Corporate Info
Both the Miss Florida Latina and Miss Teen Florida Latina are independently produced by Giabella Inc., an international corporation dedicated to the beauty and wellness industry. Previous to producing the Miss Florida Latina Pageant, Giabella Inc., has been produced pageants in New York; San Juan, Puerto Rico and Milan, Italy. Whether it is producing beauty pageants, providing pageant coaching and development, establishing a venue for new talent, or managing beauty salons & spas at first class resorts; Giabella is committed to the highest standards in quality, excellence, and integrity within the beauty industry. Our more than 30 years of experience in the beauty industry and in pageantry speak for themselves. Our directors are also affiliated with the the International Pageant Association and the World Talent, Modeling & Entertainment Association. Our list of achievements includes relations with the Starwood, Hilton and Hyatt brand of Hotels, the Miss USA, Miss Puerto Rico Universe, and Miss America Latina Organization, just to name a few.
The Miss Florida Latina & Miss Teen Florida Latina Pageants have offices in Miami, Orlando and in San Juan, Puerto Rico and with representatives nationwide. It is staffed by hand picked experts in fields ranging from law and business to marketing and TV production, providing a range of services for women.
We are community leaders within the Latino community in the US and Latin America, and have influential contacts in business, higher education and government with the ability to tap vast resources. Our organization provides the skills and the years of experience necessary for the successful establishment of Pageants in Florida, the US and beyond.
Our Directors
Isolina Vazquez is the MISS FLORIDA LATINA® state associate director and former Miss San Juan Universe and Miss Milano Italia director for the Miss Universe pageant system and former Miss Puerto Rico New York director. She has been associated with the Miss Puerto Rico Universe/Miss Universe pageant system for more than 30 years, when she first used her expertise within the beauty industry to coach Miss Puerto Rico’s first titleholders under the directorship of Mrs. Anna Santisteban.
Mrs. Vázquez has been an entrepreneur/owner of beauty clinics at first class hotels and resorts and has worked as a stylist for several personalities in Hollywood and Latin America. She was the first Latina to obtain the Star in Beauty Award 3 years in a row, award given to professionals in the beauty industry by the prestigious Premier Beauty Company. Vazquez also trains and supervises delegates around the State of Florida, New York and other states for various pageants; as well as spends time organizing the production staff, recruiting contestants, managing the network of local directors and office management.
Attorney at law, Giancarla Sambo is the MISS FLORIDA LATINA® Executive Producer, and former Miss Italia Nel Mondo Puerto Rico pageant director. For almost 15 years she has been a journalist, on-air anchor/reporter for radio and television shows in the nation’s number one market; New York City, and in Milan, Italy, plus in her native Puerto Rico, as well as guest speaker at mayor events, host/presenter, judge and producer of pageants. Her work as a radio show producer was recognized by having the show she worked on nominated to the 2001 Paoli Awards, awards which recognize the work of personalities within the Hispanic mass media industry.
Giancarla is one of the directors of Giabella, Inc. and coordinates many aspects of pageant functions with relationship to TV and prize sponsors, the actual pageant show, and negotiating television contracts and host city agreements. Her past experience also includes a successful modeling career and more than 10 years of entertainment industry experience. Giancarla is a former Miss Puerto Rico Nacional winner among 50 contestants and was voted Best in Swimsuit, as well as a former Miss San Juan Universe titleholder and finalist among 35 contestants at the Miss Puerto Rico Universe/Miss Universe pageant system, plus was voted Best Interview with the judges.
Giancarla is an alumna of two of the nation’s top universities; New York University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center, where she was highly involved in community activities, thus presented with Fordham University’s Award for enriching student life. She continues enriching the community through her work with the Miss Florida Latina Organization and is certified by the Anthony Robbins Motivational Institute. Giancarla also attended the Puerto Rico's most prestigious Law School; Inter-American University School of Law, where she obtained her Juris Doctor and has been an attorney at law for the past few years.
The Competition
The Miss Florida Latina and Miss Teen Florida Latina Pageant is a beauty contest and scholarship program dedicated to showcasing the beauty and talents of young women of Hispanic ancestry between the ages of 14 to 17 for the Teen Division and 18 to 27 for the Miss division, living in the State of Florida. Our objective is to instill cultural pride, self esteem and leadership qualities among these young women. This pageant provides an opportunity for Latinas to advance in their careers and personal goals by learning of their heritage, developing self esteem and networking.
Several of our winners have used the pageant to springboard their careers. Florida Latina alumni have achieved success in law, medicine, education, private business, public service, entertainment and so much more.
TV Special
The nationally-recognized MISS FLORIDA LATINA® and MISS FLORIDA TEEN LATINA® competitions air as specials and consistently rank among the most-watched television programming in the US. The MISS FLORIDA LATINA broadcast showcases the host city and individuals or corporations who sponsor the pageant. Once our winners are chosen, they appear on numerous local television programs, radio stations and in online and newspaper articles across the country, including Puerto Rico. Reina de Reinas® Model Management has partnered with Miss Florida Latina Pageant Organization to present the most beautiful and intelligent women in Florida, making the Miss Florida Latina Pageant the only Latina Pageant Venue in Florida to aid their candidates in career planning and placement. These ladies can be seen as spokesmodels, hosts, entertainers and more throughout the US.
Scholarship Program
The Miss Florida Latina Organization is on its way to becoming the state’s largest provider of scholarship assistance for young Latina women. This assistance is not just for the handful of young women who become Miss Florida Latina, but is available to the young women who compete in the state and local competitions as well. Rich in history and social significance, the Miss Florida Latina Organization is different from other Latina pageants in that we empower young Latina women to achieve their personal and professional goals, while providing a forum in which to express their opinions, talent and intelligence.
Our Mission
The Miss Florida Latina & Miss Teen Florida Latina Pageants are dedicated to showcasing the beauty and talents of young women of Latina or Hispanic Ancestry living or studying in the state of Florida. Our objective is to instill cultural pride, self esteem and leadership qualities among young women. Our pageant provides an opportunity for Latinas to advance in their careers and personal goals by learning of their heritage, developing self esteem and networking.
The Miss Florida Latina & Miss Teen Florida Latina Pageants provide the opportunities - the mentoring, career training, resources and life experiences - for women to be personally enriched through the pageant's year-round support of all aspects of their lives, from their own personal career goals to social and humanitarian causes and work.