In her 40 Under Forty application, Audrey Couto McLelland cites her mother as the most influential person in her career. Sharon Couto supported her daughter’s interests in competitive swimming and taught her that communication through the written and spoken word binds people together.
At Barrington High School McClelland became the first girl in Rhode Island to earn First Team All-State swimming honors in each of her four years. She found another passion in editing the high school newspaper.
Upon graduation from Brown University with a B.A. in theater arts and a concentration in public speaking , McClelland intended to pursue broadcast journalism. But her path took a different turn when she became personal assistant to fashion icon Donna Karan.
Under Karan’s tutelage, McClelland came to see fashion as empowering and transformative for women’s confidence and sense of inner beauty. With that in mind, she took a sabbatical to write a book with her mother. “Preconception Plain and Simple: A Deliciously Smart and Sexy Guide in Preparing for Pregnancy” was born.
Soon after, McClelland returned to Rhode Island to begin an online magazine with her mother and sister Jane. Pinks & Blues quickly proved that the number of mothers online looking to learn, share and connect was huge.
More recently the mother of four young boys has been solicited by corporations to engage with other mothers in what McClelland calls the “great big pool of this thing called ‘social media’.” Today she writes articles, hosts an online radio show and edits and publishes a live video stream.
And earlier this year, McClelland was named as one of the top 16 most powerful and influential mothers online by Neilsen Media Research, further validation of her achievement. But then, McClelland has been swimming with the big girls for a long time now. •
