Source: Courtesy of K. Savali / facebook
One of MadameNoire’s top playmakers has been promoted.
Kirsten West Savali, a consummate media professional who has been iOne Digital’s Senior Director since 2021, was named the VP of Content for iOne Digital on April 4.
iOne’s Digital’s executive vice president and general manager Sam Stiers described West Savali as an “integral part of rebuilding iOne’s traffic and growing the editorial team.” During the past year, West Savali has helped to create and execute a growth strategy that led to record breaking increases in traffic and revenue for iOne Digital brands. She has also expanded the iOne team and successfully collaborated with our sales, marketing, video and social media teams to help iOne thrive.
“Kirsten is a brilliant storyteller and executive whose dedication, vision and leadership have been integral in the remarkable success of the iOne Content Team has seen in the last year.” said Allison McGevna, senior vice president of content, iOne Digital. “I am thrilled to have her on the team in such an important role.”
In the praxis of a true leader, West Savali acknowledged the new role on social media by paying homage to Black women whose shoulders she stands on. West Savali sang the praises of each individual who has been essential to the trajectory of her career and personal life:
It was Ericka Blount Danois who accepted my first pitch to Black Power, and she later introduced me to Abena Agyeman-Fisher because Abena needed a freelancer based in LA to cover the opening of the Ray Charles library for AOL Black Voices. And it was Abena who called me when she started at NewsOne and asked me to come on as an associate editor. And it was Jenée Desmond-Harris who connected me with Lyne Pitts. And there were so many Black women, including Yolanda Sangweni, who paved the way for me at ESSENCE. And it was Allie Cirino, who has done more to elevate Black women than any media exec I know, who recruited me to come back to iOne as senior director of content. And all the times in between, it was Rebecca Carroll, and Tayari Jones, and Denene Millner, and Tarana Burke, and asha bandele, and Joia Crear Perry, and Kierna Mayo, and Donna Byrd, and Susan Taylor. This press release may be announcing my promotion, but I would not be here if not for the phenomenal Black women who have supported me personally and professionally—and I’m forever grateful. For me, one of the most important things here is now being able to do that for other Black women—in the house that Cathy Hughes built.
Now that West Savali is the VP of Content, she will be responsible for overseeing all editorial operations, building partnerships and will continue to execute the impressive growth strategies that has helped elevate the brand. MADAMENOIRE staff is ecstatic about what’s to come and celebrate this exciting win.
