Miss Rhode Island USA

For the state pageant affiliated with Miss America, see Miss Rhode Island.

The Miss Rhode Island USA competition is the beauty pageant that selects the representative for the state Rhode Island in the Miss USA pageant. It is currently directed by D&D Productions.

Miss Rhode Island USA

Formation	1952
Type	Beauty pageant
Headquarters	Cranston
Location	Rhode Island
Membership	Miss USA
Official language	English
Key people	Deborah Miller Cindy Provost
Website	Official website

Rhode Island made its first placement at Miss USA in 1961 and has been one of the most consistent states since 2000, with four semi-finalist placements and one first runner-up placement. On June 3, 2012, Olivia Culpo won the first Miss USA title from the state of Rhode Island. On December 19, 2012, Culpo became the first Rhode Islander to win the title of Miss Universe.

Kaitlynne Santana of Woonsocket was crowned Miss Rhode Island USA 2024 on May 26, 2024, at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Providence. She will represent Rhode Island at Miss USA 2024.

Gallery of titleholders

• 
  Claudia Jordan, Miss Rhode Island USA 1997 (pictured in 2009)
• 
  Allison Paganetti, Miss Rhode Island USA 2005
• 
  Leeann Tingley, Miss Rhode Island USA 2006
• 
  Danielle Lacourse, Miss Rhode Island USA 2007
• 
  Amy Diaz, Miss Rhode Island USA 2008
• 
  Olivia Culpo, Miss Rhode Island USA 2012, Miss USA 2012 and Miss Universe 2012

Results summary

Placements

• Miss USA: Olivia Culpo (2012)
• 1st runners-up: Danielle Lacourse (2007)
• 2nd runners-up: Gayle White (1973), Anea Garcia (2015)
• Top 10/11/12: Jennifer Aubin (1995), Claudia Jordan (1997), Yanaiza Alvarez (2001), Janet Sutton (2002), Leeann Tingley (2006)
• Top 15: Joan Zeller (1961), Amy Diaz (2008)

Rhode Island holds a record of 11 placements at Miss USA.

Awards

• Miss Congeniality: Christina Palavra (2014)

Winners

Color key

•   Declared as Winner
•   Ended as runner-up
•   Ended as one of the finalists or semifinalists

Year	Name	Hometown	Age1	Local title	Placement at Miss USA	Special awards at Miss USA	Notes
2024	Kaitylnne Santana	Woonsocket	22	Miss Woonsocket
2023	Mary Malloy	Cumberland	26				Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2015
2022	Elaine Collado	Providence	27				Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2013
2021	Karly Laliberte	Pawtucket	26				Shortest reigning Miss Rhode Island USA (9 months and 21 days)
2020	Jonét Nichelle	Providence	24				New England Patriots Cheerleader Longest reigning Miss Rhode Island USA (1 year, 10 months, and 2 days) Third longest reigning Miss USA state titleholder in the organization's history
2019	Nicole Pallozzi	Providence	22
2018	Daescia DeMoranville	Johnston	21				Later Miss World America Rhode Island 2018
2017	Kelsey Swanson	Cranston	22
2016	Theresa Agonia	Providence	23
2015	Anea Garcia	Cranston	19		2nd runner-up		Later Miss Grand International 2015 as Dominican Republic, later resigned/dethroned
2014	Christina Palavra	Providence	18			Miss Congeniality	Season 16 Model on Project Runway
2013	Brittany Stenovitch	Cranston	19
2012	Olivia Culpo	Cranston	19		Miss USA 2012		Later Miss Universe 2012
2011	Kate McCaughey	Lincoln	22
2010	Kristina Primavera	Narragansett	22				Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2003
2009	Alysha Castonguay	Woonsocket	22				Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2002 and Top 10 Semifinalist at Miss Teen USA 2002, Previously Miss Teen America 2003
2008	Amy Diaz	Johnston	23		Top 15		Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2001 Later Miss Earth United States 2009 and competed in Miss Earth 2009 Later won Season 23 of The Amazing Race
2007	Danielle Lacourse	North Providence	21		1st runner-up
2006	Leeann Tingley	East Greenwich	24		Top 10
2005	Allison Paganetti	North Kingstown	21				Appears on CBS reality show Hunted as part of the hunter team "Echo".
2004	Sarah Bettencourt	Lincoln	20
2003	Krisily Kennedy	Warwick	23				Runner-up on season 7 of The Bachelor and a contestant on the first season of Bachelor Pad
2002	Janet Sutton	Narragansett	23		Top 12
2001	Yanaiza Alvarez	Providence	24		Top 10		Was a contestant on the show Fear Factor Episode 2.6 original air date 1/14/2002
2000	Heidi St. Pierre	Harrisville	23
1999	Claire DeSimone	Warwick					Later Mrs. Massachusetts America 2004 and Top 10 semi-finalist at Mrs. America 2004 under her married name, Claire O'Connor.[1]
1998	Connie Harrolle	East Providence
1997	Claudia Jordan	East Providence	23		Top 10		Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1990; Suitcase model on Deal or No Deal
1996	Karen Bradley	Providence	19
1995	Jennifer Aubin	Woonsocket	20		Top 12
1994	RayeAnne Johnson	Lincoln					Previously Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1987
1993	Juli Roach	Wakefield
1992	Yvette Hernandez	Providence
1991	Lynne Michael	Cranston
1990	Susan Lima	West Warwick
1989	Debra Damiano	Providence
1988	Cindy Geronda	North Providence
1987	Lisa Benson	North Kingstown
1986	Donna Silva	Cranston
1985	Dana Wilson	Riverside
1984	Debbie Mowry	North Providence
1983	Allegra Hendricks	Providence
1982	Peggy McGraw	Scituate
1981	Patti Reo	Cranston
1980	Robyn Hall	Pawtucket
1979	Theresa Patterson	Lincoln
1978	Sharon Lee McGarry	Warwick
1977	Susan Carten	Cranston
1976	Kathleen Confreda	Warwick
1975	Marice Love	Providence
1974	Debra Anne Cerroni	Smithfield
1973	Gayle White	Providence	21		2nd runner-up
1972	Jeanne Lemay	West Warwick
1971	Laurie Stahle	North Kingstown
1970	Rebecca Galleshaw	Warwick
1969	Donna Lewis	Providence
1968	Betty Lou Whitmore	Providence
1967	Nancy Giuliano	Woonsocket
1966	Barbara Williams	Providence
1965	Paula Farrow	Warwick
1964	Carol Ann Tantimonico	Johnston
1963	Rosemary Jane Dickinson	Providence
1962	Marilyn Ann Scott	Pawtucket
1961	Joan Marie Zeller	Riverside	23		Semi-finalist
1960	Lorelie Sue White	Cranston
1959	Gloria Ryder	Providence
1958	Claire DiPaolo	Providence
1957	Myrna Altieri	Cranston
1956	Sandra Vozella	Point Judith
1955	Beverly Jansen	Providence
1954	Joyce Anne Sandberg	Warwick					Previously crowned Miss Rhode Island in 1953. Later served as First Lady of Rhode Island from 1973 to 1977.[2]
1953	Barbara Rose Deigman	Providence
1952	Delores Selinder	Providence

¹ Age at the time of the Miss Rhode Island USA pageant