Sara Alexandra McCord, also known as Alex McCord, is an American television personality and former actress who is best known for her role on The Real Housewives of New York City from seasons 1 to 4.
McCord was born in Washington D.C to parents both from Texas. She was partly raised in Texas and in The United States Virgin Islands before settling in Fort Scott, Kansas. She graduated from Fort Scott High School in 1991. She moved to Brooklyn, New York and married Simon van Kempen, living in the Boerum Hill neighborhood. The couple met in 1999.
McCord co-starred in the first four seasons of The Real Housewives of New York City and lived a life alongside van Kempen and her two sons, Francois and Johan van Kempen. She also shared glimpses of her career in modeling and design, opening up about the challenges of being a working mother in her book, Little Kids, Big City: Tales from a Real House in New York City (With Lessons on Life and Love for Your Own Concrete Jungle). After her four seasons on the show, the McCords moved to Australia, the native country of her husband. There, she continued her education and went back to school pursuing a Master's degree.
McCord attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois from 1991 to 1994. She then attended the City University of New York, where she studied psychology and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 2020, McCord graduated from the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales with a master's degree in professional psychology. She is currently enrolled in a PhD Program at the University of New England and is expected to graduate with a degree in clinical psychology in 2025.