Nurse Brianna Vega Crowned Miss Rhode Island USA and Empowers Young Girls
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Brown Health nurse Brianna Vega is the new Miss Rhode Island USA 2025
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She’s using her crown to mentor girls and uplift future nurses
Image: @brownuniversityhealth
Brianna Vega, RN, has officially swapped her stethoscope — temporarily — for a tiara. The outpatient OB/GYN nurse at Brown University Health was recently crowned Miss Rhode Island USA 2025, a title she’s chased since she was 17.
“It was so surreal,” she said. “When I was the last girl standing, I looked around, saw my family cheering, and said, ‘Oh, I think this is actually happening this time.’”
A passion paused — and reignited
Vega got her start in pageantry as a teen in the Miss Rhode Island Teen division. But when it came time to choose her next steps, she shifted her focus to nursing school.
The decision came from a deeply personal place. As a child, she spent time in hospitals with her father during a difficult diagnosis and treatment process. That’s where she saw the powerful role nurses play in patient care.
“I saw first-hand how impactful and transformative nurses are at the bedside,” Vega said. “I knew very early on I wanted a career that fueled the curiosity I have for learning but also allowed me to lead a career based on kindness and empathy.”
She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing, becoming the first college graduate and first nurse in her Dominican-Puerto Rican family.
Years later, the “pageant bug” returned and she decided to give it another go. Vega competed in the Miss Rhode Island USA pageant in 2021, 2022, and 2023. After taking a one-year break, she came back — and this time, won.
A platform focused on mentorship and possibility
For Vega, the crown is a tool, not a trophy. Her platform centers on the importance of mentorship and encouraging girls to believe they can achieve anything they set their minds to.
Through her work with Big Sisters of Rhode Island, she connects directly with young women and hopes her journey helps others feel seen.
“I want to highlight to young women that your dreams are always within reach,” she said. “And I really want to show young women who are pursuing nursing that there is a real need and a want for them.”
Women’s health work laid the foundation
Before joining Brown Health, Vega worked in progressive care at Women & Infants Hospital, where she gained deep experience caring for women at both high and low points in their lives.
That time shaped her approach to nursing. Whether celebrating new life or supporting patients through difficult diagnoses, she came to understand how much women value providers who listen, connect, and create a sense of safety. That insight continues to drive her advocacy for women's health today.
Cheered on by coworkers at the bedside
At Brown Health Medical Group Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vega’s colleagues have become her biggest cheerleaders — both in scrubs and on stage.
“Every day they’re asking me questions,” she said. “They’ll even do mock pageant interviews with me in between patients, which is fun.”
Jennifer Pickering, director of the OB/GYN practice, praised Vega’s infectious energy and patient-first focus.
“Her enthusiasm and commitment for delivering positive patient outcomes tends to rub off on patients and her fellow colleagues.”
Confidence, growth, and a message to girls everywhere
Vega is now preparing for the Miss USA national pageant, expected to take place this fall. Along the way, she’s been fielding typical pageant questions — including the classic: “If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?”
Her answer reflects just how far she’s come. Years ago, she admits, she might have listed off things she wished were different. Today, her perspective has changed.
“Now, I’d just say I wish I had been more confident in who I am.”
And her message to girls who’ve ever felt like they don’t belong?
“You are enough.”
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