Your ultimate Miss USA state pageant resource
Take a trip back into the history of the Miss New Jersey USA and Teen USA pageants, from Ruth Jane Hampton, the very first Miss NJ USA in 1952, to 2022 titleholders Alexandra Lakhman and Isabella Galan. Get to know every single Miss and Teen titleholder with a full listing, hometown map and extensive photo archive, with state pageant photos, Miss USA and Teen USA competition photos and more.
16 • Morris Plains
1st runner-up
Charlotte Ray (1991), Chaavi Verg (2017)
2nd runner-up
Deborah Lee Husti (1989), Karin Hartz (1990), Tiffany Andrade (2008)
Top 5/6
Amy Fissel (1993)
Semi-finalist
Ruth Jane Hampton (1952), Evelyn Orowitz (1954), Dolores Winfield (1956), Sandy Chudy (1960), Diane Giersch (1961), Barbara Richartz (1964), Cathy Russell (1975), Juanita McCarty (1977), Jennifer Makris (1997), Derby Chukwudi (2023)
Top 8/10/11/12*
Michelle Leonardo (2012), Alexa Noone (2018), Gina Mellish (2020)
Top 15/16/20*
Emily Shah (2014)
* Where the semi-finalists are cut in multiple stages before the top 5 or 6
Congeniality
Lisa Summerour-Perry (1986), Charlotte Ray (1991)
IMAGE | YEAR | NAME | HOMETOWN | AGE | PLACEMENT | AWARD | NOTES |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 2024 | Jabili Kandula | Hoboken | 24 | |||
![]() | 2023 | Derby Chukwudi | Hoboken | 26 | Semi-finalist | ||
![]() | 2022 | Alexandra Lakhman | Hoboken | 26 | |||
![]() | 2021 | Celinda Ortega | Fair Lawn | 26 | |||
![]() | 2020 | Gina Mellish* | Oceanport | 21 | Top 10 | Previously Miss NJ Teen USA 2016 | |
![]() | 2019 | Manya Saaraswat | Marlboro | 21 | |||
![]() | 2018 | Alexa Noone | Bayonne | 23 | Top 10 | ||
![]() | 2017 | Chaavi Verg | Edison | 20 | 1st runner-up | ||
![]() | 2016 | Jessielyn Palumbo | Wayne | 24 | |||
![]() | 2015 | Vanessa Oriolo | Colts Neck | 21 | |||
![]() | 2014 | Emily Shah | Edison | 19 | Top 20 | ||
![]() | 2013 | Libell Duran | Keasbey | 22 | |||
![]() | 2012 | Michelle Leonardo* | Tinton Falls | 20 | Top 10 | Previously Miss NJ Teen USA 2008 | |
![]() | 2011 | Julianna White* | Haddon Township | 22 | Previously Miss NJ Teen USA 2006 (T10 Miss Teen USA) | ||
![]() | 2010 | Chenoa Greene | Atco | 24 | |||
![]() | 2009 | Kaity Rodriguez | Clifton | 24 | |||
![]() | 2008 | Tiffany Andrade | Linden | 22 | 2nd runner-up | ||
![]() | 2007 | Erin Abrahamson* | Essex Fells | 23 | Previously Miss NJ Teen USA 2001 | ||
2007 | Ashley Harder (resigned) | ||||||
![]() | 2006 | Jessica Boyington | Sicklerville | 20 | |||
![]() | 2005 | Sylvia Pogorzelski | East Hanover | 20 | |||
![]() | 2004 | Janaye Ingram | Cherry Hill | 25 | |||
![]() | 2003 | Vanessa Baker | Marlton | 23 | |||
![]() | 2002 | Robin Williams | Lawrenceville | 25 | |||
![]() | 2001 | Jeannette Josue | Jersey City | 22 | |||
![]() | 2000 | Michelle Graci | Jamesburg | 21 | |||
![]() | 1999 | Melissa McLaughlin | Cinnaminson | 26 | |||
![]() | 1998 | Kelli Paarz* | Linwood | 21 | Previously Miss NJ Teen USA 1994 (SF Miss Teen USA) | ||
![]() | 1997 | Jennifer Makris^ | Cranbury | 23 | Semi-finalist | Previously Miss NJ 1994 (2RU Miss America) | |
![]() | 1996 | Christina Augustyn | Woodbridge | 24 | |||
![]() | 1995 | Christy Joy Pittner | Ventnor | 25 | |||
![]() | 1994 | Rosa Velez | Newark | ||||
![]() | 1993 | Amy Fissel^ | Ocean City | 25 | Top 6 | Previously Miss NJ 1991 | |
![]() | 1992 | Kathy Kasprak | Edison | ||||
![]() | 1991 | Charlotte Ray | Camden | 24 | 1st runner-up | Congeniality | SF Miss World 1991 |
![]() | 1990 | Karin Hartz | Voorhees | 24 | 2nd runner-up | ||
![]() | 1989 | Deborah Lee Husti | Rockaway | 21 | 2nd runner-up | ||
![]() | 1988 | Colleen Carlone | Parsippany | 22 | |||
![]() | 1987 | Stacey Fox | East Brunswick | 19 | |||
![]() | 1986 | Lisa Summerour-Perry | Egg Harbor Township | 23 | Congeniality | ||
![]() | 1985 | Francie Knapp | Linwood | 25 | |||
![]() | 1984 | Diane Everett Qualter | Englewood | ||||
![]() | 1983 | Ann Marie Brucato | Bloomfield | ||||
![]() | 1982 | Janice Lynn Straub | Cherry Hill | ||||
![]() | 1981 | Christy Garthwaite | Tuckerton | ||||
![]() | 1980 | Joni Peifer | Franklinville | ||||
![]() | 1979 | Robin Senatore | Jackson | ||||
![]() | 1978 | Sheryl Ann Hoehn | Clark | ||||
![]() | 1977 | Juanita McCarty | Pemberton | 18 | Semi-finalist | ||
![]() | 1976 | Ginger Hagaman | Weekstown | ||||
1975 | Cathy Russell | Cranford | 19 | Semi-finalist | |||
![]() | 1974 | Patricia Sims | Jackson | ||||
![]() | 1973 | Patricia Everett | Runnemede | ||||
![]() | 1972 | Leila DeSantis | Point Pleasant | ||||
![]() | 1971 | Brenda White | Delair | ||||
![]() | 1970 | Ellen Cream | Pennsauken | 21 | |||
![]() | 1969 | Nancy Fromel | Washington | ||||
![]() | 1968 | Linda Papa | Secaucus | ||||
![]() | 1967 | Jean Galata | Union City | ||||
![]() | 1966 | Jo Ann Franchi | Camden | ||||
![]() | 1965 | Kay Franzen | Bridgeton | ||||
![]() | 1964 | Barbara Richartz | Stratford | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
![]() | 1963 | Judy Ayars | Salem | ||||
![]() | 1962 | Joyce Claire Thomson | Bellmawr | ||||
![]() | 1961 | Diane Giersch | Red Bank | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
![]() | 1960 | Sandy Chudy | Bound Brook | 20 | Semi-finalist | ||
![]() | 1959 | Geraldine Binder | Irvington | ||||
![]() | 1958 | Faye Hasenauer | Menlo Park Terrace | ||||
![]() | 1957 | Jeanne Lewis | Kearny | ||||
![]() | 1956 | Dolores Winfield | Cranford | 21 | Semi-finalist | ||
![]() | 1955 | Beverly Rogers | Maywood | ||||
![]() | 1954 | Evelyn Orowitz | Collingswood | 20 | Semi-finalist | ||
![]() | 1953 | Susan Ruth Harris | Haddonfield | ||||
![]() | 1952 | Ruth Jane Hampton | Merchantville | 20 | Semi-finalist |
YEAR | NAME | HOMETOWN | AGE | PLACEMENT | AWARD | NOTES |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Jabili Kandula | Hoboken | 24 | |||
2023 | Derby Chukwudi | Hoboken | 26 | Semi-finalist | ||
2022 | Alexandra Lakhman | Hoboken | 26 | |||
2021 | Celinda Ortega | Fair Lawn | 26 | |||
2020 | Gina Mellish* | Oceanport | 21 | Top 10 | Previously Miss NJ Teen USA 2016 | |
2019 | Manya Saaraswat | Marlboro | 21 | |||
2018 | Alexa Noone | Bayonne | 23 | Top 10 | ||
2017 | Chaavi Verg | Edison | 20 | 1st runner-up | ||
2016 | Jessielyn Palumbo | Wayne | 24 | |||
2015 | Vanessa Oriolo | Colts Neck | 21 | |||
2014 | Emily Shah | Edison | 19 | Top 20 | ||
2013 | Libell Duran | Keasbey | 22 | |||
2012 | Michelle Leonardo* | Tinton Falls | 20 | Top 10 | Previously Miss NJ Teen USA 2008 | |
2011 | Julianna White* | Haddon Township | 22 | Previously Miss NJ Teen USA 2006 (T10 Miss Teen USA) | ||
2010 | Chenoa Greene | Atco | 24 | |||
2009 | Kaity Rodriguez | Clifton | 24 | |||
2008 | Tiffany Andrade | Linden | 22 | 2nd runner-up | ||
2007 | Erin Abrahamson* | Essex Fells | 23 | Previously Miss NJ Teen USA 2001 | ||
2007 | Ashley Harder (resigned) | |||||
2006 | Jessica Boyington | Sicklerville | 20 | |||
2005 | Sylvia Pogorzelski | East Hanover | 20 | |||
2004 | Janaye Ingram | Cherry Hill | 25 | |||
2003 | Vanessa Baker | Marlton | 23 | |||
2002 | Robin Williams | Lawrenceville | 25 | |||
2001 | Jeannette Josue | Jersey City | 22 | |||
2000 | Michelle Graci | Jamesburg | 21 | |||
1999 | Melissa McLaughlin | Cinnaminson | 26 | |||
1998 | Kelli Paarz* | Linwood | 21 | Previously Miss NJ Teen USA 1994 (SF Miss Teen USA) | ||
1997 | Jennifer Makris^ | Cranbury | 23 | Semi-finalist | Previously Miss NJ 1994 (2RU Miss America) | |
1996 | Christina Augustyn | Woodbridge | 24 | |||
1995 | Christy Joy Pittner | Ventnor | 25 | |||
1994 | Rosa Velez | Newark | ||||
1993 | Amy Fissel^ | Ocean City | 25 | Top 6 | Previously Miss NJ 1991 | |
1992 | Kathy Kasprak | Edison | ||||
1991 | Charlotte Ray | Camden | 24 | 1st runner-up | Congeniality | SF Miss World 1991 |
1990 | Karin Hartz | Voorhees | 24 | 2nd runner-up | ||
1989 | Deborah Lee Husti | Rockaway | 21 | 2nd runner-up | ||
1988 | Colleen Carlone | Parsippany | 22 | |||
1987 | Stacey Fox | East Brunswick | 19 | |||
1986 | Lisa Summerour-Perry | Egg Harbor Township | 23 | Congeniality | ||
1985 | Francie Knapp | Linwood | 25 | |||
1984 | Diane Everett Qualter | Englewood | ||||
1983 | Ann Marie Brucato | Bloomfield | ||||
1982 | Janice Lynn Straub | Cherry Hill | ||||
1981 | Christy Garthwaite | Tuckerton | ||||
1980 | Joni Peifer | Franklinville | ||||
1979 | Robin Senatore | Jackson | ||||
1978 | Sheryl Ann Hoehn | Clark | ||||
1977 | Juanita McCarty | Pemberton | 18 | Semi-finalist | ||
1976 | Ginger Hagaman | Weekstown | ||||
1975 | Cathy Russell | Cranford | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
1974 | Patricia Sims | Jackson | ||||
1973 | Patricia Everett | Runnemede | ||||
1972 | Leila DeSantis | Point Pleasant | ||||
1971 | Brenda White | Delair | ||||
1970 | Ellen Cream | Pennsauken | 21 | |||
1969 | Nancy Fromel | Washington | ||||
1968 | Linda Papa | Secaucus | ||||
1967 | Jean Galata | Union City | ||||
1966 | Jo Ann Franchi | Camden | ||||
1965 | Kay Franzen | Bridgeton | ||||
1964 | Barbara Richartz | Stratford | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
1963 | Judy Ayars | Salem | ||||
1962 | Joyce Claire Thomson | Bellmawr | ||||
1961 | Diane Giersch | Red Bank | 19 | Semi-finalist | ||
1960 | Sandy Chudy | Bound Brook | 20 | Semi-finalist | ||
1959 | Geraldine Binder | Irvington | ||||
1958 | Faye Hasenauer | Menlo Park Terrace | ||||
1957 | Jeanne Lewis | Kearny | ||||
1956 | Dolores Winfield | Cranford | 21 | Semi-finalist | ||
1955 | Beverly Rogers | Maywood | ||||
1954 | Evelyn Orowitz | Collingswood | 20 | Semi-finalist | ||
1953 | Susan Ruth Harris | Haddonfield | ||||
1952 | Ruth Jane Hampton | Merchantville | 20 | Semi-finalist |