on LinkedIn as a "branding and design studio devoted to pulling the simple from the complex. Inspired by forward-thinking individuals and companies." Nathanson is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Law & Society. 

Today, Nicole Linkletter runs a blog called No Way Mama, which was named in honor of her son's first words. The No Way Mama website features Linkletter's family, travels, a food blog, and more. The last time the model posted was in March 2018. In that post, titled "Pie & Strawberry Picking," Linkletter wrote about baking. A section of the post read, "My weakness is pie (also hot wings, Mexican food and tequila, but that's for later). Even more than I like eating pie, I love to make it. I mixed up my first dough in 2013 after marrying Adam. His favorite dessert is his mom's blueberry pie, and it quickly became one of mine too."

In her 2006 interview with Elle, Linkletter said that she dreamed of being a model since she was a little girl. "I was the tall, lanky, gangly girl. Everyone goes through stages where they feel awkward and uncomfortable, but I got through it." And while she may not be spending all her time modeling these days, the mother of two is busy spending time with her family. Based on her Instagram, she appears to be leading a happy and healthy life today.