The Plaza Arts Center hires Susan Usry as executive director

Published 11:53 am Friday, June 18, 2021

EATONTONA, Ga. — The Plaza Arts Center has hired Susan Usry as executive director. Usry will lead The Plaza in its efforts to interlace the Eatonton community with the arts. 

Usry spent the majority of her career as an administrator in the Putnam County Charter School System, serving as assistant principal of the elementary school, director of special education, and then principal of the elementary school, the primary school, and the middle school before retiring. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in elementary education and of Mercer University with a masters in Middle Grades Education. She went on to obtain a specialist and doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of Georgia.

Usry and her husband, Tom, have one child, Addie Grace. The family attends Eatonton First United Methodist church and enjoy living in Putnam County with all it has to offer. 

She has spent years on The Plaza board, volunteering her time and efforts to move The Plaza’s mission forward. 

The Plaza has also hired Taylor Hembree as the new marketing director. Hembree graduated from Georgia College and State University with a degree in mass communication. After graduation, she went to work at a local newspaper. Hembree brings with her a passion for the arts and making them accessible to everyone.

The Plaza Arts Center mission is to connect the community through the arts. The Plaza has a 500-seat theater, community rental venue, After School Arts Program, Old School History Museum and much more.