The Miss Vermont USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Vermont in the Miss USA pageant. It is formerly directed by Sanders & Associates, Inc., dba- Pageant Associates based in Buckhannon, West Virginia from 2004 to 2017 before GDB Theatre and Pageant Productions becoming the new directors of the stage pageant since 2018.
Vermont produced a Miss USA, Carlene King Johnson in 1955. The most recent placement was by Kelsey Golonka in 2022 after 40 years, who reached the semifinals. Vermont holds the record for most Miss Congeniality awards, having earned a total of five.
Six Miss Vermont USAs have competed at Miss Teen USA, five as Miss Vermont Teen USA, and one as Miss New York Teen USA. Four have also competed at Miss America, including Miss USA 1955 Carlene King Johnson, the second out of six Miss USA winners who competed at both pageants.
Prior to 2022, no sisters had been held the Miss and Teen titles in a single state. Vermont became the first state to have biological sisters holding the statewide Miss USA and Miss Teen USA titles simultaneously, when Kelsey Golonka crowned Miss and her sister Kenzie crowned Teen.
Katherine McQuade of Whitestone, NY was appointed Miss Vermont USA on June 30th, 2026 after the open casting call from Thomas Brodeur, the new owner of the national pageant. She will represent Vermont at Miss USA 2026.
Gallery of titleholders
Results summary Miss USA: Carlene King Johnson (1955) 1st runners-up: Mary Verdiani (1969) Top 10/11/12/20: Sandra Bette Taft (1971), Georgia Davis (1982), Kelsey Golonka (2022), Victoria Chuah (2025) Vermont holds a record of 6 placements at Miss USA.
Awards Miss Congeniality: Mary Verdiani (1969), Donna Sue Thorton (1974), Constance Crabtree (1975), Nancy Jeanne Wierzbicki (1978), Michelle Fongemie (2004)
Winners
Color key
Year Name HometownAge Local title Placement at Miss USA Special awards at Miss USA Notes 2026 Katherine McQuade Whitestone, NY 31 2025 Victoria Chuah Ashburn, VA 25 Top 10 Previously Miss Virginia 2022 2024 Samantha Vocatura Stowe 27 Miss Stowe Previously Miss World Vermont 2023 2023 Jenna Howlett Bridport 21 Miss Addison County Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 2019 2022 Kelsey Golonka Montpelier 22 Miss Montpelier Top 12 Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 2017 Top 15 at Miss Teen USA 2017 Sister of Kenzie Golonka, Miss Vermont Teen USA 2022 2021 Joanna Leigh Nagle Colchester 27 Shortest reigning Miss Vermont USA at 2020 Shannah Weller Middlebury 23 Longest reigning Miss Vermont USA at 2019 Bethany Marie Garrow Rutland 202018Maia-Jena AlloColchester202017Madison Trimbey CotaBellows Falls20Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 2014 Semifinalist at Miss Massachusetts 20182016Neely Whitlock FortuneBurlington24 Cast member of Bravo program Camp Getaway2015Jacqueline "Jackie" Nicole CroftWinooski23 Contestant at National Sweetheart 20122014Gina BernasconiColchester192013Sarah Landi WestbrookBurlington252012Jamie Lynn DragonMilton252011Lauren CarterBurlington212010Nydelis OrtizEssex 202009Brooke WernerGranville222008Kim TantlingerBurlington222007Jessica May ComolliMontpelier222006Amanda GilmanDanville202005Amanda Lee MitteerBrattleboro262004Michelle FongemieWilliston26Miss Congeniality2003Jennifer Lee "Jen" RipleyBarrePreviously Miss Vermont Teen USA 1999 Later Mrs. Vermont America 2009 under her married name, Jennifer Bisson.2002Brooke Elizabeth AngusEssex Miss World USA 20062001Katy JohnsonBurlington Previously Miss Vermont 1999; successfully sued Tucker Max in 2003 claiming he was using her name and photograph to promote himself2000Katie BoltonColchester1999Nicole LewisWindsor1998Catherine "Cathy" BlissBurlington Previously Miss New York Teen USA 19901997Lisa Jean CostantinoBurlington1996Nancy Anne RobertsMiddlebury1995Jennifer CazeaultWinooski1994Christy Ann BeltramiWilliston Previously Miss Vermont Teen USA 19871993Jodi SicelyBurlington1992Bonnie KittredgeBurlington1991Margaret CoreyBrattleboro1990Stephanie BesseyChester1989Stacey M. PalmerBurlington1988Stacy James SissonRutland1987Carole WoodworthNorth Bennington1986Tracey Danielle MortonRutland1985Angie CumminghamRutland 1984 Susan Elizabeth "Sue" O'Brien Waterbury Center1983Leslie Caroline LucchinaBarre1982Georgia Marie DavisBennington22Semi-finalist1981Jeannette WulffMontpelier1980Judi MasonRandolph1979Katherine "Kathi" RechsteinerSugarbush Valley Previously Miss Vermont 19751978Nancy Jeanne WierzbickiRutlandMiss Congeniality1977Anne KentCastleton 1976Susan ParsonsPoultney1975Constance CrabtreePoultneyMiss Congeniality1974Donna Sue ThortonPoultneyMiss Congeniality1973Bonnie HeightPoultney1972Stacey BeckerPoultney1971Sandra Bette TaftWest Dover24Semi-finalist1970Cynthia "Cindy" JurewiczWest Dover1969Mary VerdianiMontpelier191st runner-upMiss Congeniality1968Susan "Sue" GlynnMt. Snow1967Elaine FarrellBurlington1966Peggy EckertWest Burke1965Andrea KenyonNorth Bennington1964Freda Elaine BettsBennington1963Ellen "Bunny" CenterbarNorth Bennington1962Barbara "Bobby" Ann KearneySpringfield1961Susan NielsonPoultney1960Carole Mary DemasBurlington1959Sandra Jean LaquerreBarre1958Doreen Patricia McNameeBrattleboro1957Marjorie LinkEast Harwick1956Dolores WettackWestminster1955Carlene King JohnsonRutland22Miss USA 1955 Semifinalist at Miss Universe 1955 Previously Miss Vermont 19531954Georgia LauriseNew Haven, CT241953Kathleen Marie Eugenia SurrelBrooklyn, NY22 1952Elizabeth WhitcombEssex Junction Note
References