Vincenza Carrieri-Russo is a former Miss Delaware USA, owner of V&M Productions, LLC, and the Executive State Director of the Miss Delaware USA and Miss Delaware Teen USA Organization. Through her leadership, she is committed to empowering young women to lead with confidence, discover their voice, and create meaningful change in their communities. Under her direction, Delaware’s delegates have the opportunity to compete within one of the most recognized and respected pageant systems in the world.
While many know Vincenza for her work in pageantry, she is equally recognized as a successful entrepreneur and community leader. She is the co-owner of V&M Bistro, an award-winning Italian American restaurant she founded with her younger sister, Margherita, in 2014. As third generation restaurateurs, the sisters have built V&M Bistro into a beloved Delaware destination known for exceptional hospitality, authentic cuisine, and a strong commitment to giving back to the community.
In recognition of her leadership within Delaware’s hospitality industry, Vincenza serves on the Board of Directors for the Delaware Restaurant Association, where she advocates for the continued growth and success of independent restaurants across the state.
Service has always been at the heart of Vincenza’s career. In 2002, she co-founded Success Won’t Wait, a nonprofit literacy initiative dedicated to expanding access to books for children and families. For more than two decades, the organization has collected and redistributed well over one million books to schools, libraries, military families, and underserved communities throughout the United States and abroad.
Her dedication to community service has earned numerous honors, including the State of Delaware Jefferson Award and the National Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Public Service. In recognition of her lasting impact, the City of Newark proclaimed July 15 as Vincenza Carrieri-Russo Day.
Expanding her passion for storytelling and community engagement, Vincenza is also the co-host of Good Morning Delaware on DETV, where she highlights local businesses, nonprofit organizations, community leaders, and inspiring stories from across the First State. Through television, business, philanthropy, and pageantry, she continues to use every platform available to educate, inspire, and empower others.
