Miss Earth USA (formerly Miss Earth United States) is an annual beauty pageant which selects the United States representative to Miss Earth which is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness.
In January 2016, Carousel Productions, Inc., the organization who owns Miss Earth, announced through their official Facebook fan page that the Miss Earth USA program would be managed by U.S. Earth Productions/Beauty Beyond Borders, Inc., under the leadership of national director Laura Clark. In August 2018, the current organization announced it would be changing its name to Miss Earth USA.
The current Miss Earth USA is Gia Soleil Espinoza of Texas, who won the title on January 3, 2026 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida.
History
2001-2004: Ms. America International
From 2001 to 2005 participants were selected by the Ms. America International pageant where the prize was to represent the United States at the Miss Earth Pageant. The very first American delegate for Miss Earth was Abigail Royce of California. She competed in 2001 where she landed as one of the Top 10 semifinalists.
2005-2015: Earth Pageant Productions In 2005, Earth Pageant Productions acquired the rights to run Miss Earth USA, in which the winner would go on to Miss Earth. The pageant adopted the slogan "Continuing the Legacy of Beauty and Responsibility". The pageant focused mainly on promoting environmental causes and the winners were chosen equally on their physical attributes as well as their understanding and knowledge of the issues affecting the Earth. Miss Teen Earth USA was added in 2008, and was held in conjunction with the Miss Earth USA.
2016-Present: U.S. Earth Productions/Beauty Beyond Borders, Inc. The US Earth Productions/Beauty Beyond Borders, Inc. is the current organization that owns and has runs Miss Earth USA since 2016. The organization is based in Washington, D.C.
Competition Pre-pageant events take place over a one-week period and include community service work within the host location. Delegates are scored in the following areas: judges' interview, evening gown, swimwear, a Think Global, Act Local environmental project, runway, photogenic, media interview, and social media presence and engagement. In 2023 the current prize value for the top national titleholder for Miss Earth USA was valued at over $100,000 from prize awards, endorsements, and travel.
State & Regional Competitions Every year, states hold a preliminary competition to choose their delegate for the Miss Earth USA pageant. Delegates may be appointed state or regional titles if a state pageant is not offered in their area. The state/regional winners hold the title "Miss (State/Region) Earth USA" for the year of their reign.
State contestants are judged equally in the following categories: community service, gown, interview, photogenic, and swimwear.
The U.S. Earth Productions/Beauty Beyond Borders, Inc. organization awards directorships to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state or a region of the United States.
Currently, the Miss Earth USA organization does allow contestants to re-compete at the national pageant in the same division under the previous state title held, or a regional title, if a state title has already been awarded or appointed.
Editions
The following is a list of all Miss Earth USA winners and elemental court during their year of crowning. Year Host City Elemental CourtsAirWaterFireEco2026Orlando, Florida Gia EspinozaTexas April RodriguezLone Star Angel StrongWest Coast Alanna LynchWest Virginia Autumn FisherKentucky2025Washington, D.C.Haley PoePennsylvaniaSydney HellaColoradoMadison NeroNew YorkTa'ya HazelwoodWisconsinKiara LandonWashington2024Orlando, Florida Bea Millan-WindorskiWisconsin Sofia TerrazasTexas Jireh GerryCalifornia Sydney HellaColorado Jada KellyMississippi2023 Danielle Mullins Kentucky Shawna MelvinMaryland Natalia AldarondoFlorida Angel StrongNebraska Gracie PfaffTennessee2022 Natalia Salmon Pennsylvania (Dethroned) Faith PorterDistrict of ColumbiaNo replacement, originalplacement of Brielle Simmons}}Connecticut Hannah Welborn-LewisNorth Carolina Emma LoneyOklahoma Brielle SimmonsConnecticut(Assumed) 2021 Marisa Butler Maine Alyssa KlinzingCalifornia Alyssa MagalongColorado Kennedy ThomasAlabama C'yana DenbyMaryland2020 Virtual Pageant Lindsey Coffey Pennsylvania Shannon LynchDistrict of Columbia Autumn AdamsGeorgia Leighanna KingvalskyLouisiana Alexandra CurtisRhode Island 2019 Las Vegas, Nevada Emanii DavisGeorgia Libby HillGulf Coast Mia JonesDelaware Francie EvansSouth Carolina Kirstin BangsCalifornia (Resigned) Nicolette TemplierNew York (Assumed)2018 Alexandria, Virginia Yashvi Aware Mid-Atlantic Kailey ParkerHawaii Yvette VaughnTexas Natalia AldarondoPuerto Rico April MaroshickNew York2017 Andreia GibauMassachusetts Ashley WadeDistrict of Columbia Yvette VaughnNorthwest Sydney WhartonTexasrowspan=2 2016 Corrin StellakisNew York Mae-Ann WebbSouth Carolina Devin BoydLouisiana Kesha ClarkSouthwest2015 Ontario, California Brittany Ann PayneCalifornia Cece CamposSouthern California Maria ManzoGrand Florida Maicie ClarkFlorida Elizabeth TranFlorida2014 Andrea NeuColorado Eli ReyesTexas Candie Herrera Cece CamposSouthern California Daryanne LeesPuerto Rico2013 Honolulu, Hawaii Nicolle VelezEmpire State Edita JurisicPennsylvania Eli ReyesTexas Lucie Poehere WilsonHawaii Emily MillerSouth Dakota2012 Charlotte, North Carolina Siria BojorquezLone Star State Illinois California Pennsylvania Missouri2011Daytona Beach, Florida Nicole KelleyFlorida colspan=4
Titleholders
This is a list of women who have represented United States at the Miss Earth pageant:
Color key
Year Represented Hometown Age Note(s) 2001 California Abigail Royce San Diego 25 Top 10None 1st Runner-up at Miss World USA 2000. 2002 California Casey Marie Burns Long Beach 21 UnplacedNone 2003 California Jessica Schilling† Palm Springs 19 Unplaced None 2004 California Stephanie Brownell Riverside 20 Unplaced 2005 Montana Amanda Kimmel Billings 21 Top 8None Miss Montana USA 2005. 2006 South Carolina Amanda Pennekamp Columbia 25 Top 16None Miss South Carolina USA 2004, 1st Runner-up at Miss USA 2004. 2007 Kansas Lisa Forbes Overland Park 26 Unplaced None Miss Kansas USA 2004. 2008 Nebraska Jana Murrell Omaha 26 Top 16None Miss Nebraska USA 2005. 2009 Rhode Island Amy Diaz Providence 25 UnplacedNone Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 2001; Miss Rhode Island USA 2008, Top 15 at Miss USA 2008. 2010 Missouri Danielle Bounds Kansas City 26 Top 14 None 2011 Florida Nicole Kelley Palm Coast 22 Unplaced None 2012 Texas Siria Bojorquez El Paso 19 Top 8 2013 New York Nicolle Velez New York City 22 Top 16None 2014 Colorado Andrea Neu Pueblo 24 Miss Earth – Air 2014 Miss U.S. International 2013, Top 15 at Miss International 2013. 2015 California Brittany Ann Payne Tehachapi 23 Miss Earth – Water 2015 2016 New York Corrin Stellakis Bridgeport 19 Miss Earth – Fire 2016 Originally placed Top 8, later elevated after original Miss Earth-Fire was resigned; Miss New York Teen USA 2014; Top 12 at Miss World America 2015; Miss U.S. International 2021. South Carolina Mae-Ann Webb Ridge Spring 25 did not compete Originally 1st Runner-up, later took over after original winner was elevated to Miss Earth-Fire. 2017 Massachusetts Andreia Gibau Brockton 22 Top 16 Miss New York USA 2020, Top 10 at Miss USA 2020. 2018 Maryland Yashvi Aware Frederick 25 Unplaced None 2019 Georgia Emanii Davis Griffin 25 Miss Earth – Air 2019 Miss Georgia USA 2016, 2nd Runner-up at Miss USA 2016; 3rd Runner-up at Miss World America 2017. Texas Libby Hill Houston 28 did not compete Originally 1st Runner-up, later took over after original winner won Miss Earth-Air. 2020 Pennsylvania Lindsey Coffey Centerville 28 Miss Earth 2020 2021 Maine Marisa Butler Standish 27 Miss Earth – Air 2021 Miss Maine USA 2016; Miss World America 2018, Top 30 at Miss World 2018. 2022 Pennsylvania Natalia Salmon Effort 23 did not compete Later was replaced by 2nd Runner-up for unknown reasons. Connecticut Brielle Simmons Fort Washington 20 Unplaced Originally 2nd Runner-up, later took over after original winner was dethroned. 2023 Kentucky Danielle Mullins Lexington 25 Top 20 None 2024 Wisconsin Bea Millan-Windorski Whitefish Bay 21 Miss Earth – Water 2024 2025 Pennsylvania Haley Poe Erie 22 Unplaced Won the title of Miss Earth USA on Season 1 of Pretty Down to Earth on the Queen Beauty Network, making her the first American to win a national pageant title on a reality TV show in the United States. 2026 Texas Gia Espinoza El Paso 21 TBA TBACompeted on Season 1 of Pretty Down to Earth on the Queen Beauty Network in 2025.
Notes: † Now deceased
By number of states StatesTitlesYearsCalifornia 52001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2015Texas 32012, 2019, 2026Pennsylvania2020, 2022, 2025New York 22013, 2016South Carolina2006, 2016Wisconsin 12024Kentucky2023Connecticut2022Maine2021Georgia2019Maryland2018Massachusetts2017Colorado2014Florida2011Missouri2010Rhode Island2009Nebraska2008Kansas2007Montana2005
Winners' gallery
Additional Miss Earth USA Divisions The current Miss Earth USA program requires contestants be ages 18–26 as of January 1 of the competition year. U.S. Earth Productions/Beauty Beyond Borders, Inc. offers three additional divisions supporting Miss Earth USA. The winners of the additional divisions for ages 14–18 (Teen) and 21-59 (Mrs.) go on to compete at international competitions. Previously the program had an Elite Miss division for ages 26–38, but it was discontinued in 2022. All delegates are never married (excluding Mrs.), never had children (excluding Mrs.), natural born female, and U.S. citizens. Together, these delegates make up Miss Earth USA system and bring awareness to environmental concerns while celebrating talents in modeling, fashion, and public speaking.
Titleholders
The following is a list of all Miss Earth USA supporting division titleholders. +Supporting Divisions for Miss Earth USAEditionTeen Miss Earth USAStateMrs. USAStateElite Miss Earth USAState2026Mia Navarro2025Jordyn Campion2024Alexandria Wolfe2023Tayan StansfieldAnn Pennington2022Presley PatrickChristine Rich 2021Katia Gerry Meredith Pope Nalicia Ramdyal2020Sally Dorrell2019Sydni TerradotShelby Williams DixonCeline Pelofi2018Payton StockmanBrandi Jarvis IbosKeyace Sims Gulf Coast2017Leslie JacksonDivision established in 20182016Sarah Levandowski2015Alyssa KlinzingVincenza Carrieri-Russo Notes:
2022: Presley Patrick previously represented Pennsylvania at Teen Miss Earth USA 2021, placing 2nd runner-up. 2022: Christine Rich previously represented Maryland at Mrs. USA Earth 2021 and 2019, placing 2nd and 3rd runner-up and Delaware at Mrs. USA Earth 2018, placing 1st runner-up. Christine was previously Mrs. Delaware America 2013, Mrs. Delaware United States 2015, placing top 15 at Mrs. United States, and Mrs. Delaware Galaxy 2018, placing 2nd runner-up at Mrs. Galaxy International. 2019: Celine Pelofi was previously Ms. United States 2015 representing Florida. 2018: Brandi Jarvis Ibos previously represented Mississippi at Miss Earth United States 2016, placing Top 10. 2018: Payton Stockman previously represented Florida at Teen Miss Earth United States 2017, placing 1st Runner-Up and earned the swim award. 2015: Alyssa Klinzing was previously Miss Kansas Teen USA 2013, placing Top 16 at Miss Teen USA 2013 and later Miss Kansas USA 2019, placing Top 10 at Miss USA 2019. 2015: Vincenza Carrieri-Russo was previously Miss Delaware USA 2008 and Miss Delaware United States 2014, placing 2nd-Runner Up at Miss United States 2014.
References
External links Official website Beauties for a Cause USA - Official nonprofit foundation helping to support the work of Miss Earth USA.