CONWAY — Casey Sanders felt out of place. She’s used to sitting on the other side of the table, and she’s the first one to admit it.
“I’m just so aware of the fact that I’m being interviewed,” she said — several times.
Her brown eyes sparkle in the airy atrium of the Arkansas Educational Television Network building. Clifford the Big Red Dog sits behind her, seemingly listening intently.
Sanders, a longtime AETN employee, produces documentaries for public television, as well as regular shows about books and music.
Her list of credits at AETN include everything except sweeping the floors, but she’s probably done that, too.
She attended the University of Arkansas at Fayette and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Although her interests ranged from fashion to black-and-white photography to acting, she finally settled on a major in broadcast journalism.
After working at a production company called The Image Factory in Little Rock for several years, she heard about AETN from a friend and began answering phones there.
“They would bring in volunteers to help with the pledge drive,” Sanders said. “That was my first experience with AETN, and then I just started volunteering here and managed to get myself hired.”
Her shows and documentaries about at AETN have earned her numerous Emmys and other national awards. Shows about Arkansas Culture, specifically her new documentary Silent Storytellers, which focuses on historic cemeteries in Arkansas have won multiple honors.
Her talent and experience lead one to wonder why Sanders has bothered to stick around Conway all these years.
“I ask myself that question, too, because I’m really surprised that it’s been 20 years,” she said.
The years have flown by, and Sanders said she wouldn’t change a thing.
“I can’t imagine where I could go and do what I do. I have permission to meet people all over the state, find out about their situation and their lives.”
Sanders is originally from southwest Missouri, but after more than two decades in Arkansas, her husband said preserving the state’s culture has become her priority.
“She makes possibly the best argument for public television,” Tommy Sanders said. “A lot of people say we don’t need it, but she does shows about bands that wouldn’t be able to be on TV otherwise and parts of our culture in Arkansas that commercial TV could never afford to do or wouldn’t take a chance on doing.”
Casey and Tommy met at AETN. They have been married for 17 years, and Tommy still works in television as well, producing content for ESPN Outdoors and other sporting programs.
“We are very similar,” Casey said. “To me, it works because we both kind of understand each other’s jobs, and the nice thing is that we get to work together.”
Tommy is the usual host of his wife’s book show, On the Same Page.
“We like to feature Arkansas authors,” Casey said. “But if a national author is coming through, we love to talk to them as well.”
Casey said no day at work is routine, but lately, she’s been especially focused on education.
Although the Arkansas Educational Television Network — and Clifford the Big Red Dog, still seated comfortably behind Casey — would love her to endorse their mission publicly, it’s not just a company line for her. She really believes in it.
“There’s an element in education in everything we do,” Casey said. “Our programs should go into the schools [and] should educate people about Arkansas.”
Throughout the years, Casey has worked on programs covering hundreds of topics. Recently, she has produced documentaries about historic bridges in Arkansas and cemeteries.
When producing shows on these topics, Casey said, the people she talks to are important.
“When you meet people that are passionate about their subject, they’ve got you from there,” Casey said. “Once we tap into their passion, we’re good to go from there.”
And through projects at AETN, Casey discovers her own passion for a variety of subjects.
“She gets very engrossed in a project when she’s working on it,” Tommy said.
Casey admitted it’s true.
“I get completely enamored in what I’m working on,” she said. “I really enjoy research.”
When she’s not working, Casey said, her biggest goal is keeping her house clean. She and Tommy also enjoy traveling and enjoying the natural wonders of the state.
“We like to hike and kayak in Arkansas,” Casey said.
But she still doesn’t like being interviewed.
“There was a time when I didn’t mind as much,” she said.
Clifford doesn’t believe her.