Suzette Charles

Suzette Charles
Suzette Charles performing in 1985
Born	Suzette DeGaetano (1963-03-02) March 2, 1963 (age 54) Mays Landing, New Jersey, U.S.
Nationality	American
Education	Temple University
Occupation	Singer and actress
Years active	1983-present
Title	Miss New Jersey 1983 Miss America 1984
Term	July 23, 1984 – September 20, 1984 (succeeded)
Predecessor	Vanessa Williams
Successor	Sharlene Wells
Board member of	Endowment of the Arts
Spouse(s)	Leonard Bley
Children	2
Parent(s)	Charles DeGaetano (father) Suzette Burroughs DeGaetano (mother)

Suzette Charles (born Suzette DeGaetano, March 2, 1963) is an American singer, entertainer, and actress. She was Miss New Jersey in 1983, and served as Miss America 1984 for seven weeks after Vanessa Williams was forced to resign from the position that July.

Charles was born and raised in Mays Landing, New Jersey. The only child of an interracial family, her father, Charles DeGaetano, is of Italian descent, while her mother (also named Suzette and a former a professional singer and music teacher) is of a West Indian heritage. A Presidential Scholar her senior year, she graduated from the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts in 1981, and won a full scholarship to Temple University, becoming a performing arts major.

Charles, as Miss New Jersey, competed in the Miss America 1984 pageant held in Atlantic City on September 17, 1983. Earlier in the week, she had won a Preliminary Talent Award for her performance of "Kiss Me in the Rain". She originally finished as first runner-up. After the reigning Miss America Vanessa Williams was forced to resign that July, Charles replaced her as the new Miss America for the remaining seven weeks.

At the Miss America 2016 pageant, current CEO, Sam Haskell, issued an apology to Williams for "the events of 1984." Charles later commented on the television program Inside Edition that she was perplexed by the apology, suggesting that it was given for the purpose of ratings.