2003–2017: Pageantry Her first beauty pageant was the Miss San Jacinto Valley, when she was 13. At 19, she won Miss
Citrus Valley USA, which qualified her for Miss Turismo Latino in Ecuador in 2009. Sanchez has also competed in and won Miss Riverside County USA 2011 and Miss Hollywood USA 2012.
Miss Universe 2014 Sanchez represented the United States at
Miss Universe 2014 on January 25, 2015, at the
U.S. Century Bank Arena at
Florida International University in
Doral, Miami, Florida and was first runner-up to
Paulina Vega of Colombia. Her national costume was a Vegas
showgirl.
2018–present: Media roles Sanchez hosted the documentary film
Budget or Baller (2018) and co-hosted
Miss Teen USA 2019 with Tim Tialdo. In January 2024, she launched a podcast called
Hold My Crown with Nia Sanchez. On March 19, 2024, she began appearing in
Bravo's reality television series
The Valley (2024), a spin-off of
Vanderpump Rules. The series follows the lives of five couples as they navigate parenthood, family, businesses and relationships. In May 2024,
The Valley was renewed for a second season, with the entire cast returning. ==Personal life==