Written By Tracey Khan
For many women, motherhood is framed as a turning point, a moment to slow down, step back, or choose between career and family. For Cliché Wynter-Mayo, it became something entirely different: fuel.
A seasoned media professional with more than a decade of experience in editorial, production, and e-commerce storytelling, Wynter-Mayo has contributed to leading platforms including Teen Vogue, Allure, Bustle, and PopSugar.
Cliché Wynter-Mayo, Director of Sponsor and Affiliate Content at iOne Digital, leads with vision and empathy, shaping award-winning media projects.
Today, as Director of Sponsor and Affiliate Content at iOne Digital, she continues to build a career defined by impact, not limitation.
As part of iOne Digital, she plays a key role in shaping content across a premier network of outlets that celebrate Black culture, news, and entertainment, including Cassius, Bossip, HelloBeautiful, MadameNoire, NewsOne, HipHopWired, GlobalGrind, BlackPlanet, and The Fumble.
She credits landing this role to the visionary Allison McGevna, SVP of Content, who took a chance on her. A mother herself, McGevna’s leadership style inspired Wynter-Mayo to lead with empathy, grace, and space for her team to thrive creatively.
“There’s this idea that becoming a mother will hold you back,” Wynter-Mayo said. “But for me, it added to who I am. It made me more intentional, more focused.”
Her work speaks volumes. As Executive Producer of Black Joy Blazers: Nikki Giovanni, she won four Telly Awards, capturing one of the last on-camera interviews with the legendary poet, a project now nominated for two Webby Awards.
Her perspective challenges the long-standing narrative that women must choose between ambition and family. Instead, she embodies a growing shift: a world where both can coexist and flourish.
At the heart of her approach is a leadership style rooted in empathy and collaboration, values she seamlessly carries between home and work.
“I think everything is connected,” she said. “Whether I’m at work, at home, as a wife, or as a mother, there’s a through line and that’s leading with empathy.”
This philosophy guides her parenting as well, fostering open communication and mutual respect.
“I don’t believe in ‘be seen and not heard,’” she said. “I want my kids to feel like they have a voice. We collaborate on everything from schoolwork to everyday decisions.”
She credits the ability to thrive as a working mom to the support of her husband, Alex.
“We’re partners through it all,” she said. “With him and our extended family, the joys of parenthood are allowed to fully bloom.”
That same mindset drives her professional ethos.
“We’re stronger together,” she said. “No one person can do it all, and no one should have to.”
Wynter-Mayo’s media journey began with a leap of faith. A cold email to editor Jessica Andrews led to her first opportunity a pivotal moment that set her career in motion. Yet, the path forward was anything but easy.
“It was a lot of late nights, constant movement, trying to prove myself,” she said. “But it wasn’t sustainable.”
Motherhood became a turning point not by slowing her down, but by forcing her to reassess how she showed up in every space.
“You realize your energy has to be protected,” she said. “You have to be intentional about where you pour into, because now it’s not just about you.”
This shift allowed her to embrace balance, delegation, and self-awareness, all while continuing to grow professionally.
Her work has earned widespread recognition, including honors from the Women in Power Collective and the Annual BWIMM Dinner, which celebrates visionary Black women shaping the future of music and media.
“We don’t do this for recognition,” she said. “So when it comes, it’s a reminder that people see you, that what you’re doing matters.”
A decade-plus in media, Wynter-Mayo continues to redefine success, proving motherhood is a catalyst, not a pause.
Beyond accolades, Wynter-Mayo’s story is a powerful example of what’s possible. In a world where women are often encouraged to shrink or compromise, she is choosing expansion.
Motherhood did not slow her down. It refined her vision, strengthened her purpose, and deepened her impact, redefining success as the courage to claim both career and family, unapologetically.
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