By: Jenny Castro
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 09-02-2026
For Makalyn Heaslett, winning Miss Tennessee has been a dream come true. A native of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Heaslett has carried her passion for service from her hometown to the Miss Tennessee stage. Her journey to the crown reflects years of dedication, ambition, and a desire to use her platform to inspire the lives of others. Currently, Heaslett holds a bachelor’s in public relations and is pursuing a master’s in sports administration from Belmont University.
At present, Heaslett works for the Tennessee Titans as an account executive and previously worked in the Chicago White Sox organization in sales. Regarding her career, Heaslett loves her job as it shows her she can navigate a good work life balance which at times can be challenging, “It’s been great for me,” she said. Adding, “It’s very female-empowered there, as all three of my managers are women, and the owner of our team is a woman. I think it’s really cool to see women who have kids and still work in professional sports. Watching my colleagues balance their personal lives and careers inspires and helps me know that I have a support system there for the future I want to have.”
Pertaining to pageantry, Heaslett’s introduction began in childhood, where she became captivated by the Miss America competition while watching it with her mother. Reflecting on those early years, she adds, “This is the only system that I have ever competed in, and it’s the one that I fell in love with when I was eight years old. I had actually never thought about competing until ninth grade, when I was encouraged by a teacher of mine who had competed in Miss Alabama.” Heaslett eventually stepped into pageantry while in college and now is officially representing the state of Tennessee after winning the crown this summer.
Currently, she is busy attending preliminaries and prepping for the national stage in Palm Beach, Florida as it’s pageant week in the Miss America organization. In the organization, each titleholder is committed to service and maintain an advocacy platform. Pertaining to Heaslett’s platform, “Be Bold, Brave and Brilliant,” it is centered on uplifting youth and encouraging them to develop confidence, resilience and sound decision-making skills. The initiative began in 2018 through her work with Girls Inc., before evolving into a broader platform designed to reach both young women and men. “For my platform, I encourage our youth to be bold in their beliefs, brave when facing opposition, and brilliant in their decisions. Through the platform, I’ve awarded about $5,000 to $6,000 in scholarships to young women through the “Be Bold, Brave and Brilliant” scholarship. I’ve also raised $23,000 for Girls Inc,” Heaslett said.
Encouraging others to learn about the Miss America opportunity, Heaslett has some words of advice, “For me, the scholarship opportunities for higher education are amazing, as well as the sisterhood, and service. Knowing that I’m doing something bigger than myself each and every day is what keeps me wanting to compete,” she said. Some of the best things about Tennessee, Heaslett shares, “The food is phenomenal, and I truly believe our hospitality sets us apart from other Southern states. Tennessee is a place where people are incredibly welcoming, especially in our larger cities like Memphis, Nashville and Chattanooga. I want people to know that Tennessee is a strong state, but we’re also a kind and welcoming state.”
Watch the Miss America pageant this Sunday Streaming Live on Youtube here.
Follow Miss TN on Instagram here.
