Presleigh Bearden is living proof that “talks too much in class” can turn into a thriving career. As an On-Air Personality and Social Media Manager with iHeartMedia, she’s heard on Hot 94.9 (KHKN) in Little Rock and Hot 101.9 (KMXF) in Fayetteville, AR, where her bright energy and down-to-earth authenticity have made her a listener favorite.
She connects with her audience like lifelong friends, bringing laughter, relatability, and community to every break.
A proud small-town Arkansas native, Presleigh is now living her dream both on and off the air. She balances her broadcasting career with being a wife and mom to two children with rockstar-inspired names, Jagger and Jovi. When she’s not on-air, she’s at a live concert, surrounded by something pink and glittery, or indulging her fascination with fighter jets.
Her story began with a leap of faith—and a dart. “I threw one at a map to decide where I’d go to college,” she laughs. “It landed on a small town in Arkansas I’d never even heard of.” Since childhood, she’d dreamed of working in music, but when her college didn’t offer a music program, she made her own opportunity. “I reached out to the local radio station and offered to do anything – sweep floors, answer phones, whatever they needed. But once they met me, they realized I was too passionate to just be sweeping floors. At 18, they handed me a mic and made me a morning show co-host. While most college kids were struggling to make their 8a classes, I was already up at 4a hosting a show.”
After an opportunity in Nashville was derailed by COVID, life took a turn.
She met her husband at the beach, became a mom, and found her way back to iHeartMedia – this time on the Influencers Team, where she learned a new side of the business. That experience reignited her love for radio. Determined to get back behind the mic, she famously sent “fake hands and feet” in the mail to “get her foot in the door.” It worked. Program Director JJ Ryan took notice and gave her the shot that brought her back to the airwaves. “That’s been the theme of my career,” she says. “Confident enough to shoot my shot, persistent enough not to take no for an answer, and passionate enough to always find my way back to radio.”
Presleigh says what makes the Arkansas market special is its rare blend of scale and intimacy. “It’s a big market with a small-town feel,” she explains. “That’s gold in radio because being local and in the community is everything. You’re not just talking to listeners – you’re talking with your neighbors.” That personal connection extends beyond the airwaves. “Our station doesn’t just broadcast to the community; we live with the community,” she says. “Whether it’s volunteering, being at local events, or simply being a familiar, trusted voice, that’s what radio is about. It’s about connection.”
Radio isn’t just Presleigh’s job; it’s her passion project. “Even when I took time off to be a stay-at-home mom, I couldn’t stay away,” she admits. “I don’t do this for financial gain; I do it because I love it.” She’s also working on a children’s book, a creative outlet that ties back to her love for storytelling and connecting with people.
Her goal as a broadcaster is simple: make listeners feel seen. “My target demographic is my exact age and gender, so I’m literally speaking to women just like me,” she explains. “We’re all juggling life, comparing ourselves on social media, trying to hold it all together. I want to be the voice that reminds them they’re not alone.”
Presleigh sees the evolution of radio not as a threat, but as an opportunity. “We’re not just in radio anymore—we’re in a multimedia business,” she says. “Social media and digital tools aren’t competition; they’re amplifiers. If we lean into them, radio won’t just survive—it’ll thrive.” Her “special sauce” for engagement is authenticity. “It’s about building a mirror, not a wall. When you engage authentically – reply to DMs, respond to comments – you stop being just a voice on the radio and become a friend. That’s where real loyalty happens.”
As a Gen Z personality, Presleigh knows what younger audiences want. “We can’t expect to do radio the way it was done 20 years ago and reach Gen Z,” she says. “We have to meet them where they are – on social platforms, in DMs, through video content. When they feel part of something, they’ll show up.”
Presleigh Bearden’s journey is one of grit, creativity, and pure passion for the power of radio. “At the end of the day,” she says, “it’s about people, connection, and making magic through sound. That’s what got me into this business, and that’s what keeps me here.”
You can find Presleigh on Instagram @presleighbearden, or connect with her on Facebook and LinkedIn as Presleigh Blair Bearden. She is also a proud mentee in the Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) program, under the guidance of Lisa Fields.
