ABOUT WENDY AND LIZ

Started by Wendy Thiery and Liz Burkes, Crowning Touch Productions is an independent producer of the Miss Clarksville, Miss Clarksville Teen and Miss Clarksville Junior Royalty pageants. They are an organization dedicated to finding the next influential leaders of our great city. The Miss Clarksville, Miss Clarksville Teen and Miss Clarksville Junior Royalty pageants are excited to help our delegates join the pageant system of their choice with our expert guidance. 

Wendy Thiery is the co-owner and director of Crowning Touch Productions which produces the Miss Clarksville Pageant. She moved to Clarksville in 2019 from Texas where she was the owner of Silver Crown Productions which produced the Greater Helotes Pageant. Wendy currently resides in Clarksville, Tennessee with her husband Mike and has two grown sons, Denver and Dalton, two daughter-in-laws, Amber and Brianna and six grandchildren. 

With over 25 years of pageant experience, Wendy was the Vice-President of Pageants sponsored by the Helotes Festival Association directing the Miss Helotes and Miss Helotes Teen Scholarship Pageant from 2002 to 2009. Prior to directing she served as the Contestant Coordinator from 1990 to 2001. Wendy won numerous titles including Miss Helotes 1983 and placed 1st Runner to Mrs. San Antonio USA 1993. In 2012 she held the title Beauties of America Texas 40s and went on to win Beauties of America National 40s. 

She started the Greater Helotes Texas pageant in 2010. Wendy has had one titleholder win the title of Miss Texas USA and five titleholders win the title of either Miss San Antonio Texas or Miss San Antonio Texas Teen with several of her titleholders and contestants placing in the top 15 and top 5 at Miss Texas USA.     
 
Wendy is excited to bring her years of experience and pageant knowledge to the Clarksville area and to mentor young women on their journeys in pageantry and in life. 

In addition to her pageantry, Wendy’s hobbies include traveling, cycling and most importantly spending quality time with her family, friends, and 98 lb. Labrador, Midas and her rescue dog, Luke. She is also the formal wear manager at Wedding Belles in Downtown Clarksville, TN.

ABOUT WENDY

Liz Burkes is the co-owner and producer of Crowning Touch Productions which produces the Miss Clarksville pageant. As a Clarksville native, she is familiar with the city, its businesses and its growth. Liz attended Watkins College of Art in Nashvilile, TN where she graduated with her bachelors degree in photography. Liz currently resides in Clarksville, TN with her husband Shane and their daughter Olivia. 

Liz found her love of pageants and photography her senior year of high school where she took a photography class and competed in the Miss Montgomery Central pageant. Although she did not win, she fell in love with the support of the women she competed with. Liz Courtney Photography was born in 2010 in her high school photography class. Liz stepped away from pageantry during the hustle of college classes but she never forgot how much she loved the support of the women competing. During and after college, she grew her photography business in the wedding industry photographing excited couples in love. 

In 2021, Liz took a leap of faith and reached out to Miss Tennessee 2021, Tally Bevis and offered a photo session to commemorate her year of service. Tally happily agreed and a friendship was born. Since then, Liz has photographed pageant competitions in many pageant systems and was even the official event photographer for Miss Tennessee 2023 where Brandee Mills and Anna Grace Parlapiano were crowned. She has also had the honor of photographing the 100th Miss America, Emma Broyles and several women from her competing class.

This is the first time Liz has started her own pageant competition and she is excited to bring her years of experience in photography and event planning to the Clarksville area. Liz is ready to mentor young women and provide them with gorgeous images to use both in the pageant world and their professional aspirations. 

In addition to her pageantry, Liz’s hobbies include celebrating happy couples and pageant queens with her photography company, Liz Courtney Photography and educating and promoting small businesses in the wedding community with Clarksville Wedding Company. She also enjoys spending quality time with her husband and daughter along with friends.

ABOUT LIZ