# Miss New Jersey USA

The Miss New Jersey USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of New Jersey in the Miss USA pageant. It is produced by D&D Productions.
New Jersey has yet to win the Miss USA title, although from 1989 to 1991 they had two 2nd runners-up and one 1st runner-up in a row. Two years later, another Miss New Jersey USA placed in the finals, and in 2008, Tiffany Andrade finished as 2nd runner up, one of three Miss New Jersey USAs to place third at Miss USA. In the year 2017, 1st runner-up placement was achieved by Miss New Jersey USA 2017, Chhavi Verg. The most recent placement was Derby Chukwudi in 2023, placing Top 20.
Five Miss New Jersey USA titleholders have held the Miss New Jersey Teen USA title and two have competed at Miss America.
Jabili Kandula of Hoboken was crowned Miss New Jersey USA 2024 on June 23, 2024 at the Hilton Parsippany in Parsippany-Troy Hills. She will represent New Jersey for the title of Miss USA 2024.

## Gallery of titleholders

* Janaye Ingram, Miss New Jersey USA 2004
* Kaity Rodriguez, Miss New Jersey USA 2009
* Chenoa Greene, Miss New Jersey USA 2010
* Julianna White, Miss New Jersey USA 2011
* Derby Chukwudi, Miss New Jersey USA 2023

## Results summary
### Placements

* 1st runners-up: Charlotte Ray (1991), Chhavi Verg (2017)
* 2nd runners-up: Deborah Lee Husti (1989), Karin Hartz (1990), Tiffany Andrade (2008)
* Top 6: Amy Fissel (1993)
* Top 10/12: Ruth Jane Hampton (1952), Cathy Russell (1975), Juanita McCarty (1977), Jennifer Makris (1997), Michelle Leonardo (2012), Alexa Noone (2018), Gina Mellish (2020)
* Top 15/20: Evelyn Orowitz (1954), Dolores Winfield (1956), Sandy Chudy (1960), Diane Gierson (1961), Barbara Richartz (1964), Emily Shah (2014), Derby Chukwudi (2023)
New Jersey holds a record of 20 placements at Miss USA.

### Awards

* Miss Congeniality: Lisa Summeroury-Perry (1986), Charlotte Ray (1991)

## Winners
### Color key

* Declared as Winner
* Ended as runner-up or finalist
* Ended as one of the semifinalists
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age | Local title | Placement at Miss USA | Special awards at Miss USA | Notes |
| 2024 | Jabili Kandula | Hoboken | 24 | Miss Hoboken | | | |
| 2023 | Derby Chukwudi | Hoboken | 25 | | Top 20 | | |
| 2022 | Alexandra Lakhman | Hoboken | 26 | | | | |
| 2021 | Celinda Ortega | Fair Lawn | 26 | | | | |
| 2020 | Gina Mellish | Oceanport | 20 | | Top 10 | | Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2016 Longest reigning Miss New Jersey USA (1 year, 8 months, and 8 days) |
| 2019 | Manya Saaraswat | Morganville | 21 | | | | Born in India Miss World America Pennsylvania 2020 2nd runner-up at Miss World America 2020 |
| 2018 | Alexa Noone | Bayonne | 23 | | Top 10 | | |
| 2017 | Chhavi Verg | Edison | 19 | | 1st runner-up | | Born in India |
| 2016 | Jessielyn Palumbo | Wayne | 23 | | | | |
| 2015 | Vanessa Oriolo | Colts Neck | 21 | | | | |
| 2014 | Emily Shah | Edison | 18 | | Top 20 | | Previously Miss Teen India 2011 and first runner up at Miss Teen World 2011. Opened Super Bowl XLVIII in New Jersey. |
| 2013 | Libell Duran | Keasbey | 22 | | | | Born in Dominican Republic Previously Miss Comunidad Dominicana en Estados Unidos 2010 and 3rd Runner-Up at Miss Dominican Republic 2010 |
| 2012 | Michelle Leonardo | Tinton Falls | 20 | | Top 10 | | Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2008 |
| 2011 | Julianna White | Haddon Township | 21 | | | | Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2006 |
| 2010 | Chenoa Greene | Atco | 24 | | | | |
| 2009 | Kaity Rodriguez | Clifton | 24 | | | | |
| 2008 | Tiffany Andrade | Linden | 22 | | 2nd runner-up | | |
| 2007 | Erin Abrahamson | Essex Fells | 23 | | | | Originally first runner-up, assumed the title after Ashley Harder's resignation Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2001 Later Mrs. New Jersey 2015 |
| 2007 | Ashley Harder | Marlton | 20 | | did not compete | did not compete | Resigned in January 2007 due to pregnancy and failing to follow pageant rules |
| 2006 | Jessica Boyington | Sicklerville | 20 | | | | Former NBC 10 and 6 ABC Philadelphia morning traffic reporter. Currently unemployed. |
| 2005 | Sylvia Pogorzelski | East Hanover | 20 | | | | YouTube personality Grace Helbig placed 7th in this competition |
| 2004 | Janaye Ingram | Cherry Hill | 25 | | | | |
| 2003 | Vanessa Baker | Marlton | 23 | | | | |
| 2002 | Robin Williams | Lawrenceville | | | | | |
| 2001 | Jeannette Josue | Jersey City | | | | | |
| 2000 | Michelle Graci | Jamesburg | | | | | |
| 1999 | Melissa McLaughlin | Cinnaminson | | | | | |
| 1998 | Kelli Paarz | Linwood | | | | | Previously Miss New Jersey Teen USA 1994, top 12 in Miss Teen USA 1994 |
| 1997 | Jennifer Makris | Cranbury | 23 | | Top 10 | | Previously Miss New Jersey 1994, 2nd runner up at Miss America 1995 |
| 1996 | Christina Augustyn | Woodbridge | 24 | | | | |
| 1995 | Christy Joy Pittner | Ventnor | | | | | |
| 1994 | Rosa Velez | Newark | | | | | |
| 1993 | Amy Fissel | Ocean City | 25 | | Top 6 | | Previously Miss New Jersey 1991 |
| 1992 | Kathy Kasprak | Edison | | | | |
| 1991 | Charlotte Ray | Camden | 24 | | 1st runner-up | Miss Congeniality | Later Miss World USA 1991 and Semi-finalist at Miss World 1991 |
| 1990 | Karin Hartz | Voorhees | 24 | | 2nd runner-up | | |
| 1989 | Deborah Lee Husti | Rockaway | 21 | | 2nd runner-up | | Later Miss U.S. International & semifinalist at Miss International 1989 as Miss USA |
| 1988 | Colleen Carlone | Parsippany | | | | | |
| 1987 | Stacey Fox | East Brunswick | 19 | | | | |
| 1986 | Lisa Summeroury-Perry | Egg Harbor Township | | | | Miss Congeniality | Represented New Jersey in Miss Oktoberfest 1987, did not place |
| 1985 | Francie Knapp | Linwood | | | | | |
| 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 | | 1st runner-up at Miss World USA 1976 as Miss Pennsylvania, 1st runner-up at Mrs America 1988 |
| 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 Joyce White | Delair | | | | | |
| 1970 | Ellen Cream | Pennsauken | | | | | |
| 1969 | Nancy Fromel | Washington | | | | | |
| 1968 | Linda Papa | Secaucus | | | | | |
| 1967 | Jean Galata | Union City | | | | | |
| 1966 | Jo Ann Franchi | Camden | | | | | |
| 1965 | Kay Franzen | Bridgeton | | | | | |
| 1964 | Barbara Joan Richartz | Stratford | 19 | | Semi-finalist | | |
| 1963 | Judy Kay Ayars | Salem | | | | | |
| 1962 | Joyce Claire Thomson | Bellmar | | | | | |
| 1961 | Diane Gierson | 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 | | Sister of Actor Michael Landon |
| 1953 | Susan Ruth Harris | Haddonfield | | | | | |
| 1952 | Ruth Jane Hampton | Merchantville | 20 | | Top 10 | | |

### Note

* ↑ Age at the time of crowning