Allison Alderson

Allison Leigh Alderson DeMarcus is an American model, television personality, executive, and former beauty pageant titleholder born on January 18, 1977, in Jackson, Tennessee. She gained national prominence through her achievements in major American pageant systems before transitioning into television hosting, commercial modeling, and non-profit executive leadership.

Early Life and Pageant Career

Alderson grew up in Jackson, Tennessee, and attended the University School of Jackson. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration cum laude from Rhodes College in Memphis in 1999, where she was awarded the Wall Street Journal Award for Excellence in Finance and served as president of her sorority. Her modeling and pageant career took off early when she won Miss Tennessee Teen USA 1994, later winning Miss Tennessee 1999 and Miss Tennessee USA 2002. She made pageant history as the first woman to represent the state of Tennessee at Miss Teen USA, Miss America, and Miss USA.

Media and Television Host

Capitalizing on her public profile, Alderson expanded into broadcast media and modeling. She spent several years working as a television presenter for Country Music Television (CMT), hosting flagship programs including CMT Insider and red carpet event specials. In addition to television journalism, she appeared in commercial print campaigns and music videos. Notably, she appeared in the 2002 music video for the Rascal Flatts hit single These Days, which introduced her to the country music industry and her future husband. In 2020, she starred alongside her family in the Netflix unscripted reality series DeMarcus Family Rules.

Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy

In 2022, Alderson established the Miss Volunteer America pageant organization, serving as its founder and Chief Executive Officer. The national scholarship system emphasizes servant leadership, academic achievement, and community volunteerism while raising funds for organizations like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Alderson also maintains active philanthropic roles in Tennessee, having served on the Board of Directors for Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and participating in numerous regional healthcare campaigns.

Personal Life

On May 15, 2004, Alderson married Jay DeMarcus, the bassist and founding member of the country band Rascal Flatts. The couple resides in the Nashville, Tennessee area with their two children. Throughout her career, she has remained active in civic affairs, education initiatives, and executive leadership within the beauty and entertainment industries.