Amber Mariano

Amber Joy Mariano (neé Brkich) was the sixth placing contestant in Survivor: The Australian Outback and the winner of Survivor: All-Stars. She was mostly known for marrying All-Stars runner-up and eventual Survivor: Redemption Island winner Rob Mariano.

Profile
Amber Brkich is from Beaver, Pennsylvania and is a recent graduate from Westminster College, where she earned a B.A. degree in Public Relations, minoring in Speech Communications. Prior to departing for Australia, while Brkich searched for her "career job," she was an administrative assistant and lived with her parents. Her previous occupations while attending school included waitress, librarian assistant, swimming instructor, lifeguard and babysitter for her professor.

Brkich's favorite hobbies are going out with her friends, dancing and just generally having fun. She's a member of Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority, where she was Vice President and New Member Coordinator. Brkich also belongs to the Catholic Church. Her primary reasons for trying out for Survivor: The Australian Outback include lack of change, excitement, and kangaroos in her life, although the million dollars wouldn't hurt either!

Her birth date is August 11, 1978.

Survivor: The Australian Outback
Amber was a participant in the second season of Survivor, having auditioned for the season to put off getting a job after college. She was a member of the green Ogakor tribe, and she was quick to fortify a strong friendship with fellow contestant Jerri Manthey, who helped construct an alliance with Colby Donaldson, Tina Wesson, and Mitchell Olson.

Upon the merge, Ogakor managed to use the knowledge that one of Kucha's members, Jeff Varner, had received votes beforehand, and eliminated him, thus gaining a numeric advantage over the other group. Later in the game however, it was decided by a majority of the remaining players that Amber had played "under-the-radar", and she was sent home, ultimately landing in sixth place.

A member of the jury, Amber cast her vote for Colby, who failed to win the million dollars, losing to Tina Wesson.

Survivor: All-Stars
As one of the quieter personalities of Survivor: The Australian Outback, Amber's inclusion in the All-Stars installment of Survivor became a surprise to most fans. She was a member of the red Chapera tribe, a boisterous group including Rob "Boston Rob" Mariano, Sue Hawk, and fellow Survivor: The Australian Outback alumna Alicia Calaway.

In the season's premiere episode, Rob and Amber agreed to form an alliance, with Rob citing his reasoning as:

As part of the most dominant tribe in Survivor: All-Stars, Amber enjoyed a healthy winning streak, until the twelfth day, where they suffered their first loss in an Immunity Challenge. Boston Rob and Amber's relationship was a matter of discussion at the Tribal Council, but Amber claimed to have come to play Survivor, not a dating game. Ultimately, the tribe decided to remove Rob Cesternino, who was perceived as the biggest strategic threat.

The following day, a twist that "dissolved" the yellow Saboga tribe, two of its four remaining members, Jenna Lewis and Rupert Boneham joined Chapera. Rob and Amber quickly fortified a long-term alliance with the tribe's two new members, one of the pair's many "agreements." The Chapera tribe then enjoyed a lengthy winning streak, winning immunity the next three times. The group did lose one member, however, when Sue Hawk opted to leave the game due to an indecent encounter with Richard Hatch.

In the season's ninth episode, a tribal shuffle managed to merely make each contestant switch buffs, with the exception of Amber, who remained on the Chapera tribe with Lex van den Berghe, Shii Ann Huang, Jerri Manthey, and Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien. The tribe went on to lose the next challenge and, in one of the season's more famous moments, Rob said to Lex, "If you take care of her, I'll take care of you." In perhaps an ironic twist of fate, it came down to Amber and her former Outback ally Jerri at that night's Tribal Council. Jerri was eliminated, but Lex stayed true to his deal with Rob, and Amber was spared.

In the following episode, the merge occurred, and Lex was chosen to be eliminated, despite Rob's promise to "take care of him." In the episodes following, Rob and Amber managed to maintain several "alliances," including their agreement with Rupert and Jenna, an agreement with Tom Buchanan, and an agreement with Alicia Calaway. With all these castaways believing themselves to be safe, Rob and Amber proceeded through the game, eventually finding themselves in the final four with Jenna and Rupert.

In the final four, Amber won her first individual Immunity Challenge, and she and Rob convinced Jenna to vote out her ally Rupert instead of forcing a tie. In the final three, Rob won immunity and chose Amber to continue with him to the final two. Facing the Jury, Rob and Amber met much criticism for their gameplay.

In the season finale several months later, Rob and Amber revealed they were still dating, Amber even wearing a yellow "I Love Rob" shirt (and was booed by the audience in the process). Just before the votes were read, Rob surprisingly proposed to Amber and she accepted. It was revealed that, in a 4-3 decision, Amber was the Sole Survivor.

Post-Survivor
As an engaged couple in 2005, Brkich and Mariano participated in the seventh season of The Amazing Race and came in second place. At one point in southern Africa, Mariano and Brkich saw their own photo on a magazine cover. They were also recognized in countries all over the world and assisted by locals who recognized them.

Although Rob & Amber lost the final leg of the race, they placed 1st in the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 10th legs. In 2007, Rob and Amber competed on the All-Stars season of The Amazing Race as newlyweds. After achieving first place for the first three legs, they came in last and were eliminated in the season's fourth episode.

Rob and Amber filmed a 10-episode show for the Fox Reality Channel, Rob and Amber: Against the Odds in 2006, which aired in 2007. Set in Las Vegas, the show follows Rob's attempt to become a professional poker player and features professional player Daniel Negreanu tutoring Rob.

Mariano lived in her hometown, Beaver, Pennsylvania (a suburb 40 miles northwest of Pittsburgh), until her marriage to Rob. Afterward, the couple moved to Pensacola, Florida. In 2006, they also took up residence in Las Vegas, Nevada to support Rob's poker career. In July 2009, Amber gave birth to daughter they named Lucia Rose Mariano. In December 10, 2010, Rob and Amber welcomed their second child, which they named Carina Rose Mariano, which was revealed during the Survivor: Nicaragua reunion show, where Rob was a special guest.

Trivia

 * Amber was the first contestant to obtain a car, although not winning the car challenge, and win the Sole Survivor title in the same season. Though this does not count as the first time that the Car Curse has been broken, for she did not won the car. It was given to her.
 * While his husband competed for a fourth time in Survivor: Redemption Island, Amber was referenced numerous times by her husband. The most noteworthy one was when Rob compared Matt Elrod and Andrea Boehlke's relationship to his with Amber. Also, the namesake for that season's merged tribe was, according to Rob, the name of one of Amber's stuffed animals.
 * Along with Colby Donaldson, Amber is the only other Survivor: The Australian Outback contestant to appear in more than one finale episode of Survivor as both a finalist and a jury member.
 * Amber was the only original Chapera member to not go over to Mogo Mogo after the Tribe Shuffle in Survivor: All-Stars.
 * Amber was the first castaway to win the title of Sole Survivor in an additional attempt after losing in their previous try. This feat was followed by Parvati Shallow in Survivor: Micronesia and Rob Mariano in Survivor: Redemption Island.
 * Amber was the youngest contestant in Survivor: The Australian Outback.
 * Amber is one of four castaways (Along with her husband Rob Mariano, Ethan Zohn, and Jenna Morasca) to compete on another reality show prior to her time on Survivor.
 * Amber earned the title of "Hottest Survivor Woman" in America's Tribal Council.