Allison DeMarcus, a committed philanthropic supporter, community volunteer and passionate member of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt Board, has been named the incoming Children’s Hospital board chair. She will serve a two-year term beginning July 1.
DeMarcus has been a member of the Children’s Hospital board since 2012. She is also an active supporter of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Friends of Children’s Hospital through her role as co-executive director of the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant.
In addition to her work with Children’s Hospital, DeMarcus is also on the board of directors for Cheekwood and the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant. She volunteers for the Nashville Symphony League, Nashville’s Sexual Assault Center, The Women’s Fund, Nashville Humane Association, Make-A-Wish of Middle Tennessee, Second Harvest Food Bank, Nashville Alliance, Chi Omega Fraternity and the Oasis Center of Nashville.
She is the host of two shows on the Country Music Television Network, CMT Southbound and Reel Eats, and also works as a correspondent for CMT’s Hot20. A former Miss Tennessee and Miss Tennessee USA, she is married to Jay DeMarcus of the award-winning country music group Rascal Flatts, also a supporter of Children’s Hospital. They are parents to Madeline, 5, and Dylan, 3, who have both benefited from services at Children’s Hospital.
DeMarcus will succeed Steve Hostetter, CEO of Tri Star Energy, who is completing his term as board chair.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have Allison assume this important role for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Her energy, talent, commitment and presence in the community are enormous assets as we continue to grow the hospital’s mission to serve all children with the highly specialized care that only Vanderbilt can provide,” said Jeff Balser, M.D., Ph.D., vice chancellor for Health Affairs and dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
“I want to express my gratitude to Steve for his outstanding service as board chair and his continuing role as a co-chair for the ‘Growing to New Heights’ campaign. His longstanding support for Children’s Hospital continues to be instrumental to our success,” Balser said.
Formed in 1975, the Children’s Hospital Board is an advocacy, fundraising and advising organization for Children’s Hospital. Board members, who serve a three-year term, are actively involved in philanthropy, outreach and education to further the hospital’s mission.
Representatives of several organizations that support Children’s Hospital are invited to serve on the board. Leadership from the Friends of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville, the Nashville Tri Delta Alumnae Eve of Janus Advisory Board and the Junior League of Nashville have seats on the board.
Several business and community leaders also serve on the board. The Nashville entertainment industry has broad representation as well, including country music artist Kix Brooks; Rod Essig, agent and co-head of the Nashville office at Creative Artists Agency; Scott Hamilton, Olympic gold medal-winning figure skater and NBC Sports commentator; artist manager Clarence Spalding; and Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern.
The board continues the family legacy established by Ann and Monroe Carell Jr., for whom the hospital is named. Their daughters, Kathryn Carell Brown, Julie Carell Stadler and Edie Carell Johnson, carry on the family tradition of volunteer leadership at Children’s Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.