Find Out the First Miss America Winner from Your State

#28: Miss Nevada, 2003 — Teresa Benitez-Thompson

Nevada has never had a Miss America winner, but Teresa Benitez-Thompson came close in 2003 when she placed as second runner-up. Raised in Reno, she is of Mexican heritage and used her platform to promote cultural understanding and diversity.

Her intelligence and eloquence made her a standout contestant, and she later built a career in public service, eventually serving in the Nevada State Assembly. Though she didn’t wear the crown, her achievements on and off the stage gave Nevada one of its proudest moments in Miss America history.