Amy Allan built a lasting career by blending physical mediumship with structured site investigations, most notably as the co-star of the hit television series The Dead Files. Unlike investigators who rely purely on electronic gadgets, she approaches haunted locations through her claimed abilities as a physical medium, sensing residual energies, entities, and non-human forces. Her distinct investigative style and psychological background turned her into a fixture of modern ghost-hunting television, prompting intense public curiosity about her methods, background, and personal life.
Early Life and Path to Mediumship
Born with what she describes as persistent childhood sensitivities to the unseen, Allan has stated that her encounters with anomalous phenomena started when she was very young. She reported seeing shadow figures and experiencing distressing disruptions inside her family home from an early age. Rather than treating these experiences as mere imagination, she sought answers through formal study.
She attended the University of Arizona, where she earned a degree in psychology. This academic foundation shaped how she processes her mediumistic experiences, allowing her to categorize subjective phenomena through a structured lens. During her formative years, she also trained and worked alongside prominent parapsychologists, including parapsychology researcher William Roll. This combination of psychological training and parapsychological fieldwork helped her establish a unique methodology that separated her from casual ghost hunters.
The Breakthrough on The Dead Files
Allan reached international prominence in 2011 when she teamed up with retired NYPD homicide detective Steve DiSchiavi to create The Dead Files on the Travel Channel. The show's format relied on a strict investigative division: Further coverage regarding this has been provided by Deadline.
- Amy Allan's Walk-Through: Operating completely isolated from historical records and police files, Allan walked through the haunted property alone to sense spiritual activity, negative entities, and residual trauma.
- Steve DiSchiavi's Investigation: Running parallel to Allan's work, DiSchiavi investigated the property's history, interviewing former owners, local historians, and checking police records for violent deaths or crimes.
- The Reveal: At the end of each episode, the two investigators compared notes without prior collaboration. The uncanny alignment between Allan's psychic impressions and DiSchiavi's documented historical findings formed the core appeal of the series.
Allan maintained her role as the show's physical medium for over a decade, anchoring hundreds of episodes before stepping away from the series. Her ability to remain composed while describing intense, often terrifying encounters cemented her reputation as a leading figure in contemporary paranormal media.
Marriage, Divorce, and Professional Collaboration with Matthew Anderson
Before and during her early television tenure, Allan's personal life intersected closely with her professional work. She met Matthew Anderson at the University of Arizona, and the two eventually married. When The Dead Files launched in 2011, Anderson joined the production crew as a field investigator, cameraman, and logistics coordinator.
Anderson was not a psychic or paranormal investigator; his role was practical. He scouted locations, managed equipment, and prepared each site before Allan began her solo walk-through. Despite personal turbulence, their professional arrangement persisted. Allan and Anderson divorced in 2013, yet Anderson continued working on the production crew alongside his ex-wife for three additional years. He quietly left the show in 2016 and transitioned away from television entirely to pursue other ventures.
Life After Matthew Anderson and Marriage to Rob Traegler
Following her separation from Anderson and her eventual departure from her initial long-running television format, Allan's life shifted away from the intensive weekly production schedule. In 2018, she married Rob Traegler, a television director and producer who has also worked within the documentary and paranormal television space.
Unlike her heavily publicized first marriage, Allan and Traegler maintain a more private lifestyle. Traegler's background in media production has kept him aligned with creative storytelling fields, while Allan has focused on personal projects, lectures, and private consultations away from standard network television routines.
Common Misconceptions About Paranormal Mediumship
Viewers often misunderstand how physical mediums like Allan operate, leading to unrealistic expectations about how real-world investigations unfold.
- The Myth of Instant Control: Media portrayals suggest mediums can summon or banish spirits on command. In practice, mediumship depends heavily on environmental factors, personal exhaustion, and the nature of the residual energy present.
- Confusing Investigation with Exorcism: Allan's role on television was strictly diagnostic. She documented and explained what was happening, rather than performing clerical or religious clearances.
- Assuming Crew Members Are Believers: As demonstrated by Matthew Anderson's tenure on set, production staff often remain personally skeptical of anomalous phenomena, treating the work through a purely technical and logistical framework.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Amy Allan's educational background?
She holds a degree in psychology from the University of Arizona and studied parapsychology under researcher William Roll, which heavily influenced her investigative approach.
Did Matthew Anderson participate in ghost hunting on television?
No. Matthew Anderson worked exclusively behind the scenes as a cameraman, field producer, and site coordinator. He was not a psychic investigator.
Why did Matthew Anderson stay on The Dead Files after their divorce?
The former couple maintained a professional working relationship for three years following their 2013 divorce, before Anderson permanently exited the series in 2016.
Who is Amy Allan currently married to?
She married television director and producer Rob Traegler in 2018.
Is Amy Allan still active in television?
She stepped down from her primary role on The Dead Files, focusing instead on independent projects, public appearances, and private casework. More details on her public profile can be found on Famous Birthdays. Additional context regarding network programming is available via the Travel Channel.
