Lakeland Native June's Centerfold

Lakeland native Kara Monaco is Playboy Magazine's June Playmate of the Month.

The 22-year-old is in the coveted centerfold position, part of an all-nude pictorial package of the blonde.

Monaco lived in Lakeland until she was 15 and attended Santa Fe Catholic from 1996 to 1998. She still has family ties in Polk County, but currently lives in Orlando. Now that her star is rising, she plans to move to Los Angeles this summer where she will pursue a career in acting and modeling.

This isn't Monaco's first appearance in Playboy. She was featured in the magazine in June 2004 as "America's 10 Sexiest Bartenders" and as a model for Playboy Special Edition's "2004 Girls of Summer" pictorial in August 2004.

"There is no secret to why she was picked," said Jessica Art Sigelbaum, of Playboy Enterprises, Inc. "She's just beautiful."

Monaco boasts perfect hourglass measurements, with a 34C bust, 24-inch waist and 34-inch hips.

Another Playboy model, Jessica Barton of Orlando, thought her friend was a good fit for the magazine and took a few snapshots and sent them in last year.

"It was something I never considered before," said Monaco. "I'm actually pretty conservative."

So when Playboy came calling, she said, "I was pretty nervous. I asked my mom what I should do, and she said `go for it -you'll be fine.' "

Monaco's mom, Debbie Monaco, also lives in Orlando.

Since then, her picture has graced Miller Lite posters and bottles of Think Pink energy drinks, and she has led exercise routines on the "Envy Series" workout DVDs. Before Playboy, Monaco worked as a bartender at the upscale Orlando club Antigua. Her first job was at Disney World at 16, where for four years she danced in parades and played the roles of Cinderella and Snow White.

Monaco said all her friends and family have been supportive of her status as the latest Playboy bunny.

"It's very exciting, very fun and it's all very professional."

Shelley Preston can be reached at 863-802-7517 or shelley.preston@ theledger.com.