The original version of this featured interview can be found in both Ageless Living Los Angeles and Ageless Living Manhattan, by editor-in-chief Jana Short.
HOW ALISON DEYETTE IS SHAPING THE WAY CELEBRITIES, CEOS, AND ATHLETES TELL THEIR STORIES
The Media Whisperer Behind Hollywood’s Most Authentic Voices
Los Angeles has a habit of hiding its best treasures in plain sight. Tucked between the iconic palms and the ever-present sunshine are the people who shape the way the world hears, sees, and connects. They’re the quiet forces behind confident voices, the architects of ready-for-primetime charisma. Among them, one woman stands out, a woman who has spent a lifetime in the spotlight and now uses that experience to lift others into their own.
Her name is Alison Deyette, and while celebrities may try to keep her as their best-kept secret, we’re serving the tea right here: Alison is one of LA’s most dynamic, intuitive, and transformational media trainers powered by decades of truth, talent, and a career that spans both coasts and nearly every corner of the lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and media world.
But before she became the go-to person for CEOs, athletes, actors, musicians, influencers, and industry leaders, her story started where dreams move fast, and bold ideas are a daily currency: New York City.
A NEW YORK ORIGINAL WITH A VISION AND A VOICE
Some people stumble into their purpose. Alison marched straight into hers.
“I was one of those people in college who always knew what she wanted to do” she shared. “I was going to be an editor on a national magazine in New York City.” And she did exactly that.
Her early years were a blur of celebrity interviews, editorial columns, fashion and beauty shoots, lifestyle features, and magazine deadlines. She stepped into rooms most only dream of, shaping stories and styles that would reach millions. She wasn’t just reporting trends, she was helping create them.
But like every incredible journey, hers eventually reached a crossroads. And that turning point, believe it or not, arrived in the form of a gut-punch plot twist.
THE PIVOT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
When Alison moved to Los Angeles to be with her husband, she still had one foot firmly planted in her New York editorial world. She kept her meticulously curated fashion portfolios, the pre-digital, leather-bound books that held years of her work, safe and close.
Then came the break-in.
The thieves stole the bags, thinking they held thinking they were precious laptops, not the irreplaceable archives of her New York career. Her complete portfolios gone forever.
“That became this immediate pivot because I couldn’t get back any of that material,” Alison told me. “So l said, okay. Full focus now on my on-camera work.” It was a loss, sure. But it was also a liberation. As she told it, she didn’t even notice they were missing for two full days, one of those subtle life-nudges that says: “you’re already moving on.”
That moment opened the door to a new chapter, one filled with national television appearances, hosting roles, brand partnerships, and eventually, the work that lights her up the most: media training.
THE MEDIA MENTOR BEHIND THE CURTAIN
Today, Alison works with a breathtaking range of clients: NFL rookies, CEOs of appliance companies, founders, musicians, artists, actors, influencers, you name it. And she meets each one exactly where they are.
“One day, I’m talking to an NFL rookie. The next day, I’m talking to the CEO of some appliance company,” she laughed. “It really varies. And I love it.”
But Alison isn’t just polishing sound bites or drilling scripts. She’s doing something far more valuable. She’s teaching people how to own their voice, shape their story, and step into the kind of confidence that can’t be faked.
Her signature magic? Clearing out what she calls “the clutter of the litter,” the filler words, the rambles, and the nervous verbal habits so many people rely on.
“My girlfriend calls them the filler words. I call it word salad,” she said. “But I try to help people diminish that without shutting them down.”
Her approach is rooted in grace, directness, and the belief that authenticity, not perfection, is the real currency of connection.
TEACHING PRESENCE, NOT PERFORMANCE
The world is full of media coaches. But very few do what Alison does.
She doesn’t put people into pre-designed boxes. She doesn’t force them to imitate the Tony Robbins or Gabby Bernstein of the world. Instead, she helps them embrace the quirks, tones, rhythms, and energies that make them unforgettable.
“We already have a Tony Robbins. We already have a Gabby Bernstein,” she said.
“What can you bring as your authentic self?”
She trains them to breathe, to pause, to let silence be a flex instead of a fear. She teaches them how to expand or contract their stories depending on whether they’re speaking for three minutes, ten minutes, or a full keynote.
She even digs for stories her clients didn’t know they had.
When working with a young athlete, Alison began asking him questions about his weekend. What he wore? What the bar looked like? What he drank? Who was he with?
Suddenly, a guy who was giving one-word answers was telling layered, vivid stories. That’s Alison’s gift: she pulls the color out of people. She reminds them that everyone has stories worth telling.
MASTERING THE ROOM EVEN WHEN IT’S VIRTUAL
One of the most surprising things Alison discovered? Many actors, yes, actors don’t know they can request changes to a teleprompter.
“I’ve had actors come to me who didn’t realize they could ask for a bigger font or slower speed,” she said. “Most people want you to perform well.”
These are the tiny, powerful shifts that transform anxiety into mastery.
Her clients walk away not only stronger on camera but also stronger in interviews, auditions, panels, meetings, and red carpets. They walk away trusting themselves.
And sometimes, they walk away with stories like this one:
THE RED CARPET LESSON SHE’LL NEVER FORGET
While mentoring for Step Up, a national nonprofit supporting girls and young women, Alison interviewed actress Zoe Saldaña on the red carpet. The interview was powerful, thoughtful, and perfectly aligned with the event’s mission.
Then Zoe moved on to the next reporter, who began with gossip-style questions. Zoe immediately paused and said:
“Did you happen to listen to Alison’s questions? You do know what the event is we’re here for today, correct?” Then, turning to Alison, she added:
“Would you mind giving her your questions?”
It was a moment of class, grace, and a reminder that excellent communication inspires more than just answers; it inspires integrity.
It was also a testament to the way Alison’s work resonates with the people she interviews.
A LIFE BUILT BETWEEN COASTS
While LA is home today, Alison’s heart beats in stereo, half sunshine, half skyscrapers.
In Los Angeles, it’s the weather that lifts her. The fact that she can walk out her door and hike, play tennis outside year-
round, or stroll to restaurants where the chefs know her favorite dishes. The comedy shows. The architecture. The Smash Burger at the Tipsy Cow after tennis.
But New York? That’s history. That’s a heartbeat.
She once lived in a loft in Tribeca right next door to Robert De Niro. Every year around this time, his landscapers would trim the greenery, and branches would fall onto her roof. It was the most New York-meets-Hollywood moment imaginable.
She still returns often, always with plans for Broadway shows, new restaurants, and meet-ups with her girlfriends.
She saw Sleep No More multiple times. She loved Titanique off Broadway. She reminisces about the city’s raw honesty and electric pulse.
“I love Manhattan,” she said. “There’s an energy. People say it like it is.”
WHY ALISON MATTERS NOW MORE THAN EVER
In an era where everyone is talking but few are honestly communicating, Alison’s work doesn’t just matter; it’s essential.
Authenticity is the new charisma. Clarity is the new power.
Presence is the new currency.
And Alison Deyette is the quiet force helping people unlock all three.
Her media training isn’t about polish for polish’s sake. It’s about service, purpose, and connection, about using your voice to lift, lead, and resonate.
“What can they receive from me?” she said about speaking on stage. “That sometimes helps dampen that anxiety.” This is why her clients adore her. Why celebrities quietly recommend her. Why CEOs keep coming back. Why athletes suddenly transform into leaders.
And why Ageless Living LA is beyond thrilled to spotlight her in this Spring Issue.
Because Alison Deyette is more than a media coach, she’s a mentor, a storyteller, a truth-teller, a confidence amplifier, and one of the most radiant gems in Los Angeles’ creative
crown.
And now that you’re in on the secret?
Go ahead, share the tea.
This is one treasure that deserves to shine.
Learn more media training tips: Effective Communication Techniques and Why Celebrities Need Media Training
Alison Deyette is the founder of Alison Deyette Media, where she helps people speak with power, confidence, and personality — without sounding rehearsed. She provides media training, on-camera coaching, public speaking prep, interview strategy, and brand storytelling for actors, directors, digital creators, influencers, athletes, musicians, executives, CEOs, and thought leaders — anyone whose next opportunity depends on knowing what to say and how to make it land. With decades of experience in front of the camera as a TV host and expert — and behind the scenes shaping messaging and story — she brings a dual perspective that’s both strategic and real-world. She has interviewed nearly 500 celebrities and coached clients for everything from press junkets and festival circuits to post-game interviews and high-stakes pitches. Known for an honest, direct approach with just enough humor to keep the process human, she has worked with rising stars from the NBA and NFL, Planned Parenthood Federation, Meta, Rag & Bone, and LAAMP Music Academy, and is most proud of helping clients go from uncertain to grounded, clear, and unforgettable in their own voice.