Marizza Delgado is a multifaceted force—an engineer, fashion model, Filipina American, and a passionate advocate for women in STEM. She holds a degree in Information Technology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is currently pursuing her Masters of Analytics with a concentration in Computational Data from Georgia Tech.

Marizza’s parents immigrated from the Philippines to California, where she was born and raised in San Jose. Her childhood was filled with vibrant family gatherings, delicious Filipino cuisine, and plenty of karaoke.

Growing up, Marizza rarely saw women who looked like her in the tech field. Throughout university, she was one of the few women in her computer programming courses. But it was through her involvement with Girls Who Code that she discovered the power of women supporting women. Being surrounded by diverse, empowering women has enriched both her professional and personal life. As a Data Scientist, Marizza is acutely aware of the gender disparity in STEM—women leave the field at a 45% higher rate than men. She believes this isn’t just a pipeline issue, but a culture issue. To retain women in STEM, the industry must foster a culture of belonging. As Miss New York USA, Marizza is committed to inspiring young girls passionate about STEM, offering them the representation and encouragement to realize their full potential.

For the past nine years, Marizza has made her mark internationally as a model, working with renowned brands such as H&M, L’Oréal, American Eagle, and Lululemon. She has had the honor of walking in New York Fashion Week and gracing the pages of *Vogue Philippines*.

On June 30th, 2024, Marizza made history as the first Filipina to win Miss New York USA. She later placed in the Top 20 at Miss USA, a milestone that led to her recognition as part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2025 in Arts and Style.

She actively supports nonprofits like Girls Who Code and Kode with Klossy, which are transforming the tech landscape. Locally, Marizza volunteers with Bowery Mission, One Love Community Fridge, and the Lower East Side Ecology Center.

In the Philippines, there are three things that rule: Basketball, Boxing, and Beauty Pageants. Marizza is no stranger to the pageant world. She was crowned Miss Pacific Coast Teen USA 2017, Miss New York Earth USA, and soon caught the pageant bug. Through pageants, she was discovered by her mother agent in San Francisco, which led to meetings with New York agencies. In the summer of 2017, she signed with Marilyn New York and moved to the Big Apple. That leap of faith paid off, as Marizza quickly made her mark.

Her modeling career has seen her featured in top publications like *Vogue Philippines* (February 2023), *Cosmopolitan*, *Seventeen*, and *Marie Claire*. Marizza has also appeared in campaigns for major brands such as L’Oréal, Lululemon, Kylie Cosmetics, H&M, American Eagle, Alice & Olivia, Adidas, and The North Face, as well as walking the runway at New York Fashion Week.

Marizza’s ultimate goal is to lead her own sustainable technology startup aimed at combating climate change. She currently works as a Data Scientist II at Rent the Runway, a sustainable fashion company, where she uses her technical expertise to support the company’s mission of promoting eco-friendly fashion. She also serves as a Council Leader on the Girls Who Code Advisory Council, where she continues to champion diversity and inclusion in tech.