[2] She graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Arts in criminology & criminal justice and from David A. Clarke School of Law with a Juris Doctor in 2002.

During the committee voting session on SB 116, Alston revoked her co-sponsorship and instead offered an amendment to change the bill from same-sex marriage to civil unions.

[15] Alston was indicted in an Anne Arundel County courtroom with embezzlement on September 24, 2011 on one count each of felony and misdemeanor theft, misappropriation by a fiduciary and two election law offenses for allegedly using Maryland General Assembly funds and her election campaign funds to cover her wedding expenses and to pay an employee of her law firm.

The judge postponed sentencing until after a separate trial, scheduled for October 2012, on the charges regarding Alston's use of her 2010 campaign funds to pay her wedding-related expenses.

[1][18] On October 10, 2012, General Assembly Counsel Daniel A. Friedman announced that Alston was suspended from her office without pay or benefits due to a Maryland constitutional provision.

[19] In February 2014, Alston filed to run for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 24, seeking to gain her old seat back from Darren Swain.

[20][21] In order to run for this seat, Alston had to pay the Maryland State Board of Elections back for the $750 in late fees that she owed for failing to file timely campaign finance reports.