She held several positions in academia, spending much of her career at the University of South Florida (USF).
As a Senior Fulbright Researcher at the University of Würzburg, she worked with a colleague to organize the first meeting of female philosophers in Germany.
[2] Early in her career, she taught at Brooklyn College and San Diego State University.
After three years as dean of the USF Fort Myers campus, McAlister was an administrator for the State University System of Florida.
She founded a theatrical company associated with the National Hispanic Cultural Center known as Camino Real Productions.