Miss Sacramento County Committee
The Miss Sacramento County committee consists of volunteers throughout the Sacramento, Placer, Yolo & El Dorado area whose only pay is seeing the success of our contestants.
Danielle Mercado is a former Miss Sacramento 2007 and is now the new Executive Director of the Miss Sacramento County Scholarship Program.
Mercado holds a M.A. in Theatre Directing from Roosevelt University; Chicago College of Performing Arts in 2015. She received her undergraduate degree (B.A. in Theatre Arts) in 2008 at Sacramento State University. She owns and runs Hummingbird Theatre Company in Rancho Cordova. She was also Miss ElDorado in 2005.
Danielle Mercado has been directing for several years and is arguably the most promising upcoming talent on the local theatre scene. With years of experience working with children and young adults, she is a wiz at developing performers' talents and bringing a cast together to create something truly remarkable. She brings substance, humor and quality to performances, and her personality shines not only on the stage but off.
Mercado believes in the Miss America program as a invaluable mentorship program for young ladies. She works closely with the candidates to help them realize their greatest potential, and teaches them the importance of serving in the community and holding themselves to a higher standard. In this way she makes everyone a winner!
Mercado holds a Master of Arts in Directing from Roosevelt University Chicago College of Performing Arts- B.A. In Theatre Arts Sacramento State University- Miss Sacramento 2007 Scholarship Winner- Miss El Dorado 2005 Scholarship Winner- Miss California Participant- Imagination Theatre Director Scholarship- Capital Stage Assistant Director- Sacramento State University Teaching Artist and Assistant Director- Miss Sacramento County Board of Directors- Bradshaw Christian School Drama Teacher and Director from 2010-2015. Mercado lives in Rancho Cordova with her husband, Landon, and their son, Hunter.
Mercado holds a M.A. in Theatre Directing from Roosevelt University; Chicago College of Performing Arts in 2015. She received her undergraduate degree (B.A. in Theatre Arts) in 2008 at Sacramento State University. She owns and runs Hummingbird Theatre Company in Rancho Cordova. She was also Miss ElDorado in 2005.
Danielle Mercado has been directing for several years and is arguably the most promising upcoming talent on the local theatre scene. With years of experience working with children and young adults, she is a wiz at developing performers' talents and bringing a cast together to create something truly remarkable. She brings substance, humor and quality to performances, and her personality shines not only on the stage but off.
Mercado believes in the Miss America program as a invaluable mentorship program for young ladies. She works closely with the candidates to help them realize their greatest potential, and teaches them the importance of serving in the community and holding themselves to a higher standard. In this way she makes everyone a winner!
Mercado holds a Master of Arts in Directing from Roosevelt University Chicago College of Performing Arts- B.A. In Theatre Arts Sacramento State University- Miss Sacramento 2007 Scholarship Winner- Miss El Dorado 2005 Scholarship Winner- Miss California Participant- Imagination Theatre Director Scholarship- Capital Stage Assistant Director- Sacramento State University Teaching Artist and Assistant Director- Miss Sacramento County Board of Directors- Bradshaw Christian School Drama Teacher and Director from 2010-2015. Mercado lives in Rancho Cordova with her husband, Landon, and their son, Hunter.
|
Marissa Honey-Plata competed in Miss Sacramento for many years, finally winning the title of Miss Capitol City Sacramento in 2019. She recently retired her crown but is now the new Associate Director of Miss Sacramento. Marissa is an event/wedding planner of her own highly successful business, "Meant 2 Bee" Events.
|
Marissa Honey-Plata
Associate Director
April SmithDirector Emeritus
|
April Smith was the Executive Director for the Miss Sacramento County program for the over 20 years and now serves as the Director Emeritus for the program. She is also a member of the Business Council for the Children’s Miracle Network at UC Davis Hospital and serves as a liaison between the Business Council and The Miss Sacramento County Program. She has been affiliated with the Miss America Program for over 30 years. In 2011, she was given the honor of being named Director of the Year by the Miss California Preliminary Pageant Association. She feels that the Miss America program has helped her achieve her goals and she is honored that she can give back to the program and her pageant family.
April Smith was Miss Mendocino County in 1993, which helped her graduate from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Professionally, she was in international sales for a dental manufacturing company and a dental hygienist. April lives in Sacramento with her husband Scott, her son Ethan, daughter Ashlyn, and their dog Mikey. |
Rebekah DixonCommittee Member/ Secretary
|
Rebekah Dixon has been involved with the Miss Sacramento County organization since 2013. She has been a passionate advocate of pageantry her entire life. She fell in love with the Miss America Organization because of it's ability to empower women and promote higher education.
Professionally she has worked in the payroll industry, for over 10 years, as a quality assurance coach. As a volunteer for the organization, she is able to apply her coaching skills to motivate young women to pursue their goals. In her free time, Rebekah enjoys spending time cheering on her Nephews at their sporting events and being with her Niece, who is a Miss America Princess in training. |
RaquelaProduction and Sound Engineer/ Talent Coach
|
RAQUELA is an International Billboard Dance Music recording artist known for her LIVE and powerful "Real Singer Experience" performances. Before that she was an award winning singer/actress performing leading roles on Broadway. Her powerhouse vocals have gotten her to open for Divas Deborah Cox, Lady Gaga, Lisa Lisa, Crystal Waters, Kristine W, and many more.
Raquela's cover release of Taylor Daynes, TELL IT TO MY HEART ruled the "Top 40" charts on DJ Times for 28 weeks straight! RAQUELA has worked with extreme DJ/Producer crossover legends like, Chris 'The Greek', Tony Moran and House Godfather, MICKEY Mixin' OLIVER. She and Mickey's, "NOTHIN' MORE TO GIVE" topped Billboard’s "Hot Dance Club" charts for several weeks straight! Aside from deeply rooting herself in the New York scene, since her career began in 1999, she has toured all over the United States to perform for dance music lovers everywhere. Her music is in regular rotation in global venues like, Cielo, Sullivan Room, Nikki Beach, Pacha and Taiga Sky. Despite the hectic travel schedule, this native Californian and lifelong musician is adamant about making time in the studio for her own productions. Since releasing her first EP in 2004 on SuperGroove Records, Raquela has released records on, Water Music (Sony), Hot Mix 5 Records, CAPP Records and ISV Entertainment. Raquela studied Opera at Biola University and later earned her BFA in Music and Theatre at UC Irvine. You can check out Raquela's latest releases on iTunes, but she would rather you kept a good close eye on her at, RAQUELA.com |
April MasonProduction
|
April Mason has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Dance & have over 20 years experience in the field of performing arts. She has starred in productions of THE HEIDI CHRONICLES, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, MACK & MABEL, JULIUS CAESAR and STEEL MAGNOLIAS just to name a few. She has directed GUYS & DOLLS, ANNIE, THE MUSIC MAN & INTO THE WOODS.
April teaches jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical & tap dance as well as theatre, modeling and baton and has many years of competition choreography experience. She is an accredited EPIC judge and a certified Pageant Emporium judge as well as a pageant coach and have held many local, state and national pageant titles. She is currently President of the Sacramento Area Dance Alliance. She also volunteers with Lend a Heart Therapy Dogs and is the choreographer for the opening number and the princess number. April is married to Leland, a civil engineer, and they have one daughter, Shelby. They have two cats and two dogs (adopted from rescue groups). She was also the national director for Natural Beauty Pageant Systems from 2004-2011 and New Starz Talent Competition from 2005-2010 |
Jeff AkensSpeech and Interview Coach
|
Jeff Akens has been a volunteer with the Miss America Program since 1983, serving as a Speech and Interview coach for local contestants for much of that time. He was the Co-Executive Director of the Miss Contra Costa County pageant in 2003; and he served as the Executive Director of the Miss Sacramento County Pageant for five years. In addition, he is a Past President of the Miss California Preliminary Pageants Association.
For over twenty years, Jeff has worked for Carrington College, a member of the DeVry education group. In his current position as President of Carrington College, he oversees the operations of eighteen campuses in throughout the West. Jeff holds a master’s degree from DeVry University and a bachelor’s degree from C.S.U. Sacramento, both in Business Administration. Additionally, he earned a minor in Government from C.S.U.S. and a certificate in Public Relations from UC Davis. He has been a resident of the Sacramento area for most of the past 45 years. |
Marissa mcveyMarketing & Media
|
Marissa McVey began competing in the Miss California Organization in 2008. She competed in several local pageants, winning her first title in 2010. She has held the titles of Miss South Bay and Miss San Bernardino County. Her scholarships helped her achieve a Bachelors of Science in Mathematics from California State University Monterey Bay.
After her competition years were over, she began volunteering with local committees. Marissa is a Donate Life Ambassador with Sierra Donor Services, and spends her free time educating the community about what it means to "have the pink dot" and the life saving gift that it can be. Marissa lives in Placerville with her husband, Matt, and their large dogs, Datsun and Bullitt. |
