RAY KENNEDY
Executive Director
Miss North Carolina Volunteer
Miss North Carolina Teen Volunteer
Ray Kennedy has produced theatre, fundraising and political events, cruise ship revues and fashion shows all over the world. His work has been seen at The Kennedy Center, Off-Broadway, regional theaters, Las Vegas, Branson and national television. Ray served as Vice President of Programs at the USO of Metropolitan New York, where he partnered with Sherri Hill to create "Operation: That's My Dress" a fashion event where he worked with over 200 MISS USA contestants and 6 Miss USA’s to provide support for over 500 military families across the country. Ray also served as the music arranger for the USO Show Troupe. His arrangements have been performed everywhere from “New Year’s Rocking Eve" in Times Square to stages with stars such as Phil Vassar, Katy Perry, Blake Shelton, Kelli Pickler to the "The Ellen Show" and "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon."
Ray is an award-winning Director/Choreographer who has directed over 75 musical theatre productions, including award-winning productions of "Hairspray," "Mamma Mia," and "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert". As an actor, Ray appeared Off- Broadway in “Godspell” and the National Tour of “A Chorus Line.” Ray now adds writer to his list of accomplishments with the 2021 world premiere of “The Thursday Night Bridge Circle,” based on his memories growing up in La Grange, NC during desegregation.
Ray’s long history with pageants spans decades going back to 1976 at the local Junior Miss pageant as a vocal arranger to 2021 as a judge for the Miss Colorado USA Pageant. He has served as talent coach, interview coach and fashion stylist for many young women including Kristen Dalton - Miss USA and Top Ten Miss Universe, Kira Kazantsev - Miss America, Heather Shaw - America’s National Teenager, Candance Wooten - NC Junior Miss, Marshawn Evans, Miss District of Columbia and several Miss North Carolina America’s including Mary Susan Runion, Kelli Bradshaw, Dana Reason and Lorna McNeill and his favorite talent arrangement - “Nobody Does It Like Me “ for Michelle Braxton. He says the friends he made in pageantry changed his life.
RACHAEL F. MURRAY
Executive Producer
Miss North Carolina Volunteer
Miss North Carolina Teen Volunteer
Rachael Murray has worked in multiple facets of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She is currently a Partner at The Nice Kids, where she serves as the Executive Producer of Phil Vassar’s Song from the Cellar, seasons 1-3, Internet Takeover: Wedding Edition and as a producer of the Off-Broadway hit, Broadway Bounty Hunter, written by Tony Nominee, Joe Iconis and starring Orange is the New Black cast member, Annie Golden.
Prior to founding The Nice Kids, she served as the Vice President of Entertainment for the USO of Metropolitan New York, where she produced and directed the world renowned USO Show Troupe. Producing over 400 live performance events around the globe annually, highlights include live performances featuring Katy Perry, Blake Shelton, Craig Morgan, Tim McGraw, Kristin Chenoweth, Joan Jett, Phil Vassar, Trace Adkins, Maggie Rose, John Cena, LL Cool J, Tony Danza, Stephen Colbert, Adam Sandler, Lester Holt, Willie Geist and Bradley Cooper as well as events in partnership with Miss USA, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Boston Pops, Philadelphia Pops, CMA Fest, NBC’s The TODAY Show, TNT’s The Last Ship, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Ellen Show, FOX and Friends, Good Morning America, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, NFL, MLB, NHL and NASCAR, to name a few.
As a professional performer she has played leading roles in Broadway national and international touring companies, in shows such as A Chorus Line, West Side Story and Jesus Christ Superstar and as a solo artist in venues around the world including Cunard Cruise Lines, Don’t Tell Mama, Danny’s Skylight Cabaret and The Jazz Standard in NYC.
Rachael is thrilled to partner once again with her longtime collaborator, Ray Kennedy, to bring the Miss North Carolina Volunteer Pageant to the great state of North Carolina in order to provide scholarship opportunities and empowerment through volunteerism and education to the next generation of future female leaders.
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JEFF HEATH
Associate Producer
Jeff graduated from Campbell University with a BA in English and received his Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and School Administration from UNC-Pembroke.
He taught English and coached football and basketball for 20 years with Sampson County Schools.
Following his years in the classroom, Jeff served as a principal and a central office director for testing and data services.
Jeff has been involved in pageants for over 35 years. He served as the co-director of the Miss Spivey’s Corner Scholarship Pageant with his wife, Nancy and has served as judge and chief judge at all levels of pageantry.
Jeff enjoys the entire pageant experience but especially enjoys interview preparation. He has worked with contestants from Texas, Oklahoma, Virginia and DC and aided in the preparation of four 1st runners-up to Miss North Carolina and four Miss North Carolinas.
He currently resides in Clinton with his wife of 42 years, Nancy. They have two sons, Bo and Will, two wonderful daughters-in-law and three grandchildren. As a retiree, Jeff enjoys reading, puzzles, and playing golf.
NANCY HEATH
Associate Producer
Nancy is a native of Clinton, NC and a graduate of UNC-Greensboro with a degree in Dance Education. She is a retired dance educator for Sampson County Schools where she served as a mentor and lead dance teacher, established the Arts Honor Society for SCS and SCS Arts Camp for elementary school students. She also taught private dance lessons for over 35 years.
As an avid supporter for Arts Education in the public schools, Nancy has served on numerous committees on the state and local level including the North Carolina Arts Education Think Tank, NC curriculum writing team, Development team for Arts.
R4 Life, the Governor’s task force and textbook commission for for the arts Nancy also serves her community on the board and past Vice President of the Sampson County Arts Council and the nutrition and fitness programs for the elderly.
Nancy’s pageant experience includes director, mentor, choreographer and judge on the local and state levels from Little Miss to Miss programs. Nancy believes that pageants not only benefit the mentee but also the mentor, giving both the opportunity to create lasting professional and personal relationships.
In her personal time, Nancy enjoys walking, reading, gardening and taking care of her family. She resides in Clinton with her husband Jeff and rescued fur baby, Gracie Kate. She and her husband have two sons, Bo and Will, two beautiful daughters- in- law, three precious grandchildren and another on the way!
BROOKLYNE WILLIAMSON
Executive Director of Miss North Carolina Volunteer Princess Program / Choreographer
Brooklyne is a native to the Wilmington area and began dancing at the young age of 2. She has always had a passion for the arts and for children. She is the owner and artistic director of Wilmington's premiere dance studio: Evolution Dance Complex. Brooklyne danced competitively in Wilmington throughout grade school. She won many dance awards and honors including overall placements at Nationals, America’s Dancer of the Year, America’s Teen Miss Dance and America’s Miss Dance. Before opening EDC, Brooklyne was in the top 20 finalists for the Radio City Rockettes in NYC and she was 3rd Runner Up at the Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant in 2012. Brooklyne is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington where she majored in Communication Studies and minored in Theatre. She was also a member of the UNCW Dance Team while in attendance. She currently enjoys volunteering with Opera House Theatre Company in her spare time. She has played many leading dance roles and choreographed Billy Elliot. Brooklyne is an Active Wish Granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where she has led a yearly fundraiser through the studio which has raised over $90,000 for children with terminal illnesses. Brooklyne is proud to say that ‘EDC’ has been awarded the Top Studio Award as well as the Backstage Award for being a “class act studio” in recent years.