The person behind the production
A career built around people, purpose and the live moment.
Arkansas-based. Working nationwide. Always happiest when the room is about to come alive.
Hi, I’m Susan.
I’m an Arkansas-based pageant director, digital creator and media executive. Based in Camden, Arkansas, I’ve spent more than two decades in entertainment and pageantry, and I’m best known as the National Director of the US American Miss scholarship pageant system.
I also serve as an executive producer for my family’s media and entertainment companies, JC Productions and PageantsLive. Together, they provide live streaming, video production and media coverage for the most viewed events in pageantry by legacy brands we all know and love.
Our team is a turn-key solution for events: we design sets with video capability, create digital content and seamlessly integrate video components into shows, while our on-site crew helps participants and clients tell their stories beyond the room.
Here in Arkansas, JC Productions has been a go-to marketing and production partner for festivals and events for more than a decade. I love helping communities become more innovative while staying true to their history, purpose and the people they serve.
My husband, Jeremy, and I have three children: Elle, Dash and Gold. I also have a long-standing personal history with Arkansas pageantry, supporting family members—including my daughter, Elle Ables—through various national titles and pageant journeys. Those experiences are a big part of why this work feels so close to home.
Experience
A career in motion.
National Director — US American Miss — Present
Executive Producer — JC Productions and PageantsLive — Jun 2007 to Present (19+ years)
Computer Teacher — Victory Christian School, Camden, AR · Sep 2014 – Present (taught Yearbook until 2016)
Managing Owner / Dance Instructor — EDGE Performing & Visual Arts Studio, Camden, AR — Jul 2016 to Mar 2021
Owner / Dance Choreographer and Teacher — Susan & Company Performing Arts Center, Camden, AR — Jul 2005 to Jun 2014
Education
Learning that keeps the work creative.
Touch of Health Massage Therapy — Massage Therapy — 2010–2011
Victory Bible School — Bible Degree — 2007–2011
Southern Arkansas University (SAU Magnolia) — Drama and Dramatics / Theatre Arts — 2004–2005
Southern Arkansas University Tech — Associate's Degree, General Studies — 2002–2003
Skills
The tools behind the scenes.
US American Miss
Too Bold for the Mold.
As National Director, I lead the US American Miss scholarship pageant system, proudly branded “Too Bold for the Mold.” Our annual national competition is hosted in El Dorado, Arkansas, and our unique “spotlight” scoring system celebrates individuality, authenticity and non-traditional participants. I’m passionate about creating a pageant experience unlike the traditional one—one that gives people room to be fully themselves.
A new era of pageantry
The best memories are the ones we build together.
I’m passionate about my faith, my family, pool days and ’90s music—and about building unforgettable pageant memories. This next era is about making more of them with heart, honesty and a whole lot of belief in the people in the room.
A few views from the work
The job takes me everywhere.
