CRN Women Of The Year 2025: The Finalists

CRN’s Women of the Year Awards aims to shine a spotlight on women who have made significant contributions to the channel throughout 2025.

CRN is pleased to introduce the finalists for the third annual Women of the Year Awards, a project that aims to shine a spotlight on women who have made significant contributions to the channel throughout 2025 and the companies that support them.

The finalists -- spanning 15 individual categories and three company categories -- were selected by a panel of judges from a pool of over 300 applicants. Next, a panel of judges comprised of CRN editors and members of the channel community at large will select the winners, who will be announced and celebrated at the CRN Women of the Year Awards Gala on December 9 in New York City.

“It’s an honor to celebrate the finalists of the CRN Women of the Year Awards, whose exceptional achievements and unwavering dedication are driving meaningful change throughout the IT Channel,” said Jennifer Follett, VP of U.S. Content and Executive Editor at CRN, The Channel Company. “These remarkable finalists inspire the channel ecosystem with their bold vision, leadership, and commitment to building a more inclusive and innovative tech landscape. We commend their contributions and eagerly anticipate the lasting impact they will make in shaping the future of our industry.”

Click ahead for a look at the finalists in each category as well as the unedited bio information each applicant provided.

Community Impact

Almo Corporation

Since 1946, Almo Corporation has served as the largest independent distributor of appliances, consumer electronics, professional Audio/Video equipment, furniture and housewares in the United States. Meeting the needs of retailers across the country, Almo operates nine regional distribution facilities with over 2.5 million square feet of warehousing. Almo focuses on the following major business segments: professional AV/electronics, hospitality, drone solutions, major appliances, premium appliances and home & living.

Community Impact

Dell Technologies

Dell Technologies creates technologies that drive human progress. Dell’s story began with a belief and a passion: that everybody should have easy access to the best technology anywhere in the world. That was in 1984 in Michael Dell’s University of Texas dorm room. Today, Dell Technologies is instrumental in changing the digital landscape the world over. The company helps transform people’s lives with extraordinary capabilities. From hybrid cloud solutions to high-performance computing, what Dell does impacts everyone, everywhere. That’s why advancing sustainability, cultivating inclusion, transforming lives and upholding trust are embedded in everything Dell does. Powered by a workforce that values and celebrates diverse backgrounds, Dell Technologies creates solutions that harness and amplify technology to drive positive outcomes for business, people and the planet. From healthcare to education to a digital economy, the company believes in the power of technology to help solve complex societal challenges.

Community Impact

Microserve

Microserve is one of Western Canada’s largest IT solutions providers, delivering technology services and support to public and private sector organizations across the country. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Burnaby, BC, it operates coast-to-coast, primarily with offices in British Columbia and Alberta, in addition to having over 20+ remote employees throughout Canada. The company specializes in IT staffing, managed services, procurement, digital transformation, and end-user support. Microserve’s clients include healthcare organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, and enterprise businesses. It partners closely with industry-leading vendors to deliver customized, scalable, and future-ready solutions

Community Impact

NWM

NWN is the leading AI-powered technology solutions provider for North America's most innovative public and private organizations. For more than 30 years, NWN has helped over 5,000 CIOs deliver technology modernization programs with its Intelligent Workplace, Customer Experience (CX), Managed Devices, Cybersecurity and Public Safety, Connectivity, and Intelligent Cloud solutions. The company's proprietary Experience Management Platform ensures seamless service delivery, real-time observability and improved efficiency for its clients' most demanding technology needs.

Community Impact

ScanSource, Inc.

ScanSource, Inc. is a leading hybrid distributor connecting devices to the cloud and accelerating growth for channel partners across hardware, software as a service (SaaS), connectivity and cloud. ScanSource enables channel partners to deliver solutions for their end customers to address changing buying and consumption patterns. ScanSource uses multiple sales models to offer hybrid distribution solutions from leading suppliers of specialty technologies, connectivity and cloud. Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, ScanSource was named one of the 2024 Best Places to Work in South Carolina and on FORTUNE magazine’s 2025 List of World’s Most Admired Companies. ScanSource ranks #776 on the Fortune 1000.

Community Impact

Schnieder Electric

Schneider Electric drives digital transformation energy management technologies to realize efficiency/sustainability opportunities for businesses. The company provides connecting products, controls, software, and lifecycle maintenance services, enabling integrated management across industries. Schneider’s purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all.

Community Impact

TD SYNNEX

TD SYNNEX is a leading global distributor and solutions aggregator for the IT ecosystem. The company is an innovative partner helping more than 150,000 customers in 100+ countries to maximize the value of technology investments, demonstrate business outcomes and unlock growth opportunities. Headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, and Fremont, California, TD SYNNEX’s 23,000 co-workers are dedicated to uniting compelling IT products, services and solutions from 2,500+ best-in-class technology vendors. Its edge-to-cloud portfolio is anchored in some of the highest-growth technology segments including cloud, cybersecurity, big data/analytics, AI, IoT, mobility and everything as a service. TD SYNNEX is committed to serving customers and communities, and believes it can have a positive impact on our people and our planet, intentionally acting as a respected corporate citizen.

Gender Parity

Appogee

Appogee is a leading Apple-only enterprise technology partner that helps organizations across various industries leverage the full power of Apple in the workplace. Headquartered in Greenville, North Carolina, Appogee provides end-to-end support for Apple deployments. With a commitment to delivering secure, scalable, and user-friendly technology experiences, Appogee enables its customers to transform operations and empower their employees. At its core, Appogee is driven by a mission to simplify IT and elevate user experience: one Apple device at a time.

Gender Parity

ESET

ESET provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of emerging global cyberthreats, both known and unknown— securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud, or mobile protection, our AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multifactor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. The ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network.

Gender Parity

Microserve

Gender Parity

TLD, a corporate division of London Drugs

For over 40 years, TLD has empowered Canadian businesses with tailored IT and AV solutions. From Cloud Solutions to Smart Control, we craft strategies for efficiency and precision. Our projects include advanced networking for education and AV systems for corporate offices. Supported by London Drugs, our expert team ensures seamless execution and exceptional service.

Gender Parity

Verkada

Designed with simplicity in mind, Verkada's six product lines — video security cameras, access control, environmental sensors, alarms, workplace, and intercoms — provide unparalleled building security through an integrated, cloud-based software platform. Over 32,000 organizations across 93 countries worldwide, including 91 of the Fortune 500, trust Verkada as their physical security layer for easier management, intelligent control, and scalable deployments.

Inclusive Employer of the Year

Microserve

Inclusive Employer of the Year

Pythian Services Inc.

Founded in 1997, Pythian is a leading data and AI services provider specializing in digital transformation and operational excellence for enterprise customers. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with a US headquarters in Minneapolis, USA, Pythian employs over 400 professionals across over 20 countries. Specializing in helping organizations optimize their data estates and driving AI enablement, innovation, and growth, Pythian offers a range of services, including cloud automation and machine learning, delivering numerous professional and managed services. Through strategic consulting, managed services and cloud migrations, Pythian enables cost savings, risk reduction, and seamless operations while preparing businesses to adopt AI and for the future of data management. Pythian excels in managing and optimizing data estates for cost-effective scalability, enabling customers to enhance decision-making, increase revenue, and improve customer experiences.

Inclusive Employer of the Year

TLD, a corporate division of London Drugs

CEO Of The Year

Michelle Accardi

Liongard

Michelle Accardi is an innovative leader with more than two decades of growing Managed Service Providers and technology companies. At Liongard, she is responsible for accelerating the company’s growth and bolstering its product portfolio.

Prior to Liongard, Michelle was CEO of Logically, one of the nation’s largest cybersecurity-focused MSPs, and President and Chief Revenue Officer of Star2Star. In those roles, she inspired and maintained growth for the company and its partners to ensure their customers received significant value from their products and services.

CEO Of The Year

Brittany Fugate

Cenetric Network Services, Inc

Brittany Fugate is the Founder and CEO of Cenetric Network Services, a nationally recognized IT services firm helping businesses achieve transformative technology success. With deep expertise in IT management, cybersecurity, cloud solutions, and infrastructure design, Brittany has led Cenetric to become one of Kansas City’s fastest-growing companies.

Known for her collaborative and people-focused leadership, Brittany prioritizes mentorship, innovation, and long-term client partnerships. She is a graduate of the ScaleUP! KC program and the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentorship Program, reinforcing her commitment to continual growth and leadership development.

Brittany’s excellence has earned her notable accolades, including CRN’s 2024 Women of the Channel Power 100, 2023 Enterprising Women of the Year, NAWBO’s 2024 Woman Business Owner of the Year finalist, and KC Business Journal’s 2025 Woman of Influence. Under her leadership, Cenetric was recently honored as a 2025 Top 10 Small Business by the Greater Kansas City Chamber.

CEO Of The Year

Malinda Gagnon

Uprise Partners

Malinda has more than 20 years of experience in business strategy and technology. She has served as a Strategist at Google, and Sr. Partner at WPP where she founded and led their consulting organization and the Product Management and Technology group.

She specializes in business resiliency planning, product management, and technology operations. She has advised clients such as Procter and Gamble, General Electric, Volkswagen, and Walmart, as well as hundreds of startups.

Malinda co-founded Uprise Partners with her husband, Brian, in 2017, after recognizing that small and medium-sized businesses deserve the same level of expertise, service, and support as Fortune 500 companies. She is passionate about implementing seamless technology and applications so businesses can focus on the work they do – creating, innovating, and growing.

CEO Of The Year

Melissa Mulholland

Crayon

Melissa was appointed as CEO in March 2021 after joining Crayon in September 2020 as Chief Services & Solutions Officer, responsible for leading the global strategy to drive long-term customer success and innovation in the cloud. An acknowledged global expert in digital transformation, Melissa joined the company after a distinguished 12-year career at Microsoft where she led the global strategy and business development on how companies can be profitable in the cloud with an additional focus on talent development. Prior to Microsoft, Melissa worked at Intel Corporation as a Finance Manager.

Melissa holds an MA in Business Administration and Strategic Management from Regis University in Colorado and is the author of no less than 12 books focusing on building cloud businesses. A US national, she lives in Oslo, Norway.

CEO Of The Year

Susan Odle

StorMagic

Susan Odle was appointed as CEO and member of the board of directors in 2025, to accelerate StorMagic’s innovation execution and to drive significant growth. She previously served as StorMagic’s chief growth officer, leading all-company initiatives resulting in 600% growth in qualified pipeline, increasing the average sale value, securing a strategic OEM agreement and expanding StorMagic’s market through net new customer acquisition and engagement.

With over 25 years of experience in frontline and executive leadership, Susan has a distinguished and diverse technologies background across sales, channels, technical professional services and operations. She is the author of the business strategy book, “Successful Change”.

Before joining StorMagic, she served as founder and CEO of 8020CS, COO of BDO Lixar and VP of operations at GFI Software and Youi.TV. Additionally, she was honored as one of the Top 50 Women in SaaS by The Software Report in 2020 and has successfully navigated multiple M&A events in good and challenging economic conditions.

CEO Of The Year

Maryann Pagano

BlackHawk Data

Maryann Pagano is the CEO and co-founder of BlackHawk Data, bringing over 20 years of customer service and leadership experience. She leads strategic vendor partnerships, sales, and marketing, ensuring alignment with client goals and exceptional service. Since founding the woman-owned business in 2018, she’s grown the company to over 50 employees with multiple locations and national recognition, including CRN’s Top 500 and Fastest Growing 150. A passionate advocate for women in tech, Maryann hosts mentorship events and speaks for organizations like Cisco and The Port Authority. Her legacy: empowering others to believe in themselves and drive change.

CEO Of The Year

Jennifer Roy

Nucleus

Jennifer Roy is the CEO of Nucleus Networks, a leading Canadian Managed IT Services provider based in Vancouver. With over a decade of experience in the MSP industry, Jennifer brings a strong background in operations, strategic leadership, and organizational growth. She leads day-to-day performance at Nucleus, aligning business goals with client success while championing a culture rooted in accountability, innovation, and high performance.

Before joining Nucleus, Jennifer held senior leadership roles in the IT space, where she honed her skills in operations, team management, and strategic planning. Her commitment to excellence has helped position Nucleus as one of Canada’s top-ranked MSPs and earned her wide recognition across the tech community.

Jennifer was named to CRN’s Women of the Channel Power 100 Solution Provider list in 2024 and the Power 80 in 2025. She was also nominated as Business Woman of the Year by Canada Small Business Magazine in 2023. Deeply passionate about culture, mentorship, and work-life balance, Jennifer serves on multiple advisory boards and is Co-Chair of GTIA’s North American Executive Committee.

CEO Of The Year

Sonali Shah

Cobalt

Sonali Shah is the CEO of Cobalt, where she leads the company’s mission to modernize offensive security through its Pentest-as-a-Service (PtaaS) platform. With over 20 years of experience in B2B SaaS and cybersecurity, Sonali has a proven track record of building innovative products, scaling companies, and driving meaningful impact.

Before joining Cobalt, she held executive roles at leading security firms including BitSight, Veracode, Invicti, and HUMAN, where she helped develop category-defining solutions in security ratings, application security, and bot protection. Her leadership has contributed to multiple successful exits, including Veracode’s $950M acquisition and Invicti’s $625M stake sale.

Sonali began her career in investment banking at Credit Suisse and holds an MBA from Wharton and an MSc from the London School of Economics. She also serves on the boards of Shibumi and 826 Boston and actively mentors through Springboard Enterprises and Astia. Known for her inclusive leadership style, Sonali is passionate about advancing diversity in cybersecurity and building high-performing teams that thrive on trust, innovation, and accountability. Her impact as a strategic, people-first leader continues to shape the future of security while creating new pathways for women and underrepresented communities in tech.

CEO Of The Year

Amy Williams

PIER Group

Amy is most proud of the culture she continues to build—one where people are empowered to lead, grow, and contribute meaningfully. Her people-first leadership has had a profound impact, especially in supporting women in tech and fostering an environment where everyone is encouraged to thrive. This dedication to her team helped PIER Group earn a spot among Indiana’s Best Places to Work.

In recent months, Amy has also led the renovation of PIER Group’s office, designing a collaborative space that enhances the company’s wellness program and reflects its ongoing commitment to employee well-being.

The results of her leadership speak for themselves: national recognition on CRN’s Tech Elite 250 and Power 80 Women of the Channel lists, a finalist spot for Tech Company of the Year at the 2025 MIRA Awards, and Amy’s inclusion on the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies list from the Women Presidents Organization.

Channel Innovator of the Year

Merav Ammar

Director, Partner Enablement

SentinelOne

Merav Ammar’s foundation in service ( Israeli Defense Force) taught her the value of accountability, adaptability, and leading from the front. With over 15 years of experience across Sales, Channel, and Marketing, she has held roles in Customer Service, Partner Marketing, Account Management, and Enablement. She has launched global Channel Enablement programs at McAfee, Boomi, Dell, Okta, and now SentinelOne.

At SentinelOne, her focus is on empowering partners to grow revenue, build confidence, and become self-sufficient. She takes pride in creating programs that are both strategic and practical, designed to meet partners where they are and help them succeed. She is especially passionate about implementing innovative solutions, leveraging AI tools, and continuously evolving how SentinelOne supports the partner ecosystem.

She has received industry recognition, including CRN’s 100 People You Don’t Know But Should (2024), Women of the Channel (2023, 2024, and 2025), and finalist for CRN’s Women of the Year – Hidden Gem (2024).

Channel Innovator of the Year

Patricia Bogoevici

Head of Worldwide Channel System Engineering

Nutanix

Patricia Bogoevici is the Head of Worldwide Channel System Engineering at Nutanix, where she leads the global strategy for technical solution selling and partner enablement. Her scope spans Nutanix’s expansive partner ecosystem—including global and regional system integrators, strategic alliances, independent software vendors, distributors, and resellers.

As a woman in technical leadership, Patricia brings a unique blend of technical expertise, empathy, and vision. She champions collaborative innovation and empowers her team and partners to drive impact at scale. In Nutanix’s 100% channel-driven model, she is a key force in building trusted, outcome-based relationships—delivering value to customers through shared accountability and deep partner engagement.

With over two decades of experience in the IT industry, Patricia previously held sales engineering and leadership roles at Red Hat and VMware. Her work with global systems integrators focused on digital transformation, application modernization, and adoption of infrastructure-as-code, containers, and platform-as-a-service.

Channel Innovator of the Year

Elisabeth De Dobbeleer

SVP, Cisco Partner Program

Cisco

Elisabeth De Dobbeleer brings over two decades of diverse experience to her current role as leader of the Cisco Partner Program team, established in March 2024. With a mission to evolve how Cisco engages and delivers value to our customers through and with the ecosystem, Elisabeth and her team focus on the following initiatives: accelerating profitable growth through programs and incentives, driving Cisco preference and competitive advantage through practice building and service creation, and enhancing partner experience through simplified and modernized relationships.

Previously, Elisabeth was a key member of the Cisco Transformation Center, focused on accelerating new routes-to-market, as well as the leader of Cisco’s EMEA Partner Sales and Routes-to-Market, where she was responsible for developing strategic growth initiatives and transformation programs to positively impact Cisco’s partner business.

Channel Innovator of the Year

Laura McGregor Falko

Head, Global Partner Programs, Marketing & Experience

Broadcom

Laura McGregor Falko is the Head of Global Partner Programs, Marketing & Experience at Broadcom. She is responsible for marketing and non-technical enablement strategies across all partner routes, and leading and building the global partner programs for the six software divisions including: Symantec, Enterprise Software and Mainframe divisions.

Laura joined Broadcom through the acquisition of CA in 2018, and she brings more than 20 years of leadership and partner marketing experience, with a proven track record of driving strategic global initiatives to increase pipeline, revenue, customer satisfaction and channel partner loyalty.

Prior to CA, Laura helped lead the marketing transformation from Symantec to Veritas and integration of partner marketing with Veritas' direct sales. She also spent 10 years in field and indirect marketing leadership roles at Nextel/Sprint.

Channel Innovator of the Year

Addie Finch

VP of Channels, Americas

Cato Networks

Addie Finch is the vice president of channels, Americas at Cato Networks. Addie leads Cato’s channel strategy across reseller, integrator, trusted advisor, TSD and distribution partnerships.

Prior to joining Cato in 2024, Addie held channel sales leadership roles at ReliaQuest, Tufin, and TD SYNNEX. With nearly two decades of experience in the channel, Addie enjoys helping build channel organizations and go-to-market strategies from the earliest stages.

Channel Innovator of the Year

Carrie Francey

Senior Vice President, Partner Sales

Zendesk

Carrie Francey is the SVP of Global Partner Sales at Zendesk, with over 20 years of experience leading transformative partnerships at companies like ServiceNow, HPE, and Microsoft. She’s widely recognized as a channel visionary and is the co-founder of Women in Cloud and Women at the Cap Table—two organizations dedicated to advancing equity and representation in tech. Carrie is known for building inclusive, high-performing ecosystems that deliver measurable business impact, always placing partners and customers at the center.

Channel Innovator of the Year

Gina Fratarcangeli

Managing Director

Google

Gina Fratarcangeli is a transformative global executive with a three-decade career defined by formulating market-changing offerings and executing innovative go-to-market strategies with key partners.

In her current role as Google's Managing Director, NA GSI Leader, Gina is at the forefront of partner innovation. She leads the team responsible for $5 billion in channel revenue from Global Strategic Integrators, specifically tasked with creating and executing joint GTM value propositions and navigating the complex ecosystem of these strategic partners. Her ability to drive results is underscored by her previous role at Google, where she sold over $450 million, achieving 149% of quota in her first year by designing complex solutions for strategic global accounts leveraging multiple partners for joint success.

This performance builds on a consistent history of leadership and growth. At Accenture, she led the Midwest Market Unit to $5 billion in sales, achieving 20% year-over-year growth while managing a team of over 500 sellers. A true innovator, she was also selected to create the commercial strategy for Accenture's metaverse offerings.

Channel Innovator of the Year

Erika Owens

Co-founder, SVP Maintenance

Balata Data

Erika is the Co-Founder and Senior Vice President of Maintenance at Balata Data, where she leads the company’s largest business line and serves as a key member of the senior leadership and partner group. She is both a strategic architect and an operational force—responsible for Balata’s Maintenance solution delivery, key partnerships, and her own thriving portfolio of clients.

Before co-founding Balata, Erika spent nearly a decade at Procurri, consistently ranking as a top channel sales performer while building a deep understanding of global service delivery. Earlier roles at Emmis Communications, Morris Publications, and Gucci sharpened her instincts for customer experience and brand representation. Today, Erika is known for her rare ability to speak to every angle of the business—sales, operations, partner strategy—and for driving results without losing sight of execution.

Channel Innovator of the Year

Lyanne Paustenbach

Senior Director, Global Partner and Vertical Marketing

Splunk, a Cisco Company

Lyanne Paustenbach is the Senior Director of Global Partner and Vertical Marketing at Splunk, a Cisco Company. She leads the strategy for Splunk’s partner ecosystem and industry-specific markets, collaborating with global teams to deliver the unique value of technology through personalized customer experiences.

Lyanne joined Splunk in August 2023 to build its vertical marketing function and soon after expanded her role to also lead the Global Partner Marketing team. With over 20 years of experience in both sales and marketing, she has worked closely with technology partners and customers across public and private sectors worldwide. Her focus is on creating go-to-market strategies that put the customer at the center of every decision.

Channel Innovator of the Year

Kendra Perry

Director of Emerging Tech & Innovation Advisory

Stratascale - an SHI Company

Before most people even hear the name of a new technology, Kendra has already charted where it fits, how it scales, and why it matters. As Director of Emerging Technology at Stratascale, she leads the search for next-generation cybersecurity and infrastructure solutions—those capable of solving complex problems, closing critical gaps, and strengthening global IT ecosystems.

With roots in government, consulting, and cybersecurity, Kendra has helped organizations solve some of the world’s most complex business challenges. At Stratascale, she built and implemented the company’s emerging tech evaluation framework, turning the process of identifying promising technology into a repeatable, trusted engine for innovation and business alignment.

A passionate advocate for growth and authenticity, Kendra launched the CybHER Collective, Stratascale’s women-in-tech initiative focused on mentorship, inclusion, and leadership development—a space where others can grow, lead, and be heard. Her leadership has been recognized in her roles with the Midwest NanoTech Consortium, Women in Science & Entrepreneurship, and the FBI Citizens Academy.

Channel Innovator of the Year

Nicola Sheppard

Sr. Director, Global Partner Ecosystem Modernization

Dell Technologies

With nearly 30 years at Dell Technologies and EMC, Nicola has played an integral role in the company’s evolution. Her career has focused on empowering internal and external sellers through Dell’s quote and order tools, with a strong emphasis on IT and Partner Operations. Nicola is passionate about delivering exceptional partner experiences and has led the development of strategies and roadmaps that enable best-in-class solutions across all partner routes to market.

Guided by her core beliefs— “I am only as good as my team” and “Every challenge is an opportunity”—Nicola leads with empathy, creativity, and a results-driven mindset. Based in Cork, Ireland, she balances her leadership role with being a proud mom of three, modelling the importance of work-life harmony.

Nicola fosters a culture of innovation and empowerment within her team, ensuring they are equipped to solve complex challenges that benefit both individuals and Dell’s diverse partner ecosystem. As AI reshapes the industry, she is excited to lead transformative partner engagements—both in-person and virtually—driving automation and innovation. Her leadership continues to inspire, and her commitment to growth and collaboration remains a cornerstone of her success.

Channel Innovator of the Year

Vic Wiesner

Director, Global Distribution

Arctic Wolf

Vic Wiesner is a dedicated professional with a passion for driving success in the IT Channel Distribution industry. Currently, she is responsible for leading the Global Distribution Team at Arctic Wolf, while driving sales, security enablement, and demand generation through Distribution led partners.

Vic also serves as the co-chair of the Women Transforming Technology Pack Unity Alliance at Arctic Wolf and is motivated by supporting others in a matrixed team environment and inspired to mentor and sponsor young women to develop their career in the Channel. With a background in mathematics, Wiesner enjoys leveraging reporting and analytics to drive business results.

Sales Executive of the Year

Brenna Farahvashi

Vice President of Inside Sales, Enterprise & Mid Market

TD SYNNEX

Brenna Farahvashi began her career at TD SYNNEX in 2006 as a Product Manager in the software division, managing key vendor software vendor relationships and building the company’s relationship with Red Hat. She soon transitioned into sales, supporting enterprise-level customers and growing that division’s revenue beyond $1B prior to the Tech Data–SYNNEX merger. Following the merger, Brenna was appointed Vice President of Inside Sales, overseeing approximately 125 sellers across Mid-Market and Enterprise segments.

She has played a pivotal role in both pre- and post-merger integration efforts, aligning sellers and go-to-market strategies. Brenna led efforts around sales team integration, account segmentation, and organizational design structure as a member of the TD SYNNEX IMO Team pre-merger. Post-merger, Brenna leads a team with a focus on enhancing operational excellence throughout the organization with specific focus on incorporating the use of AI and automation in daily tasks.

Brenna is a two-time TD SYNNEX President’s Club winner, a 2023, 2024, and 2025 Women of the Channel honoree, and TD SYNNEX’s 2022-2023 Founder’s Award winner.

Sales Executive of the Year

Therese Ferullo

Vice President, Sales

Ingram Micro Inc.

Therese Ferullo is the Vice President of Sales. In this role, Therese leads the U.S. Sales team and is responsible for National Solution Providers and Enterprise Accounts. She is also the Buffalo Campus Leader for Ingram Micro, where she is tasked with creating a positive work environment for associates and elevating Ingram Micro’s position in the Western New York Community as one of the top employers in the area.

Therese was previously a VP for Ingram Micro’s Specialty and Business Applications business, where she worked closely with vendors and partners. As an Executive Director, Therese led Business & Consumer Solutions, where she was responsible for ensuring growth across Ingram Micro’s manufacturer partners within the Business & Consumer Solutions Group.

A 20-year Ingram Micro leader with a background in retail and sales management, Therese has held a variety of business development and sales management positions within the distributor’s sales and vendor organizations, where she leverages her strong communication skills and ability to building trust partnerships.

Sales Executive of the Year

Annie Flaig

Senior Vice President of OEM and Channel Sales

Seagate Technology

Annie Flaig is a seasoned technology executive with more than two decades of global leadership experience spanning enterprise storage, compute, and cloud infrastructure. She led strategic execution for over five years, strengthening partnerships with leading U.S. cloud. In her newer and current role as head of OEM and channel sales she is bringing the value of Seagate's hard drive technology, HAMR, (heat assisted magnetic recording) deeper into the channel and to partners and distributors.

Annie has held senior leadership roles at prominent technology companies including AMD, HGST (a Western Digital company), SanDisk, and Everspin Technologies. She is recognized for her track record of scaling businesses and delivering exceptional sales performance through innovative go-to-market strategies and long-term customer partnerships across OEM, hyperscale, distribution, and enterprise segments.

Sales Executive of the Year

Jen Gallego

Executive Vice President, Global Sales

AVANT Communications

Jen Gallego joined AVANT in 2009 and is one of the company’s founding members. During her tenure with the company, Jen has played a fundamental role in leading AVANT to achieve exceptional sales growth both in the US and internationally. Jen established and expanded AVANT’s relationships with the channel’s largest VARs and System Integrators (SIs), which has helped to further drive the mutual growth and success of AVANT, its Trusted Advisors, and its vendor partners.

Just over six years ago, Jen spearheaded AVANT’s expansion into the UK market, and since that time, the company has become a channel market leader in the region. Jen began her career in 2000 at XO Communications (now Verizon), where she eventually led the Central Region Channel Team, which achieved the company’s highest sales in the U.S. under her leadership.

Sales Executive of the Year

Bryce Grow

VP, Channel – Americas

SentinelOne

Bryce Grow is a dynamic and award-winning global channel leader and partnership advisor, recognized for accelerating growth through innovative strategies. With over 25 years of experience in direct and channel sales, Bryce has honed expertise in leading-edge technologies, strategic selling methodologies and partnerships.

As VP, Channel - Americas at SentinelOne, she leads a team of 28 who are focused on building executive, services, and technical alignment with SentinelOne’s channel partners in the US, Canada, and Latin America. Bryce leverages her industry expertise and metrics-based approach to source opportunities from the partner ecosystem and deliver value to her partners and clients.

Bryce is passionate about driving digital transformation, diversity and inclusion, and building high-impact partner ecosystems. She has a track record of developing high-performing sales teams in both the direct and indirect channel. She was named Area Sales Director of the Year at Dimension Data/NTT, Global Channel Leader of the Year at Zscaler, and a four-time CRN Women of the Channel honoree.

Sales Executive of the Year

Sarah Harris

Commercial Inside Sales Vice President

SHI International Corp.

Sarah leads a 300-person commercial inside sales organization dedicated to solving complex customer challenges through world-class technology solutions. Under her leadership, this problem-solving culture consistently surpasses revenue targets, including a 20 percent year-over-year sales increase, while amplifying SHI’s market presence through strategic partnerships and relentless execution.

Her career roots span both SHI and Dell, where she built deep expertise supporting small and mid-market customers before transitioning to the commercial space. This breadth gives her a unique advantage as she deeply understands how to scale across thousands of SMB accounts and, conversely, how to build consultative relationships with CIOs and executive sponsors at larger enterprises.

Sarah’s leadership blends mentorship, inclusion, and thoughtful execution, shaped by lessons learned both in the workplace and at home as a parent of two girls. She leads with intention, clarity, and respect—believing that great results come from empowering people to show up as their best selves. Beyond SHI, she frequently speaks on sales strategy, leadership development, and advancing women in technology—advocating for growth not only within her organization but across the industry.

Sales Executive of the Year

Brenda Hudson

Senior Vice President, Commercial Sales and Sales Enablement

Insight Enterprises

Brenda Hudson assumed her role as senior vice president of commercial sales, sales enablement, and learning and development in Jan. 2021. She joined Insight in 2015 as vice president of inside sales.

Prior to joining Insight, Hudson served as executive director of sales at Dell Technologies. During her 15-year tenure, she held several sales leadership roles, including growing the business into new territories across the U.S. Hudson also held global roles developing Dell’s acquisitions strategy and supporting managed services.

Hudson earned a degree in business management from Ashford University. Before entering the IT industry at Dell, Hudson worked for American Airlines where she developed sales training programs and led global sales teams focused on expanding into new business opportunities.

Sales Executive of the Year

Molly Lozano

Vice President- Sales- Western Region

Telarus

Molly Lozano has over 23 years of experience in the industry and currently serves as the Vice President of the Western Region for Telarus, where she is instrumental in helping partners navigate the complexities of modern technology. Her leadership style is characterized by a collaborative spirit and dedication to partner success.

Molly focuses on advisor outcomes and leverages her deep understanding of supplier partnerships to architect effective solutions that maximize client satisfaction. She takes pride in delivering innovative strategies that drive exceptional results and strengthen the success of the organizations she collaborates with.

Sales Executive of the Year

Jillian Mansolf

Senior Vice President of Sales Strategy

Dell Technologies

Jillian Mansolf brings over thirty years of experience in direct and channel sales strategy, marketing, product development, services, and executive leadership. Named a CRN Channel Chief for eight consecutive years and inducted into the “Power 100” seven times, she is a respected leader in the industry.

As Senior Vice President of Sales Strategy, Jillian alligns global sales priorities with modernization efforts, while leading strategy across direct and indirect routes to market. Her proven leadership and results-driven approach are key to advancing Dell’s go-to-market strategy across all lines of business.

A people-first servant leader, Jillian is passionate about inclusion, mentorship, and professional development. She supports initiatives like Women in Action and has mentored hundreds of leaders globally. She also serves as a board advisor to several Silicon Valley venture-backed companies.

Sales Executive of the Year

Holly Oberbroeckling

Director, Channel Sales

Epicor

Holly Oberbroeckling brings over 20 years of software sales expertise with a specialized focus on distribution channels. Her entrepreneurial spirit was shaped early, growing up in a small Iowa town where she worked in her family's restaurant, famous for their homemade tacos, instilling in her a strong work ethic and customer service foundation from a young age.

Armed with formal business training and two decades of distribution software experience, Holly has built her career on developing meaningful relationships and driving sustainable growth. Currently based in Colorado, she balances her professional achievements with a passion for giving back to her community, particularly through her volunteer work with Fostering Hope, where she advocates for youth who have aged out of the foster care system.

Sales Executive of the Year

Jenna Renaud

Director of Channel, National Partnerships, North America

Barracuda Networks

For over 14 years, Jenna Renaud has worked within the channel. During her time with Barracuda, she has supported all of Barracuda's national partners, leading strategies and building teams. She is a relationship-driven, solution-oriented professional who thrives on creative energy and positive people.

Prior to joining Barracuda, Jenna worked for EDGE Memory (Avant Technologies), a memory and SSD manufacturer. There, she led a team covering many of their channel partners and had great success building out their channel strategy and programs.

Jenna has a people-oriented, friendly, can-do attitude and excellent communication skills. She is self-motivated to continually go above and beyond to help her channel partners succeed. Jenna also specializes in building meaningful and mutually beneficial partnerships, networking, and making customer service a way of life. Working closely with her sales teams, her contributions have led to continued growth year over year to help keep Barracuda top of mind with its strategic partners.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Solution Provider

Lauren Butka

Marketing Director

ECMSI

Lauren Butka is the Marketing Director at ECMSI, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing the company's marketing strategy. With a unique blend of expertise in both business and psychology, Lauren holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Youngstown State University and a Master's in Psychology from Arizona State University.

This diverse academic background allows her to approach marketing from a multi-disciplinary perspective, effectively blending strategic business insights with a deep understanding of consumer behavior. In her role at ECMSI, Lauren leads a wide range of marketing initiatives, working across various platforms and channels to drive brand awareness and growth. Lauren leads a nationwide peer group, bringing together marketing professionals to share insights, foster collaboration, and drive innovation within the industry. She is also passionate about supporting the next generation of business professionals, mentoring graduating students as they transition into the workforce and navigate the challenges of starting their careers.

Her leadership, combined with her strong communication skills and commitment to mentorship, makes her a respected figure in both her professional network and the broader marketing community.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Solution Provider

Stacey Doherty

Senior Vice President, Marketing

NRI

As the Senior Vice President of Marketing at NRI North America, Stacey brings over 25 years of experience in crafting and executing innovative marketing, communications, and business development strategies. At NRI, a leading business and technology solutions consultancy, she focuses on driving growth, enhancing profitability, and delivering impactful digital transformation by guiding channel teams from insight to execution. Her expertise lies in designing comprehensive, fully integrated marketing strategies and initiatives that align with organizational goals and deliver measurable results.

Stacey thrives on empowering organizations through data-driven marketing strategies, lead generation, and customer journey optimization while fostering seamless collaboration across internal and external teams. With a strong foundation in channel marketing, digital strategy, marketing automation, and brand management, she aims to build solutions that not only solve business challenges but also inspire long-term success. Her leadership philosophy emphasizes cross-functional synergy, clear communication, and continuous process improvement to achieve client satisfaction and retention.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Solution Provider

Linda Ford

Vice President of Marketing

Arctiq

Linda Ford is the Vice President of Marketing at Arctiq, with over 25 years of experience in the IT channel. She leads strategic marketing initiatives that drive growth, strengthen partner ecosystems, and elevate brand presence across North America. With deep expertise in channel marketing, MDF optimization, partner engagement, and event strategy, Linda has executed high-impact programs in collaboration with top technology vendors and distributors. She’s known for translating complex technology offerings into compelling campaigns that deliver measurable results, bridging strategic vision with practical execution to accelerate business outcomes.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Solution Provider

Krista Grande

Manager of Marketing

NWN

Krista Grande plays a key role in NWN’s systems integration, sales enablement, and AI-driven tool optimization for the marketing team, as well as being hand-selected by the Executive Leadership Team for a leadership development role in the Unite program.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Solution Provider

Amy Gregory

Head of Marketing

ANM

Amy Gregory is an accomplished marketing executive with over 25 years of experience in the technical services industry. She currently serves as the Head of Marketing at ANM, where she leads a high-performing team focused on driving brand awareness, accelerating pipeline, and aligning closely with sales to fuel company growth.

Prior to joining ANM, Amy spent 18 years at OneNeck IT Solutions, now US Signal, holding key leadership roles including Corporate Marketing Director and Director of Product Marketing. During her tenure, she helped shape the company’s brand, go-to-market strategy, and product positioning, contributing to its evolution into a national IT services provider.

Known for her strategic mindset and collaborative leadership style, Amy has built a career on translating complex technology into clear, compelling messaging that resonates with both customers and partners. She is passionate about building strong teams, adapting to change, and delivering measurable results

Marketing Executive of the Year - Solution Provider

Rachel Haag

Chief Marketing Officer

GuidePoint Security

Rachel has over 15 years of experience and is a seasoned marketing leader who drives forward-thinking, data-driven marketing strategies with high-performing teams across diverse channels, spanning partner and vendor landscapes. As the head of Marketing at GuidePoint Security, Rachel leads the marketing organization and practices while cultivating relationships to propel success in cybersecurity solutions, always prioritizing customer-centric approaches.

Before joining GuidePoint Security, Rachel excelled in steering innovative marketing strategies and initiatives focused on partnership-driven growth across various software technologies, including cybersecurity, enterprise workflow automation and logistics solutions. At Workato, as the Global Partner Marketing and Program Leader, she orchestrated a comprehensive Global Partner Program, resulting in the expansion of partner enablement certifications and partner-sourced revenue growth. At Uber Freight, as Head of Marketing, Rachel led the Product Marketing team and redefined the branding strategy, positioning Uber Freight as a thought leader in the logistics industry. During her tenure as Director of Global Revenue Marketing at Cisco Cloud Security, Rachel spearheaded innovative demand-generation strategies and comprehensive digital marketing programs for consistent year-over-year growth.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Solution Provider

Kristina O'Connell

Chief Marketing Officer

Thrive

With a proven track record spanning over three decades in the tech industry, Kristina brings to an unparalleled wealth of knowledge and expertise in brand development, creative innovation, and marketing strategy. Her unique insights and extensive experience have previously driven success in marketing leadership roles across diverse technology domains, including networking, storage, enterprise software, SaaS, and AI-powered software.

Before joining Thrive, Kristina managed marketing at WiTricity, where she helped build and develop the market for electric vehicle wireless charging (B2B2C) from an MIT spin-out to commercialization. O’Connell served ExaGrid for a decade, defining brand and creative strategy in the Tiered Backup Storage enterprise market. At F5 Networks, she led the company’s worldwide marketing and was instrumental in helping F5 pioneer the load-balancing market from startup through IPO to #1 in global market share.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Solution Provider

Heather Rim

Chief Marketing Officer

Optiv

Heather Rim is a global marketing and communications executive with over 25 years of experience helping organizations grow with purpose, lead through transformation and connect meaningfully with clients and communities. She currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer at Optiv, a $3.7B cybersecurity leader, where she leads brand and demand strategy, builds global teams and partners closely with the business to drive growth and deepen trust.

Heather has led marketing and communications organizations of up to 300 and has helped guide companies through M&A, brand reinvention, innovation and ESG initiatives. Her cross-industry background spans cybersecurity, infrastructure, healthcare, professional services and media, equipping her with a unique ability to translate complexity into clarity and relevance.

A trusted partner to C-suites and boards, Heather is known for advancing brand leadership, stakeholder engagement and long-term business impact. She also serves as a nonprofit board member and advisor, with a deep commitment to mentorship and community involvement.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Solution Provider

Janet Valvano

Senior Director - Marketing and Events

SHI International

SHI has been Janet Valvano’s professional home since 1992, when she joined as a recent college graduate and the company’s first-ever marketing hire— “marketing assistant” to President & CEO, Thai Lee. Over the next three decades, she grew alongside SHI, transforming its marketing department into a strategic engine that fuels growth, strengthens partnerships, and drives customer engagement.

Today, Janet serves as the Senior Director of Marketing and Events for SHI, leading a 27-person marketing events team that delivers more than 500 events every year. Among these are SHI’s flagship Summits, featuring a 50+ vendor showcase, curated content tracks, and keynote speakers from across the industry. These events have become critical to SHI’s go-to-market strategy, driving pipeline growth, strengthening partner relationships, and enabling sales teams to better serve their customers.

Her leadership philosophy—"it’s good to be uncomfortable”—has fostered a team culture that embraces experimentation, adapts quickly, and consistently delivers high-impact experiences. This mindset led to the adoption of hybrid event formats to expand SHI’s reach, the creation of SHI’s Executive Briefing Center as a hub for customer engagement, and successful execution of the grand opening of SHI’s AI & Cyber Labs earlier this year

Marketing Executive of the Year - Solution Provider

Dori White

VP Field and Partner Marketing

ePlus Technology

Dori White is a dynamic and results-driven Marketing Executive with a proven track record of driving measurable growth, brand elevation, and partner engagement across the technology sector. With over two decades of leadership experience, Dori has transformed marketing organizations into strategic growth engines, aligning brand vision with business outcomes.

Currently serving as Vice President of Field and Partner Marketing at ePlus Technology, inc., she works closely with partners, sales, and ePlus strategy teams to develop, promote, and execute innovative marketing initiatives to highlight ePlus solutions that help customers reach their desired outcomes.

Her prior roles include leading marketing at Presidio and CA Technology, where she launched demand generation programs, grew partner relationships, and go to market strategies. She has created award winning campaigns, and her broad experience and creativity has placed her on Marketing Advisory Councils for NetApp, VMware, and Pure Storage, making her a trusted voice in the partner ecosystem.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Solution Provider

Mary Catherine Wilson

Chief Marketing Officer

Future Tech

Experienced Marketing and Channel Executive, Mary Catherine Wilson is a leader that cares deeply about customers, growing the business, and developing teams. She held leadership positions at Accenture and Dell across management consulting, operations, global channel, and marketing. She built and led Channel Marketing & Programs for Dell where she led the strategy and delivery of Dell’s Partner Program and marketing in US and Canada. Her focus was Partner Enablement, Partner Growth, and the evolution of Dell’s channel program.

CRN named her in the Power 100 Women of the Channel for ten years, “Top 30 in their 30’s” Channel Executive, and Solution Provider 80. She sat on a non-profit board giving back to the Austin community for four years. Currently, Mary Catherine serves as Chief Marketing Officer for Future Tech, a 2023 Triple Crown: Solution Provider 500, Tech Elite 250 and Fast Growth 150.

She is responsible for partnerships and all marketing functions including brand, experiential, communications, digital, marcom, and the field to deliver business outcomes. She has a passion for listening to customers and translating feedback and insights into solutions.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Tricia Atchison

Vice President, Global Partner & Americas Marketing

Equinix

Tricia Atchison is Vice President of Global Partner & Americas Marketing at Equinix and is responsible for the development and execution of high-impact global partner and regional partner marketing planning and execution. She is also responsible for creating field marketing programs in the Americas that generate account engagement and pipeline.

Prior to Equinix, Tricia was the Vice President of WW Partner Engagement & Experience at Citrix and was responsible for the development and execution of global partner marketing, enablement, communication, recruitment, and infrastructure programs to support strategic partner objectives. She has worked in the channel for 20+ years and has held various partner leadership positions with Seagate Software, Veritas Software, Symantec, and CA Technologies.

Tricia is a graduate of the University of Central Florida. She is a member of the Women of the Channel Advisory Board and has been recognized as a Woman of the Channel and Channel Power 100 each year since 2012.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Jennifer Bodell

Corporate Vice President of Marketing

Pax8

As CVP of Marketing, Jennifer is responsible for channel event strategy, education, and enablement. She also leads global marketing programs to drive success for the various members of the Pax8 ecosystem, including vendors and partners.

Before joining Pax8, Jennifer held multiple channel-focused leadership positions at StorageCraft. She has earned several accolades, including CRN’s Women of the Channel Power 100, Top Channel Chiefs, and 100 People You Don’t Know But Should. She has also been recognized as HTG’s Presenter of the Year and was named a Rising Star by the Utah American Marketing Association. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business communications from the University of Utah.

Being a true Leo, Jennifer’s creativity and confidence came early. Dancing, gymnastics, and cheerleading fueled her love of public performance. Now, she speaks at industry events, telling the Pax8 story and promoting the company’s value.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Gabie Boko

Chief Marketing Officer

NetApp

Gabie Boko is a business trailblazer currently serving as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at NetApp. She draws on her deep experience as a business, marketing, and technology leader to help shape NetApp’s evolution as the leading intelligent data infrastructure company.

A 25-year veteran in the tech industry, Gabie is known for her work spearheading business transformations at high-impact companies such as HPE, SAP, Sage, and Cognos. Prior to becoming NetApp CMO in January 2023, Gabie led the company’s Portfolio Marketing organization. As a visionary business leader, Gabie relentlessly prioritizes a customer-first mindset. Among traditional marketing practices, she applies distinct strategies that anticipate future industry trends and adeptly navigates uncharted territories. This is driven by her proven certitude that marketing is much more than promotion and branding; it is about driving high impact outcomes and creating the right market for customer needs.

Gabie is resolute in her commitment to revolutionize the face of Marketing and amplify its influence on business growth, strategy, and vision.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Brooke Cunningham

Chief Marketing Officer

LogicMonitor

Brooke Cunningham is Chief Marketing Officer at LogicMonitor, where she leads the global marketing organization. With 27 years of experience in B2B software—specifically in data, analytics, observability and security—Brooke has built a career championing partner-led growth and redefining how marketing drives impact across the channel.

She is widely recognized as an industry leader in partner marketing, having previously held executive roles at companies including SAP, Qlik, Splunk, Datto, and inriver. Notably, at Datto as CMO, she played a key role in the company’s $6.2B acquisition by Kaseya, and at Splunk, she helped grow revenue from $650M to over $2.5B.

At LogicMonitor, Brooke is driving scalable, outcome-based marketing aligned to company-wide growth goals. She is focused on building for scale and driving outcome-based integrated marketing models that align with LogicMonitor’s overall strategic mission.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Marlena Fernandez

VP, Marketing

Scale Computing

Marlena Fernandez has more than 20 years of results-oriented global marketing experience helping organizations reach their business, marketing and sales goals. Currently, she is the Vice President of Marketing for Scale Computing. Fernandez is responsible for all aspects of marketing, with a focus on positioning the brand as a leader in the hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI), edge computing and virtualization markets.

Prior to joining Scale Computing, Fernandez served in a number of leadership positions including Senior Marketing Director for Avoka, Vice President of Marketing at Cloud Lending Solutions and Managing Director for JustSmart Communications.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Aliona Groh

Senior Vice President of Brand

ThreatLocker

Aliona Groh is a transformative marketing executive with almost three decades of experience driving brand growth, demand generation, and strategic communications across the technology and aerospace sectors. As Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing at ThreatLocker, a global cybersecurity leader, Groh leads a dynamic team focused on elevating brand impact, enhancing customer experience, and delivering measurable growth through bold, customer-centric storytelling.

Prior to joining ThreatLocker, Groh served as Managing Director of Growth Marketing at Allari, where she spearheaded a comprehensive rebranding initiative and positioned the company for scalable growth. Her leadership has also guided marketing transformation efforts at Adacel, where she directed global strategy and internal communications, and at Embraer, where she spent more than seven years shaping marketing content strategy and global campaign execution for one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Monica Kumar

Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer

Extreme Networks

Monica Kumar is the Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Extreme Networks, leading the company’s go-to-market strategy and global marketing organization focused on initiatives that elevate the company’s brand and unique value proposition to drive customer and revenue growth.

With more than 20 years of experience in enterprise technology, Monica has an extensive history of accelerating growth through compelling product differentiation as well as championing business transformation, sustainability, and equity initiatives. She is a passionate advocate for inclusion and belonging and supports those initiatives as an active board member for UPWARD Women and City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley, and as a founding member of Neythri Futures Fund.

Prior to joining Extreme, Monica served as CMO at Hitachi Vantara, where she launched Hitachi’s new brand strategy and narrative, and led a product simplification strategy that brought the company’s portfolio of data storage products together into one easy-to-consume, scalable, and resilient platform. Previously, she served as SVP of Marketing and Cloud go-to-market at Nutanix and spent more than 20 years at Oracle in a variety of marketing roles, most notably as the CMO of the Oracle Data Management and Database Cloud business.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Jessica McDowell

SVP, North America Marketing and Digital Customer Success

TD SYNNEX

Jessica McDowell is Senior Vice President of North America Marketing and Digital Customer Success at TD SYNNEX, a leading global IT distributor and solutions aggregator. With over 16 years at the company, Jessica has steadily advanced through roles of increasing responsibility, most recently overseeing security and networking prior to stepping into her current marketing leadership position.

An award winning channel executive, Jessica is passionate about orchestrating inventive go to market strategies that deliver tangible business results. She is committed to human centric leadership, emphasizing listening, empathy, and trusted advisor relationships that drive organizational growth.

Jessica’s modern marketing vision for TD SYNNEX includes amplifying digital engagement, strengthening partner enablement through platforms, leveraging data to drive personalized customer experiences and outcomes. She believes in the power of being bold, and she is taking that approach in reinforcing TD SYNNEX’s brand identity across the North American market.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Christina Nairn

Senior Director, Americas Marketing

Sophos

Christina leads marketing for the Americas at Sophos, overseeing demand generation, channel, and sales development teams across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. With 20+ years in the tech industry, most of it in cybersecurity, she’s passionate about building programs that drive real results, developing high-performing teams, and helping partners grow their business.

Whether it’s scaling new marketing models, integrating global teams, or introducing AI to accelerate how we work, she’s always focused on making marketing more impactful and more human. Christina loves what she does because it’s at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and connection—with customers, partners, and teams.

She’s been fortunate to earn industry recognition along the way, but her proudest moments come from seeing team members step into leadership, programs exceed their goals, and our partners win more together.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Kate Schlarf

VP, Marketing

Moovila

Kate Schlarf is a data driven marketer specializing in B2B marketing. As the VP Growth Marketing at Moovila, Kate is focused on growing awareness of Moovila's products, exploring new channels of engagement, and partnering with Sales to drive revenue.

Prior to joining Moovila, Kate built the Marketing Operations and Demand Generation functions at Sonoco, a global packaging and recycling company. While there, Kate grew the digital engagement of the company around the world, marketing to and partnering with global customers including Nestlé, Pfizer, Kellogg's, and Duracell. In addition to Sonoco, Kate has worked at HealthTech startup Truepill as well as Fortune 500 packaging manufacturer Berry Global. Kate's versatility as a marketer is driven by the variety of roles she has held throughout her career including product marketing, competitive intelligence, growth marketing, and marketing operations.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Geraldine Tunnell

Chief Marketing Officer

Dell Technologies

Geraldine (Gerri) Tunnell is the chief marketing officer for Dell Technologies. She is directly responsible for the global marketing organization strategy and all aspects of Dell’s marketing efforts. This includes brand, creative, online and media, demand intelligence, product, field and partner marketing and corporate communications.

Gerri believes we are experiencing a rare seismic shift with AI and GenAI, where the intersection of marketing’s art and science is redefining how we serve customers and achieve impactful business outcomes.

Since joining Dell in 2005, she has been instrumental in driving transformation and customer-focused strategies across all of Dell’s businesses and product lines in various marketing capacities. Prior to becoming CMO, Gerri was senior vice president of Global Field and Partner Marketing.

Marketing Executive of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Jaclyn Woodward

Head of Partner Marketing

Illumio

Jaclyn is a dedicated channel and alliance professional with a passion for tackling new challenges. Currently, she serves as the Head of Partner Marketing at Illumio, leading the company’s global partner marketing strategy across all routes to market. Previously, she spent four years at Tanium in various roles within their partner organization. As a Senior Global Partner Marketing Manager at Tanium, she significantly increased their partner-sourced pipeline through unique campaigns, ran numerous technical boot camps, launched a revamped partner sales enablement campaign, and managed partner engagements at global events.

Before transitioning to marketing, Jaclyn served as Tanium’s Global Partner Programs Manager, where she launched the Tanium Partner Advantage program, developed the partner portal, and established a robust partner onboarding process. Prior to Tanium, she worked at VMware as a Partner Enablement Manager, leading the internal enablement strategy for their partner-facing sales team.

Role Model of the Year - Solution Provider

Mindy Baggett

Client Director

Bluum

Mindy Baggett is a Client Director at Bluum with over 20 years of experience helping businesses and schools grow. As an Account Executive at Troxell Communications since 2017, she specializes in helping schools find the right technology for their classrooms, auditoriums, and labs.

What sets Mindy apart is her dual perspective - she’s worked as both an administrator and athletic director, and in business development. At Gilbert Public Schools, she managed operations for over 1,000 students, giving her firsthand insight into how schools function.
Her business results speak for themselves: she increased revenue by 28% at a dental practice, reduced collection times from 88 days to 20 days at a broadcast company and expanded territories that generated millions in new revenue. She excels at building teams and training employees to help businesses run more efficiently.

Whether working with small charter schools or large districts, Mindy focuses on finding solutions that work for educators and fit their budgets. She understands that every school is unique and takes time to match the right products with specific needs.

Role Model of the Year - Solution Provider

Judith Breen

Vice President Partner Alliances and Portfolio Solutions

Insight Enterprises

Judith Breen is a visionary leader who has recently been promoted to Vice President, Partner Alliances and Portfolio Solutions at Insight Canada. With over 29 years of experience in the technology industry, Judith has been instrumental in driving the success of Insight Canada over the past 7 years. Her strategic vision and leadership have significantly contributed to the company's growth and achievements.

Before joining Insight, Judith spent 14 years at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, excelling in roles across sales strategy, sales, international business, and sales operations. Her academic journey includes studies in business and psychology at Concordia University and the University of Quebec in Montreal, and because she believes in always learning, she recently completed a mini-MBA at McGill University.

Judith is deeply passionate about mentoring individuals and building high-performing teams. She believes in leading from the front, embracing diversity of thought as a cornerstone of success, and upholding the highest standards of conduct in all endeavors. Her dedication to her teammates and commitment to their growth and development are key aspects of her leadership style.

Role Model of the Year - Solution Provider

Tanaz Choudhury

President and CEO

Tanches Global Management

Tanaz Choudhury is the Founder and CEO of TanChes Global Management, a Houston-based, minority woman-owned IT firm specializing in cybersecurity, hybrid cloud, and digital transformation. A first-generation immigrant and visionary entrepreneur, Tanaz has spent over 20 years bridging the gap between education, technology, and community empowerment.

Under her leadership, TanChes has received numerous national honors, including CRN’s Women of the Channel Power 100 and Inclusive Channel Leader awards. She is a passionate advocate for diversity in tech and a driving force behind apprenticeship programs that create real opportunities for underrepresented talent.

Guided by her motto, “Power with Purpose,” Tanaz is known for blending business innovation with heartfelt mentorship and inclusive leadership.

Role Model of the Year - Solution Provider

Shannon Ludwig

Sr VP of Regional Sales

NWN

Shannon founded her own technology company with a team of 8 in 1999, which was later acquired by NWN, a testament to her long-standing commitment to growth, innovation, and leadership in this industry. Shannon now leads NWN’s SLED sales team recognized as the top-producing region for NC Public Sector—one of Cisco’s highest-performing regions nationwide.

Role Model of the Year - Solution Provider

Jennifer Roy

CEO

Nucleus Networks

Role Model of the Year - Solution Provider

Becky L. Schultz

VP of Sales, Majors

Optiv

Becky Schultz is a Vice President who leads with integrity, clarity and a strong commitment to growth – for both her team and the business. She has a proven track record of leadership in client management, regional strategy of sales and performance. In addition, she’s held key roles such as Regional Director, Client Director and Sales Leader – bringing depth, consistency and results across every level of the organization.

Her impact extends beyond her core role – she also serves as chairperson of several committees. She is a champion for authenticity in leadership and is passionate about empowering people she works with in her personal and professional life.

Role Model of the Year - Solution Provider

Amie Seisay

CEO/Founder

Seisay IT Solutions

Amie Seisay, owner of Seisay IT Solutions, has over 20 years of experience in the IT field, working in numerous professional environments. Amie’s credentials include both a bachelor's and a master’s degree in Computer Science.

Through the years, Amie has broadened her professional experience and technical expertise through her work with a number of small, mid, and large-size businesses. It was through this work that Amie discovered her true passion: to work one-on-one with clients to understand their specific needs and develop customized technology and IT solutions to improve their business processes. As a result, Amie decided to formalize her consulting services as a Microsoft Partner under the moniker Seisay IT Solutions to provide consulting services tailored to her client’s needs.

Role Model of the Year - Solution Provider

Kelly Storie

Director of Inside Sales

SHI International Corp.

With over 15 years at SHI International, Kelly Storie has shaped the careers of numerous individuals through mentorship, development, and a commitment to purposeful leadership across Inside Sales and Learning & Development.

As Director of Inside Sales for Canada & Strategic Divisions, Kelly leads multiple high-performing teams focused on client engagement, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration. Quite the “professional matchmaker,” she thoughtfully pairs her client success managers with the right clients—boosting earning potential by 5% or more annually for 70% of her team.

Earlier in her career, Kelly played a foundational role in SHI’s Learning & Development division, where she trained nearly 1,000 Inside Account Managers. Her guidance, presence, and steady encouragement helped lay the groundwork for lasting success—more than 300 of those professionals still thrive at SHI today.

Role Model of the Year - Solution Provider

Kandyce Tripp

Managing Director, Business Group Lead for Accenture Ecosystem Partners

Accenture Security

Kandyce is the Managing Director and Business Group Lead for Accenture Ecosystem Partners. She brings extensive leadership experience from her tenure at IBM, where she most recently served as Managing Director of MSP Programs, driving revenue growth and developing the MSP Program. Previously, she was Managing Partner of Global Cybersecurity Services Alliances at IBM Consulting, leading the creation of a strategic alliance program and managing key technology partnerships.

Before IBM, Kandyce was Vice President at Palo Alto Networks, where she built go-to-market frameworks, sales channels, and global alliances to drive growth. Her career also includes leadership roles at Polycom, Booz Allen Hamilton, SunTrust, and Avaya.

Kandyce has earned numerous accolades, including being named a "Power 100" Women in the Channel by CRN six times (2012–2018) and a "Woman of the Channel" fourteen times (2012–2025). She was also recognized as a "Channel Chief" from 2023 to 2025.

Role Model of the Year - Solution Provider

Ella Trubacheva

VP, Human Resources

Arctiq Inc.

Ella is a VP of HR in the tech space and a passionate advocate for women in leadership. She moved to Canada 20 years ago as an immigrant from Eastern Europe and has been grinding ever since, juggling work, school, and parenting while building a successful career from the ground up.

Over the years, she has held several leadership roles, always bringing empathy, resilience, and a people-first mindset to the table. She has especially committed to creating space for women to grow, lead, and thrive in the workplace, mentoring, encouraging, and opening doors for others along the way.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Kim Carlton

Director, US Distribution and Partner Enablement

Intel

Kim Carlton is Director of U.S. Distribution and Partner Enablement at Intel Corporation. She leads Intel’s distribution channel strategy and oversees partner investment and go-to-market execution across the U.S.

Since joining Intel in 2000, Kim has held a range of leadership roles within the Sales and Marketing Group, including vertical marketing, channel sales, and partner development with some of Intel’s most strategic customers. She has also led external sales teams and driven key ecosystem engagement initiatives.

Prior to Intel, Kim held leadership positions at GTE, AT&T Wireless—where she helped launch wireless services in Chicagoland—and Target Corporation, managing store operations across the Midwest.

Kim holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Stout and an MBA from the University of Illinois. She is an advocate for women in tech, having served on the board of Intel’s Women at Intel Network and currently sits on the Women of the Channel Advisory Board. She also founded Intel’s Partner Innovation Community and is active in The Channel Company’s leadership forums.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Larissa Crandall

Global Vice President of Channel and Alliances

New Relic

Larissa Crandall is a highly decorated, collaborative leader who has led channel and sales teams in the technology sector for over a decade. She holds the position of Global Vice President of Global Channel and Alliances at New Relic currently. Prior was Global Vice President of Channel & Alliances at Veeam, where she successfully built the company's first global partner program, rebuilt the certification and enablement program, and accelerated partner-initiated revenue.

Prior to this, Larissa led the Global Channel and Alliances organizations at Gigamon and held senior executive roles at Scalr and Unitrends. Larissa also serves on the Baptie & Company Channel Advisory Board, a leading global community for individuals running sophisticated channel ecosystems.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Nina Harding

Corporate Vice President

Microsoft

Nina Harding is the Corporate Vice President of Global Partner Solutions, Americas for Microsoft. She and her team work to drive customer transformation by empowering partners to unlock greater agility and efficiency. The Microsoft GPS Americas business is responsible for the overall health of the partner ecosystem. The organization is comprised of multiple partner-facing specialists who work in lockstep with partners to maximize the benefits our customers realize from their Microsoft investments.

Nina has extensive experience working with partners to accelerate joint success. Prior to joining Microsoft, a worldwide organization at Google to grow the company’s partner ecosystem. Prior, she spent 13 years with SAP as the VP of Global Business Development and Sales Programming and held partner and customer leadership roles at Cacheon and Oracle.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

MeiLee Langley

Vice President, Global Indirect Marketing

Nextiva

MeiLee Langley is the Vice President of Global Indirect Marketing at Nextiva and a standout role model in the technology industry. With more than 13 years of experience, she has built and led award-winning channel programs at top tech companies including LiveVox, 8x8, and RingCentral. At Nextiva, she spearheaded a bold revitalization of its Channel Program, launched an industry-first demand generation agency for partners, and drove record-setting growth—while redefining what it means to lead with heart in a high-performance environment.

Recognized for her innovation and impact, MeiLee was named one of the 2023 Top 50 Channel Influencers, inducted into the Channel Partners Circle of Excellence, honored with the ACW LEAD Award, and is an eight-time CRN Women of the Channel honoree. She’s also a nine-time Stevie Award winner for Women in Business across multiple categories throughout 2022 - 2024.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Brook Lee

Vice President of Community and Channel

Liongard

Brook is currently the Vice President of Community and Channel at Liongard, but began her career in IT in the corporate sector. She later moved to the MSP space and really found her niche in IT. Starting from the ground up, she has worked in all aspects of an MSP from dispatch to engineer to project management to vCIO to COO. Rebuilding MSPs while working as a consultant allowed her to help hundreds of people and companies be able to grow and mature. Since joining the Channel, she has found a new space to be passionate about her love of IT and an avenue to help those passions grow to fruition.

Brook works relentlessly to bring a spotlight to women in the channel and technical space by pushing events and planners to include women on keynotes and major panels. She also teaches sessions on everything from how to grow your MSP to hiring and retaining women to rebuilding your help desk and leadership development. In addition, she consults with various vendors on GTM strategies solutions.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Maria Martinez

Head of Strategic National Partners

Check Point

Maria is a seasoned Senior Channel Leader with over 20 years of success driving partner, alliance, and distribution sales across the U.S., Latin America, and Canada. She excels in aligning channel strategies with corporate goals, managing P&L, and leading go-to-market initiatives.

A high-EQ, motivational leader, Maria is known for developing strong teams and consistently exceeding performance targets. Her expertise spans sales management, channel marketing, operations, and business development.

Maria began her channel career in the presentation industry with brands like InFocus, ViewSonic, and NEC, later transitioning to video collaboration at Logitech, where she built impactful channel programs. Today, she thrives in the dynamic and high-stakes world of cybersecurity—a field she finds both fast-paced and deeply rewarding.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Hope McCluskey

Director of Channel Marketing & Events

ESET North America

Hope is a transformative leader in the IT channel who exemplifies a deep commitment to empowering other women. Over the past year, she has continued to lead with vision and compassion, most notably through my work with Promises2Kids’ Guardian Scholars program. There, she mentors young women within the foster care system, helping them build confidence, set personal and professional goals, and develop resilience to thrive in adulthood.

In addition to her corporate leadership, Hope has been a dedicated mentor in the Torch leadership and mentoring program for five years, guiding women across the tech industry through career transitions, leadership development, and personal growth. Her mentorship has helped dozens of women find their voice and advance in their careers. She has also actively participated in her company’s internal Women of the Workplace initiative, where she empowers future women leaders to speak out, be heard, and lead with confidence. Through this platform, she fosters a culture of inclusion and courage, encouraging women to step into leadership roles and advocate for themselves and others. Her influence is both wide-reaching and deeply personal, and her passion for lifting others makes her not only a leader in IT, but a champion for women everywhere.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Tracey Mead

VP Alliances and Channels

Contrast Security

In a field where women remain underrepresented, Tracey has worked to not just open doors, but keep them open for others. She leads with integrity and a servant leadership mindset shaped by 25 years in the IT channel. Her focus is on setting a strong example and creating space for others to grow.

Over the past year, Tracy has mentored women across the channel. One of her mentees, then a junior vendor manager at a reseller, used her sessions to build confidence and define her goals. She’s now a Sr. Director.

At Black Hat, Tracey hosted a women’s leadership breakfast with more than 25 attendees. They discussed real challenges in the workplace and how to overcome them, together. Inside Contrast, she's coached cross-functional teams, many new to the channel, on how to build effective partnerships. She’s also guided Contrast’s sales team on what strong partner engagement looks like.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Cheryl Rang

Vice President, Technology Solutions

Ingram Micro

Cheryl Rang is responsible for driving the business strategy, partner development, and overall growth of the Vendor portfolio in the US. As VP, Cheryl spearheads the management of critical Vendor Categories, including Modern Infrastructure & IaaS, Networking & Security, and Modern Workforce. She collaborates with strategic partners like AWS, Dell, HPE, Lenovo, Fortinet, and Palo Alto to foster innovation and deliver exceptional solutions to clients.

With a focus on leading the evolution of business initiatives aimed at next-gen business partners and practice building, Cheryl is dedicated to maximizing the use of the Xvantage Platform, leveraging its capabilities to enhance sales strategies, streamline processes, and deliver superior results. Her efforts have resulted in significant revenue growth, improved partner satisfaction, and a strengthened market presence for Ingram Micro.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Patty Scire

Sr. Director, NA Channel Program and Operations

Dell Technologies

With over 30 years of industry experience, Patty is a seasoned leader in the Channel, known for her deep expertise and strategic insight. As the head of Program Strategy and Operations for North America Channel at Dell Technologies, she is committed to enhancing the partner experience and driving profitability through innovative programs. Her leadership has fueled double-digit channel growth and the successful rollout of multiple initiatives.

Patty is recognized for her collaborative approach, sound decision-making, and strong emotional intelligence, which enable her to build trusted relationships across the business. Previously, she led channel sales operations, overseeing revenue planning and business strategy. She also played a key role in shaping EMC’s Business Partner Program, helping to establish foundational partner management functions. Patty’s impact is consistently reflected in the growth and success of the organizations she supports.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Regina Vignone

Vice President of Mid-Market Sales

Sophos

Regina Vignone is a results-oriented senior executive with over two decades of expertise in IT channel sales and cybersecurity leadership. As VP of Midmarket Sales at Sophos, she drives revenue growth through strategic direct and channel sales initiatives while building high-performing teams that serve as trusted cybersecurity advisors.

Regina excels at developing talent and enabling sales teams to exceed targets through comprehensive training and mentorship. Her collaborative approach extends across all organizational levels, fostering strong partnerships with marketing, operations, inside sales, and support teams, as well as external customers and channel partners.

Known for her relationship-building acumen and cross-functional leadership style, Regina has consistently delivered exceptional results throughout her career. She combines deep industry knowledge with a hands-on management philosophy, creating environments where teams thrive and partnerships flourish.

Role Model of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Kaitlin Waite

Director, Global Partner Marketing

Expel

Kaitlin Waite is a partner marketing professional who enjoys working with and through partners to drive mutual success. Her experience through multiple positions across distribution, vendors, channels, and alliances has given her the ability to work across organizational boundaries. She thrives on creating new processes to help organizations stay efficient and on top of their partner relationships.

Kaitlin started her career at Carahsoft, where she was able to learn all aspects of the technology world between event planning, partnership development, email marketing, social media, and so much more. This awakened a curiosity into the partner space, which led Kaitlin to CloudBees to lead its partner marketing organization. During that time, she launched two partner programs and two partner portals while also managing the company's cloud relationships. After four years, she moved to Lacework, where she led its global partner marketing strategy.

In mid 2023, Kaitlin moved to Expel to work on the messaging side of partner marketing and worked closely with the team on its partner program launch in September 2023. In 2024, Kaitlin was promoted to lead the partner marketing organization at Expel as the Director of Global Partner Marketing.

Executive Mentor of the Year

Kelsey Besser

Director of Inside Sales, Americas

Arctic Wolf

Kelsey Besser is the Director of Inside Sales, Americas at Arctic Wolf, where she leads a team of sales professionals for North America, Latin America, and global support to deliver premium cybersecurity solutions through a 100% channel-based model. With over 10 years of sales leadership experience in the SaaS Technology industry, Kelsey has established herself as an expert in building high-performing teams and programs in technology all around the globe.

Her commitment to developing talent extends beyond her direct sales teams. Kelsey co-leads Arctic Wolf's Women Transforming Technology group, fostering growth, community, and belonging for over 450+ Arctic Wolf employees, and helped create and launch "SHEwolf," an extension of WTT designed to support women throughout Arctic Wolf's partner ecosystem. Through her formal mentoring relationships and advocacy for women in technology, Kelsey is passionate about developing the next generation of leaders and creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive.

Executive Mentor of the Year

Crystal Ferreira

Global Head Channels & Alliances

Logitech

Crystal is a distinguished leader in the IT Channel, bringing nearly 30 years of experience collaborating with global technology vendors. Currently, she serves as the Global Channel Chief & Head of Global and North American Channel Sales at Logitech, where she is instrumental in crafting and executing Logitech’s business channel sales strategy. Crystal excels in nurturing partnerships with Distributors, Systems Integrators (SIs), Value-Added Resellers (VARs), and ecosystem Alliances.

Her success is rooted in a partner-first approach, driving go-to-market strategies that ensure a seamless and enriching business experience. Crystal is committed to empowering partners to achieve growth by offering solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes. With a career spanning leadership roles in data networking, unified communications, and optical transport, she has adeptly navigated the complexities of digital and communications transformation.

Executive Mentor of the Year

Sabine Howest

Senior Vice President, Platform Services and Support

Ingram Micro Inc.

Sabine Howest, Senior Vice President of Global Platform Services and Support at Ingram Micro, she leads the company's platform service centers located in Asia and Eastern Europe. Her global team is responsible for engaging Ingram Micro's customers and vendors, providing essential support to external partners and internal associates, and playing a critical role in the growing success of Ingram Micro's digital journey.

Prior to leading Ingram Micro’s services and support center, Sabine oversaw the digital operations team responsible for the development, growing adoption, and continued scale of Ingram Micro’s digital experience platform Xvantage. Her commercial product team was instrumental in the platform’s innovation cycle and remains a strategic part of Ingram Micro’s transformation to become a platform business.

Since joining Ingram Micro in 2009, Sabine has held various go-to-market and vendor-management roles throughout Europe and the US. In 2021, she became one of the first global executives appointed to lead and execute the company's vision and innovation for the Xvantage platform. A multi-lingual global executive, Sabine is celebrated for her inquisitive mind, inclusive nature, and transformative leadership. Over the years, she has earned many accolades including being named to the CRN Power 100 and a CRN Most Inclusive business leader.

Executive Mentor of the Year

Calhoun McKinney

VP, North America Go-to-Market

TD SYNNEX

As leader of North America Go to Market at TD SYNNEX, Calhoun focuses on connecting partners with technology and growth opportunities, as well as providing strategic guidance to vendors to help them maximize their marketing investments. She has been recognized four times by CRN’s Women of the Channel and received the 2023–2024 TD SYNNEX Founder’s Award. Known for challenging industry norms, she has driven multibillion-dollar strategies for Fortune 100 clients and played key roles in the historic mergers for TD SYNNEX. Calhoun is passionate about developing leaders, promoting parent-friendly workplace culture, and giving back—serving on the boards of TD SYNNEX Share the Magic, 21 Vets, and A Child’s Haven.

Executive Mentor of the Year

Andrea Morrison

CPO

NWN

Andrea Morrison is the Chief People Officer at NWN, responsible for ensuring the company is positioned as an employer of choice through programs focused on people strategy, talent acquisition, total rewards, ID&E, and leadership development efforts. She plays a critical role as an advisor to the Executive Leadership team by ensuring scalable HR solutions and supporting the organization’s growth-oriented culture. Previously, Andrea served for nine years as an active-duty Army Officer and with the Massachusetts National Guard. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Executive Mentor of the Year

Alicia Olson

Vice President, Communications and Engagement

Optiv

Alicia Olson is a global communications executive with more than two decades experience in strategic communications that drive business outcomes, engage stakeholders and builds brands.

As vice president of communications and engagement for Optiv, the cyber advisory and solutions leader, she oversees all aspects of global corporate communications, including executive and crisis communications, employee communications, media relations, analyst relations, social media, corporate marketing content, and reputation and change management. She’s also responsible for events and corporate social responsibility.

Olson joined Optiv from Ovintiv (formerly Encana Oil and Gas), one of the largest producers of oil, condensate and natural gas in North America, where she served as director of internal communications for the Americas. Previously, she held senior corporate communications, media relations and content creation roles at companies including the Financial Planning Standards Board and Lawscomm Communications.

Executive Mentor of the Year

Alicia Rasta

Vice President & Head of Global Sales

Televerde

Alicia Rasta is the Vice President and Head of Global Sales at Televerde, a global sales and marketing company that provides inside sales, demand generation, and customer experience solutions to B2B businesses around the world. The company’s unique business model provides career opportunities to individuals in disempowered communities, specifically incarcerated women.

Rasta has been with Televerde for more than 15 years, working her way up through the company onto the executive team. As Vice President and Head of Global Sales, she thrives on working with prospective customers, architecting bespoke programs for clients that deliver tangible ROI, and partnering with Fortune 500 companies across all industries.

Additionally, Rasta's personal journey fuels her advocacy for second-chance employment. She has been instrumental in building programs that prepare formerly incarcerated women for Account Executive roles within a year of reentry, emphasizing the transformative power of opportunity and mentorship. Her efforts reinforce her conviction that meaningful work can serve as a catalyst for both personal and professional growth. Her work ethic and passion for her clients’ success are only matched by her drive and determination to provide meaningful work opportunities for the incarcerated women who come after her.

Executive Mentor of the Year

Mahin Sonia

Head of Partner Solution Architecture, APJ

Amazon Web Services

Mahin is a high performing Senior IT Executive with 20+ years of experience in building IT systems for both Private and Government sectors. She has worked in highly regulated industries such as Banking & Wealth Management and led the delivery of very complex Multi-Billion Dollar portfolio of IT projects, using global teams.

In her current role, Mahin leads an organization of 135 Solutions Architects who work with AWS Partners, across Asia, Pacific and Japan. Mahin and her team work with customer's and partner's senior technical and strategic leaders, including (E.g., CIO, CFO, CMO, COOs, CISO/CTO, and other Engineering stakeholders), to develop transformation strategies that help AWS partners and customers accelerate growth and achieve their business outcomes, through adoption of Cloud. Mahin is also the executive chair for the Women@AWS Asia, Pacific and Japan (APJ) chapter for AWS and leads various initiatives for girls and women, in the industry.

Executive Mentor of the Year

Jackie Steinberg

Channel Chief

DartPoints

Jackie Steinberg is a seasoned Channel executive with a proven track record of building high-performing partner ecosystems and mentoring the next generation of Channel leaders. As Channel Chief at DartPoints, she leads with empathy and clarity, empowering others to grow while driving strategic success across the organization.

Jackie serves on the Board of the Alliance of Channel Women and co-chairs a regional chapter where she organizes events focused on networking, peer learning, and leadership development. Widely recognized by ACW members as a mentor and role model, Jackie is known for her candid advice, strong industry perspective, and unwavering support. She invests time in coaching women through career pivots, promotions, and leadership transitions—often credited as a key influence in their professional growth.

Jackie’s leadership has been recognized by CRN, having been named to the Women of the Channel list in both 2021 and 2025. Her mentorship philosophy is grounded in authenticity, collaboration, and lifting others as she climbs. Whether guiding a new sales rep or supporting a peer, Jackie makes space for others to succeed.

Rising Star of the Year - Solution Provider

Nouf Alanizi

Director, Sales

Pythian Services Inc.

Nouf Alanizi is a strategic and results-oriented commercial leader with over a decade of experience across Europe, Middle East, and Asia (EMEA), specializing in driving revenue growth through enterprise sales, partner-led go-to-market strategies, and complex data/cloud solutions. In her role as Sales Director EMEA at Pythian, she has been instrumental in transforming the company's channel presence, notably by elevating Pythian from minimal visibility to a recognized key database partner for Google Cloud UK. Nouf's ability to architect impactful partnerships and deliver consistent quota overachievement is underpinned by a strong analytical foundation.

She holds an MSc in Biomedical Engineering with Biomechanics from Imperial College London and a Bachelor's of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering with Honours from King's College London, during which her research contributions led to her becoming a published scientist. This rigorous engineering education has equipped her with exceptional problem-solving skills and a methodical approach, which she applies effectively to navigate the complexities of cloud technology and enterprise solution sales. Fluent in both Arabic and English, Nouf also demonstrates an entrepreneurial spirit as the founder of ENZI, supporting early-stage startups.

Rising Star of the Year - Solution Provider

Amanda Dziszuk

Senior Digital Marketing Manager

ANM

Amanda Dziszuk is a vibrant marketing leader with over a decade of experience driving brand visibility and engagement in the tech industry. She specializes in digital marketing, events, and social media strategy, crafting thoughtful campaigns that connect with both customers and internal teams.

With a career that spans fast-paced environments like Axway and ANM, Amanda has led everything from product launches and press releases to LinkedIn strategy and large-scale customer events. Her strength lies in blending creative storytelling with measurable results, always keeping the customer experience at the center.

Amanda is passionate about building authentic connections, online with webinars and in person, and thrives in roles where marketing, strategy, and people intersect. She brings energy, precision, and a collaborative spirit to every project she leads

Rising Star of the Year - Solution Provider

Jenna Gehring

Director, SLED Vertical

Advizex

Jenna Gehring is a dynamic IT and sales leader with a strong background in public sector strategy, enterprise infrastructure, and customer success. As Director of Public Sector Sales at Advizex, she leads initiatives that help government and education organizations modernize their IT environments. Jenna brings over a decade of experience, including roles as an Account Executive at Advizex, Enterprise Account Executive at Arista Networks, and various leadership positions at Dell EMC, where she managed unstructured data solutions and large-scale IT projects.

Jenna is known for her ability to align technology with business outcomes, earning trust as a strategic advisor across both technical and executive teams. She holds multiple industry certifications, including HPE Sales Certified – Hybrid by Design, Salesforce Certified Administrator, ITIL Foundation, Dell EMC Information Storage Associate, and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt.

With a deep understanding of hybrid cloud, data storage, and ITSM, Jenna consistently delivers solutions that drive efficiency, performance, and impact. Her passion for technology and customer success makes her a key partner to organizations navigating digital transformation.

Rising Star of the Year - Solution Provider

Angela Jajko

Public Cloud Channel Development Sr. Manager

Ensono

Angela has developed a career in public cloud hyperscaler channel and partner management with a background in alliance, marketing, project management, and administration in the IT, finance, and non-profit industries. During her time focusing on the performing arts after graduate school for vocal performance at New England Conservatory, she worked at various roles in different industries, developing an exposure to multiple business practices. After joining Bunker Hill Capital in Boston, she decided to focus on business as a second career and obtained her MBA from University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Angela joined Taos in 2018 and was promoted to Microsoft Partner Lead after 8 months. She became an expert on the Microsoft partnership, then was promoted to GTM Program Manager, serving as the liaison and strategic lead between Product and Marketing for new service product builds. After Taos was acquired by IBM, she supported the Microsoft channel with that team.

In March 2022, Angela joined Ensono as the Public Cloud Microsoft Azure Channel Development Manager, immediately jumping in to build the Microsoft channel for the company, including coverage of AWS and GCP in 2023.

Rising Star of the Year - Solution Provider

April Lemon

Audit and Advisory Associate

Tego

April Lemon is an Audit Advisory Associate at Tego, specializing in Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC). She supports organizations in strengthening their compliance posture with regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA, NIST, ISO, SOC 2, and CMMC. April leads security risk assessments (SRAs), evaluates Business Continuity and Contingency Plans (BCPs/COOPs), and contributes to after-action reporting for tabletop exercises and incident response scenarios.

April brings hands-on experience in policy development, internal auditing, and third-party risk management, ensuring that key stakeholders are aligned with risk-informed decisions, audit readiness, and operational resilience. April is committed to fostering a culture of accountability, preparedness, and continuous improvement to face the evolving cybersecurity and privacy challenges.

In addition to her full-time role at Tego, April proudly serves as an IT Specialist Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves. She holds certifications including the EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), CompTIA Security+, and CompTIA A+, and is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity.

Rising Star of the Year - Solution Provider

Chantell Martinez

Sales Director

Bluum

Chantell Martinez is a sales leader and education technology professional with over a decade of experience driving growth in the EdTech sector. Currently serving as Director of Sales - West at Bluum, North America’s largest learning catalyst, she leads high-performing sales teams while developing regional strategies that unite educators with innovative technology solutions. With expertise in customer relationship management, account development, and strategic sales leadership, Chantell brings a passion for people that has defined her career.

Prior to her current role, she served as an Account Executive at Bluum and spent over eight years at HP, progressing through various account management positions including Account Development Manager and Commercial Print Account Manager, managing territories across the Northeast, MidAtlantic, Florida, Southern California, and Hawaii.

Rising Star of the Year - Solution Provider

Laura Muysenberg

VP, Marketing & Sales Operations

People Driven Technology, Inc.

Over the past two decades, Laura Muysenberg has built a dynamic career at the intersection of marketing, channel operations, and business development. As Vice President of Marketing and Sales Operations at People Driven Technology (PDT), she leads strategic initiatives that align marketing, sales, and partner ecosystems to drive scalable growth and measurable outcomes.

As a founding member of PDT’s leadership team in 2021, Laura played a pivotal role in launching the company’s formal partner program, laying the foundation for a program that now includes over 200 OEM partners and more than a dozen top-tier alliances. She also developed scalable sales enablement strategies and unified internal teams to ensure the success of partners and customers.

Laura’s role extends to strengthening internal capabilities, including mentoring talent, training regional teams, and enabling sales through targeted partner collaboration. She also spearheads experiential customer marketing initiatives that bring partners and clients together through immersive engagements, deepening relationships, and accelerating value realization.

Rising Star of the Year - Solution Provider

Hannah Paige

CFO

Harbor IT

At 27 years old and with only three years in the channel, Hannah Paige has quickly established herself as a financial powerhouse, serving as both Chief Financial Officer at Harbor IT, a scaled cyber-first MSP, and Director of Investments at Worklyn Partners, an investment firm focused on cybersecurity and IT services. At Harbor IT, Paige spearheads finance, accounting, purchasing and HR, driving the company's remarkable expansion from a $10M business to a $60M enterprise with over 220 employees across 8 locations nationwide.

As Director of Investments at Worklyn, she plays a significant role in the fund's M&A strategy, personally overseeing 4 successful acquisitions. Passionate about helping MSP owners understand and grow their business value, Paige has become an influential voice in the channel community through speaking engagements and her acclaimed "MSP Valuations" webinar series.

Recognized by peers as "a transformative financial leader whose strategic vision has redefined what's possible for MSPs seeking rapid growth," her impact extends far beyond her organizational roles. Prior to joining the channel, Hannah spent two years at Morgan Stanley as an Investment Banking Analyst and contributed to FP&A at e-commerce fraud prevention startup Forter.

Rising Star of the Year - Solution Provider

Brooke Pierantoni

IT Staff Director

SHI International Corp

As many people leaders do, Brooke started her career in the hospitality industry, where hands-on experience laid the foundation for her expertise in people-operations. From there, she discovered her true calling—leading teams, driving operational excellence, and helping individuals uncover their strengths amid complex priorities. That passion guided her into technical, sales, and cross-vertical recruiting at Indeed.com and a year later, to SHI International.

At SHI, Brooke’s early success as an individual contributor—filling more than 85 technical and sales roles—earned her leadership responsibility within 12 months. She built and transformed technical recruiting, field-sales, and staff-augmentation teams, expanding to 20+ direct reports and influencing 70+ recruiters. By instituting rigorous performance metrics, streamlining workflows, and coaching under-performers into top contributors, she elevated team productivity and set new standards for excellence.

After four years at SHI, Brooke unites her passions for talent development, operational excellence, and strategic growth as IT Staff Director & Chief of Staff. She oversees everything from budgeting and vendor strategy to strategic planning and employee engagement, all while championing high-impact initiatives that streamline processes and unlock potential

Rising Star of the Year - Solution Provider

Caroline Wagner

Partner Account Manager

Colossal

Caroline Wagner is a dynamic Partner Account Manager at Colossal Contracting, LLC, a leading Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business delivering IT solutions to federal agencies. With a strong focus on building and nurturing strategic partnerships, Caroline drives growth and fosters long-term client relationships within the government contracting space.

Recognized as Colossal’s Employee of the Quarter (Q1 2023) and recipient of the Colossal Cares Award (2024), she is known for her outstanding performance, collaborative spirit, and commitment to both business success and community engagement.

A graduate of The Catholic University of America, Caroline blends sharp business acumen with a passion for innovation, making her an essential contributor to Colossal’s continued success.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Kristin Bedford

National Partner Sales Manager

Check Point Software Technologies, Inc

Kristin Bedford is a dynamic and results-driven channel sales leader with nearly two decades of experience in the IT and cybersecurity industries. She currently serves as a National Partner Sales Manager at Check Point Software Technologies, where she is responsible for driving growth and deepening strategic alignment with her national partner, World Wide Technology (WWT). In this role, Kristin leads joint sales initiatives, strengthens executive relationships, and delivers cybersecurity solutions that support WWT’s enterprise and public sector clients across North America.

Before joining Check Point, Kristin spent over 16 years in distribution at Arrow Electronics, where she held progressive leadership roles including Channel Manager for MicroFocus and IBM Software, and Supplier Manager for Hewlett Packard Enterprise. At Arrow, she spearheaded initiatives that generated $100's of millions in new revenue, launched HPE’s first U.S. GreenLake channel deal, and played a key role in onboarding MicroFocus to ArrowSphere, Arrow’s cloud marketplace.

Kristin is known for her strategic partner development, consultative selling approach, and ability to execute creative go-to-market strategies. She has led high-performing teams, managed multimillion-dollar pipelines, and built operational/sales models that deliver consistent, measurable results.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Hailie Corner

Sr. Channel Marketing Analyst

Epicor

With a strong background in channel marketing, Hailie is committed to fostering productive relationships and delivering exceptional results. She specializes in cross-functional collaboration to ensure Epicor’s partners have access to best-in-class marketing enablement environment. Hailie joined Epicor in 2020, bringing her expertise in implementing and executing effective marketing strategies. She has successfully enhanced partner performance and contributed to measurable business growth, including significant increases in partner-generated opportunities and pipeline. She holds a BS, Marketing and a BS, Finance, with a Professional Sales Specialization from the Herberger Business School at St. Cloud State University.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Maria Eivaz

Sr. Channel Program Manager

Exabeam

Maria Eivaz is currently the Senior Channel Program Manager at Exabeam, where she has been a valued member of the team for 7+ years. In her current role, she supports the Global Channel Chief in developing and executing strategic programs that drive growth, enhance partner relationships, and optimize sales performance across the global channel ecosystem. Maria's extensive experience spans project management, marketing, sales enablement, and corporate event planning, allowing her to create and implement high-impact initiatives that align with the company's broader business objectives. Known for her ability to foster collaboration and streamline processes, she consistently delivers results that help ensure the success of channel partners worldwide.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Val Farrell Finn

Senior Channel Manager

Meter

Val Finn thinks your internet should be the most boring, predictable thing in your office—as simple and reliable as flipping a light switch. As Senior Channel Manager at Meter, a leading provider of internet infrastructure solutions for businesses, Val works closely with Meter's growing number of partners to deliver a fundamentally different approach to enterprise networking. Together, they're making powerful networks more accessible through a unified networking stack, showing the industry there's a better way to get secure, reliable, and scalable networks in an enterprise space.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Micaela Goytia

Sr. Partner Development Manager

Splunk, a Cisco Company

Micaela Goytia is a seasoned partnership strategist with over a decade of experience orchestrating high-impact collaborations between industry leaders. She currently serves as Senior Global Partner Manager at Splunk (a Cisco company), where she is building the Microsoft–Splunk partnership from the ground up—pioneering new revenue channels and market expansion opportunities.

Her career spans 10 years across the Microsoft Global Partner Organization and the AWS Partner Organization. She began her career at Microsoft Argentina, later relocating to Microsoft’s headquarters in Seattle, where she spent eight years driving global partner initiatives. Following her time at Microsoft, she led transformational partnerships with global Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) at AWS.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Naomy Gustafson

Senior Channel Marketing Specialist

Bluebeam

Naomy Gustafson is a passionate and creative channel marketer with a knack for building strong partner relationships and bringing fresh ideas to the table. Naomy is a rising force in the channel marketing world, currently serving as a Senior Channel Marketing Specialist at Bluebeam, where she leads partner engagement strategies across the Americas. With a proven track record of elevating channel presence, building go-to-market programs, and maximizing MDF effectiveness, Naomy brings creativity, drive, and measurable impact to every initiative she leads.

Naomy is known for her innovative approach to partner marketing, her ability to connect cross-functional teams, and her passion for creating meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships within the channel. She was recently recognized by the Channel Marketing Association with a Rising Star Award—an early testament to her potential and the impact she’s already making in the space.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Kasey King

Channel and Alliances Marketing Manager

Object First

Kasey King, an accomplished 2023 graduate from the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business, began her journey at Object First as a Marketing Specialist Intern almost two years ago. Now serving in a full-time role as the Channel and Alliances Marketing Manager, Kasey leverages her academic foundation in marketing and leadership to enhance partnerships. Inspired by her experience in the prestigious Institute for Leadership Advancement program at Georgia, she is dedicated to creating impactful opportunities and fostering meaningful collaborations in the field. In her free time, you can find Kasey being just as creative as she is in her day job, making art with her hands, writing, and sharing what inspires her.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Lynsy Marshall

Senior Field & Channel Marketing Manager

Infinidat

Lynsy Marshall is the Sr. Marketing Manager for Field & Channel and Global Alliances at Infinidat and the Marketing Lead for Infinidat Federal, a wholly owned subsidiary of Infinidat focused on the U.S. Government. Prior to joining Infinidat, Marshall led events at both Netcracker and Connectwise, formally Continuum Managed Services.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Hampshire. Marshall’s leadership skills, drive and versatility has helped her achieve continued success in her career. As a dynamic and visionary marketing professional with an exceptional track record in driving business growth, she continuously raises the bar. And with an unwavering dedication to achieving results, she has carved her path as a trailblazer in the marketing industry with her tight cooperation with Infinidat’s channel partners and Infinidat’s sales team.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Riley Norman

National Alliance Manager

Xcitium

Riley Norman is a rising leader in the channel ecosystem, known for her creativity, relationship-driven approach, and deep understanding of partner enablement. As National Alliance Manager at Xcitium, she plays a key role in developing strategic relationships across technology services distributors (TSDs) and reseller ecosystems, helping accelerate partner success through education, alignment, and innovative go-to-market programs.

With a background in channel marketing and a passion for storytelling, Riley brings a unique blend of operational savvy and brand-building vision to every initiative she touches. She has been instrumental in co-building Xcitium’s NextGen Channel Program, focused on simplifying the cybersecurity sales process and removing barriers for partners entering the threat protection space.

Riley also actively mentors others entering the channel and is a proud member of The Executive Evolution community. She is recognized for her relentless curiosity, high EQ, and ability to drive results while staying grounded in service and authenticity.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Meredith Payne

Sr. Director, Digital Strategy

TD SYNNEX

Meredith Payne serves as Sr. Director of Digital Strategy at TD SYNNEX, where she leads the North America Digital Strategy. In this role, she champions the evolution of the digital customer journey and partners with teams across the ecosystem to thrive in an ever-changing, digital-first landscape. Meredith also leads the NA Digital Council, bringing together cross-functional leaders to transform the way the organization works and supports partners by embracing innovative technology and continuous improvement.

With over 15 years of experience in the IT industry, Meredith approaches her work with a growth mindset; believing in the power of learning, collaboration, and adaptability to drive progress. She is deeply committed to delivering excellence to partners, customers, and co-workers, and finds purpose in mentoring others, building connections, and contributing to a shared vision.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Krystle Rose

Partner Sales Manager - Ohio River Valley

Check Point Software

Krystle has been a member of Check Point Software since October 2019, serving in a variety of sales and channel roles. Her diverse experience within the organization has shaped her into a well-rounded Partner Sales Manager with a deep understanding of how each role contributes to the broader partner ecosystem.

Currently, she manages key partner relationships in the Ohio River Valley region. She approaches every engagement with a "partner first, no partner left behind" mindset, consistently going above and beyond to ensure her partners' success. She's a servant leader and views each partner as an essential part of the larger picture and works tirelessly to support their YOY growth.

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Rising Star of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Jackie Smith

Global Vice President, Platforms and ISV's

Splunk, a Cisco Company

Jackie Smith is a global sales and ecosystem executive with deep expertise in driving SaaS transformation, cloud growth, and partner led GTM strategy. At Splunk, she leads efforts to accelerate business outcomes through strategic collaborations with hyperscalers, ISV’s, GSIs, resellers, and managed service providers. Under her leadership, Splunk has surpassed $2.4B in annual cloud revenue, exceeded $1M in marketplace transactions, and emerged as one of the first companies in the industry to operate as a true multi-cloud platform, fully integrated across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.

Jackie brings a relentless focus on customer value and clarity of execution in complex, high-growth environments. Her team specializes in incubating and operationalizing new routes-to-market that drive innovation and scale with top-tier technology, cloud and consulting partners.

Previously, at Cisco, Jackie led an ELT-sponsored initiative to expand co-sell and marketplace GTM strategies, helping the company align its software and SaaS transformation with modern partner ecosystems. She has held leadership roles across global sales, partners, and strategy, and is known for building high-performing teams that deliver measurable business impact.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Solution Provider

Jackie Allen

HR Manager

Advizex

Jackie Allen is an accomplished Human Resources Manager with over 10 years of dedicated service at Advizex Technologies. She played a pivotal role in bringing HR in-house after decades of outsourcing, building the department from the ground up and creating a scalable, people-first infrastructure that supports over 280 employees.

Since taking on the role in 2016, Jackie has led efforts to streamline onboarding, improve benefits administration, and enhance employee engagement. She successfully onboarded 76 new hires in the past year alone and integrated 48 acquired employees, ensuring consistency and compliance across the organization. Jackie also launched a new hiring and benefits portal and recently introduced an AI-powered HR chatbot to handle routine inquiries—freeing up time for more strategic initiatives.

Prior to her HR leadership role, Jackie served as Executive Assistant at Advizex, supporting senior leadership and coordinating key business operations. Her earlier career in real estate and lending strengthened her skills in compliance, documentation, and client service.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Solution Provider

Kelsey Doyle

Sr. Director Strategic Programs

Optiv

Kelsey Doyle is a strategic leader at Optiv, where she oversees high-impact programs that shape the future of selling cybersecurity services in the channel. She plays a key role in driving the company’s most innovative initiatives, including owning Optiv’s groundbreaking Optiv Market System (OMS). The OMS program is redefining how Optiv does business with the channel by delivering unparalleled insights that strengthen partnerships and drive improved client outcomes.

With a strong background in business strategy, Kelsey brings an ability to connect high-level vision with tactical execution, ensuring Optiv stays ahead in a fast-changing security landscape.

Prior to joining Optiv, Kelsey built her career at the intersection of business consulting and organizational transformation, working with Fortune 500 companies to streamline operations, scale teams, and unlock new growth. She is known for her structured thinking, crisp communication with executive stakeholders, and ability to simplify complexity without losing strategic depth.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Solution Provider

Aleesa Foltz

Senior Director of Partner Management Operations

SHI International Corp.

Aleesa is a natural builder of strategies, systems, teams, and trust. As the driving force behind SHI’s partner ecosystem, she brings strategic vision to life by empowering others and creating the conditions for high-performance collaboration.

Aleesa shapes how SHI and its partners show up, grow, and succeed together. Her passion lies in transformation and operational excellence—streamlining partner operations, maximizing profitability, and advancing SHI’s internal toolset to enable shared success. She delivers impact that shines through in every partner and customer experience, making her a true hidden gem in the IT channel.

Equally passionate about people, Aleesa is SHI’s Culture Advocate Lead, where she champions career development, collaboration, and inclusion—creating space for others to lead and thrive. Through this people-first approach and her ability to align operational strategy, she brings out the best in both individuals and platforms alike.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Solution Provider

Christina Foster

Director of Operations

Bluum

Christina Foster is an experienced Operations Project Manager at Bluum, where she has been driving operational excellence since March 2020. In her current role, she has taken on the critical responsibility of documenting all internal and external processes to ensure delivery on one of Bluum's core values: Customer experience above all else.With over a decade of experience in client services and operations management, Christina brings a wealth of expertise to her role. Prior to joining Bluum, she served as Client Services Manager at CDI Technologies for nearly four years, where she honed her skills in customer relationship management and service delivery. Her foundation in the technology sector was built during her tenure as Senior ITAD Specialist at CDI Computer Dealers Inc., where she spent over four years developing expertise in IT asset disposition and management. Christina holds a degree from the University of Ottawa and is based in Markham, Ontario, Canada. Her career progression demonstrates a consistent focus on operational efficiency, process improvement, and customer-centric service delivery. Through her comprehensive approach to process documentation and her commitment to excellence, Christina plays an important role in ensuring that Bluum's operations align with its customer-first philosophy.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Solution Provider

Mikaela Jarrin

Director of Business Operations

VTech Dealer IT

Mikaela is the quiet force behind VTech Dealer IT’s operational success. As Director of Business Operations, her leadership spans accounting, procurement, project management, and human resources. While remaining behind the scenes, she impacts nearly every company area. Her work brings structure, clarity, and continuity, especially during moments of change.

In the past year, Mikaela led a full restructuring of the Business Operations department, creating standardized processes and support systems that helped the organization navigate an executive transition smoothly. She launched impactful company-wide programs, enhanced employee mental health benefits, and introduced platforms that modernized legal compliance, recruitment, and administrative workflows.

Beyond systems and strategy, Mikaela cultivates culture. She led the planning of a team-building trip to VTech’s Medellín hub, strengthening collaboration across departments. She plans events that spark connection, ensures seamless onboarding, and quietly carries the emotional labor that keeps the team united and energized.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Solution Provider

Rochelle Manns

Chief Revenue Officer & Founder

RSM Collective

For over 30 years, Rochelle Manns has quietly built a reputation as a strategic growth leader in the technology industry. Her career began during the early VAR era at NYNEX Computer Center and Vanstar, laying a foundation for success across the entire IT ecosystem—from hardware and software vendors like Hitachi Data Systems and BakBone Software to global resellers such as OnX and Converge Technology Solutions.

Today, Rochelle is known for her ability to launch and scale new revenue streams, lead cross-functional teams, and accelerate cloud adoption for clients of all sizes. As Vice President of Cloud Platforms at Converge Technology Solutions, she positioned the company as a leading AWS partner for greenfield cloud clients, contributing to three consecutive wins as Ingram Micro’s Cloud Reseller Partner of the Year.

Her leadership has earned her recognition including Ingram Micro’s Female Cloud Leader of the Year (2022) and AWS Cloud Visionary (2023). Her expertise has led to invitations to serve on partner advisory boards for AWS Marketplace, NetApp’s cloud portfolio, and CloudHealth by Broadcom.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Solution Provider

Kam Mlait

CFO

Nucleus Networks

Kam Mlait is the Chief Financial Officer at Nucleus Networks, a leading Canadian Managed IT Services provider headquartered in Vancouver, BC. With over two decades of financial leadership experience, Kam has been instrumental in guiding Nucleus through key phases of growth and transformation since joining the company in 2010.

A Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) since 2004, Kam combines deep financial expertise with a strategic mindset. She played a pivotal role in leading the due diligence process during Nucleus’ successful acquisition in 2021, helping position the company for long-term stability and growth. Kam’s ability to navigate complex financial landscapes while fostering a culture of trust and transparency has made her an indispensable force behind the scenes.

While Kam’s impact is often quiet, it is far-reaching-supporting not only fiscal excellence but also the operational resilience that enables the company to thrive. Her steady leadership, collaborative spirit, and commitment to integrity embody what it means to be a “Hidden Gem.”

Hidden Gem of the Year - Solution Provider

Ashley Oare

Enterprise Account Executive

Assured Data Protection

Ashley Oare is a top-performing Enterprise Account Executive at Assured Data Protection, where she drives consistent growth and strategic value. Over the past two years, she has closed more than $10.9 million in Total Contract Value (TCV) and generated over $332,000 in Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR), helping organizations across the Great Lakes region strengthen their data protection and disaster recovery strategies.

She specializes in delivering managed services built on Rubrik’s Zero Trust Security Cloud, enabling enterprises to recover from cyber threats and operational disruptions with speed and confidence. Known for her ability to connect technical solutions with business impact, Ashley is a trusted advisor to both customers and channel partners.

Ashley also plays a key leadership role within Assured’s internal culture. She chairs the Corporate Wellness Committee, co-founded the Assured Women’s Committee, and mentors new sales team members—earning her the nickname “sales mom” for her guidance and support.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Solution Provider

Kasia Wakarecy

Vice President, Enterprise Data and Applications

Pythian Services Inc.

Kasia is a seasoned technology executive with over 20 years of experience in the IT sector. She is passionate about leveraging technology and innovation to enhance data insights, performance and operational efficiency. Currently serving as Vice President of Enterprise Data and Applications, she oversees Enterprise Systems Architecture, manages Enterprise Applications, and leads the development and implementation of Data Management programs. She plays a pivotal role in optimizing enterprise processes and automation. Kasia has extensive experience leading mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and executing migrations of applications and data during M&A.

Kasia holds a Master's of Philosophy and Computer Science, along with a postgraduate degree in Database Management. Her expertise extends to leading mergers and acquisitions and executing migrations of applications and data during these processes.

She is recognized for her contributions to AI innovation, having been nominated for the Women in AI - Innovator of the Year 2025 and honoured as a Data Leader - Women in IT Canada 2022. Kasia is passionate about using technology, automation, and innovation to enhance data insights, performance, and operations. She is a strong advocate for diversity in tech, committed to building inclusive teams, mentoring emerging leaders, and promoting ethical AI adoption in the enterprise.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Shanna Addams

Director Americas Channel Marketing & OEM Partners

Nutanix

Shanna Addams is the Director of Americas Channel Marketing at Nutanix, bringing 19 years of experience in the IT industry. She leads channel partner marketing enablement and demand generation across the Americas, as well as OEM and alliances strategy. Prior to Nutanix, Shanna was part of the Global Channel Marketing team at Riverbed, where she managed marketing services. Her earlier roles include channel marketing positions at Avnet and GE Access, supporting major brands like Sun, Oracle, and Symantec.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Jenna Chiavelli

Global Channel Marketing Specialist

Mimecast

Jenna is a Global Channel Marketing Specialist at Mimecast with over four years of experience in cybersecurity marketing. Her career has focused on building strategic partner relationships, streamlining co-marketing efforts, and creating scalable programs that drive measurable results. She thrives in complex, fast-paced environments and is known for simplifying processes, improving cross-functional collaboration, and being a dependable team player.

What sets Jenna apart is her ability to balance strategy with execution. Whether she’s developing integrated partner campaigns or organizing major field events, she brings clarity, organization, and creativity to every initiative. She’s passionate about making an impact, not just checking boxes, and aims to create marketing that’s as effective as it is meaningful for her partners.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Lindsey Kenny

Vice President of Finance Operations

Wasabi Technologies

Lindsey Kenny is a seasoned finance and operations executive with deep expertise in revenue operations, systems integration, and end-to-end process optimization. She currently serves as Vice President of Finance Operations at Wasabi Technologies Inc., where she leads the global Order-to-Cash function—including quoting, invoicing, collections, commissions, deal desk, sales operations, data analytics, and revenue forecasting.

At Wasabi, Lindsey plays a pivotal role in implementing Salesforce as the company’s integrated CRM and billing system, streamlining the customer lifecycle and centralizing revenue recognition, invoicing, and collections into a single platform. She has also been pivotal in building out the pricing and billing options for customers and partners; focusing on ensuring that all parties financial goals are met.

Prior to Wasabi, she held leadership roles at LogMeIn as a Revenue Manager and Financial Systems Administrator, and at Mobiquity Inc. as a Revenue Operations Manager. She began her career at EMC, where she was part of the Finance Training Program . She later joined RSA (a division of EMC) to manage the revenue accounting team.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Amanda Kubista

VP, of Brand & Creative

Moovila

Amanda Kubista is a seasoned creative leader with a passion for building brands that connect and convert. As Vice President of Brand & Creative at Moovila, she leads the creative vision for the company—overseeing brand identity, design systems, and execution across digital, social, and event experiences.

Prior to joining Moovila, Amanda worked at top agencies in New York City, developing campaign content for brands like United Airlines, Mercedes-Benz, Marriott International, UNIQLO, Bonefish Grill, and Novartis. Earlier in her career, she was a designer at the data analytics firm eThority, where she contributed to building the company’s brand identity and marketing visuals.

Amanda holds a BFA in Visual Communications Design from Virginia Tech (cum laude) and an MFA in Art Direction from Miami Ad School in New York.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Cathy Moncayo

Director, Americas Partner Marketing

CommVault

Cathy Moncayo is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience dedicated to the channel ecosystem. Beginning her career in sales operations, she swiftly advanced to roles in inside sales and channel marketing management before transitioning into leadership positions. Throughout her tenure, Cathy has worked extensively with resellers, distributors, alliances, MSPs, and integrators, cultivating a deep understanding and expertise in channel dynamics. Her career trajectory is marked by a consistent track record of success and innovation, making her a respected figure in the industry.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Brittany Pettey

Channel Marketing Manager

Fortinet

With more than a decade of experience in the tech industry, Brittany began her career in sales, working her way up from an entry-level role to account manager in just a few years. Her ability to connect with customers, understand their needs, and help drive results laid the groundwork for the next chapter of her career.

Eager to broaden her impact, Brittany made the move into marketing. Over the past four years at Fortinet she has supported some of the company’s largest and most strategic National partners. Her background in sales has allowed her to naturally bridge teams, foster alignment, and help develop thoughtful programs that contribute to partner success across the ecosystem.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Shannon Sholtis

Executive Director, Marketing Communications and Creative Services

D&H Distributing

Shannon is the Executive Director, Marketing Communications and Creative Services at D&H, a $6-billion privately-held technology company that has ranked in the Top 100 on the Forbes list of America's Largest Private Companies. Shannon leads a team of designers, writers, photographers, videographers, and producers responsible for driving the company's creative partner communications and engagements across multiple media platforms. With a BA in communications, journalism, advertising design, and a concentration in public relations, and minor in Sociology, Shannon started her career in the IT industry working in-between semesters in sales with Electronic Data Systems. She began her journey with D&H as an advertising assistant shortly upon graduating from college, and then spent several years doing creative at a leading regional advertising agency. She remained committed to the ever-evolving world of tech, however. She was recruited back to D&H's marketing team as a marketing communications supervisor, rising to advertising manager and then advertising director and senior director before moving into her current role. Shannon has worked for more than two decades evolving this 106 year-old company's marketing portfolio to drive key solutions, programs, education, and resources to meet the needs of partners and manufacturers.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Kelsey Slavich

Channel Marketing Manager

Exabeam

Kelsey Slavich has spent nearly four years at Exabeam making a powerful impact in Channel Marketing building programs, driving pipeline, and strengthening global partner relationships. As a Channel Marketing Manager, she manages partner events across international and domestic markets, delivering measurable results and flawless execution. Kelsey played a key role in implementing a new MDF platform and partner portal to streamline operations and enhance the partner experience. She launched the Exabeam Global Partner of the Year Awards and executes partner communications through webinars and newsletters. Respected for her collaborative spirit, strategic thinking, and operational precision, Kelsey is a behind-the-scenes force driving growth and elevating the partner experience at every level.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Maggie Taylor

Partner Enablement Manager

TD SYNNEX

Maggie began her career leading teams in the boutique fitness industry before making a bold pivot to tech in 2020, joining TD SYNNEX as a Discovery Representative. She quickly advanced through roles in business development and program management, and now serves as Partner Enablement Manager. In this role, she connects partners with innovative solutions and drives growth through strategic GTM plans for Lenovo.

Beyond her core role, Maggie is a member of the Culture Champion Council, helping bring TD SYNNEX’s values to life and shape a vibrant, connected workplace.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Shanti Thirumalai

Partner Experience Leader

Google Cloud

For over two decades, Shanti has dedicated my career to a single mission: creating a seamless and impactful web experience for Google Cloud’s partners. While her work may not always be in the spotlight, its influence is felt across the entire partner ecosystem. Her colleagues know her as the person who gets things done and the go-to resource for understanding the pulse of a project.

Shanti’s strength lies in her ability to look beyond the surface and listening not just to what's being said, but unsaid and she asks probing questions to ensure no stone is left unturned. This meticulous approach has been instrumental in delivering numerous high-impact digital initiatives that have significantly improved the partner experience including major website redesigns, new portal features, and enhanced user journeys—projects that have fundamentally changed how partners engage with Google Cloud.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Abbey Valentine-Milko

Director of Strategic Partners

Binary Defense

Abbey Valentine Milko is the definition of a behind-the-scenes powerhouse. With a career spanning channel operations, program management, and partner engagement, Abbey brings structure, clarity, and momentum to every initiative she touches. Currently serving as a Direct of strategic partners, she plays a critical role in operationalizing strategy, streamlining processes, and ensuring partner-facing teams are equipped for success.

While Abbey’s name may not always be in the spotlight, her impact is unmistakable. She’s the connector between teams, the force behind seamless program execution, and the steady hand guiding cross-functional collaboration. Her colleagues consistently rely on her deep expertise, unshakable reliability, and ability to bring order to complexity—all of which make her indispensable to the channel organization.

Abbey doesn’t seek the spotlight, but her work radiates across the business. Her influence is felt in the success of global partner programs, the enablement of sales teams, and the trust she earns with everyone she supports. Simply put: she’s the kind of teammate every high-performing organization needs, and a true Hidden Gem.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Sara Verri

Global Head of Field and Partner Marketing

Nozomi Networks

Sara Verri is a seasoned marketing professional with over 19 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity, focusing on partner marketing, demand generation, business development, account-based marketing & field initiatives. Previously responsible for the planning and execution of the field and channel marketing strategies for the EMEA region, she is now responsible for the global partner marketing strategy at Nozomi Networks - the global leader in OT and IoT security, protecting 115M OT, IoT, and IT devices worldwide. Prior to Nozomi, Sara Verri worked as an Account-Based Marketing Director at Dataiku and several marketing positions in Palo Alto Networks, giving her a 360 view on marketing and business.

Sara consistently goes above and beyond for the company and its people, fostering strong human connections to unite her colleagues and support their growth. A strategic thinker with an execution mindset, she not only identifies innovative solutions but also drives them forward with precision, overcoming obstacles and delivering results that surpass business goals.

Verri earned a master's degree in Economics & Management from the University of Rome Tor Vergata with honors and special mention. She speaks English, French and Italian. In her free time, she enjoys reformer pilates, traveling, and cooking.

Hidden Gem of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Tia Wiggins

AWS Senior Partner Sales Leader

Amazon Web Services

Tia Wiggins is a dynamic business leader and philanthropist currently serving as the Senior Partner Sales Leader for Amazon Web Services (AWS). In this role, she oversees the US Enterprise Greenfield (GF) Healthcare Life Sciences, GF ISV, and NE Cross Industries segments. Her impressive career at AWS began in 2020 as a Senior HR Business Partner, where she quickly made her mark by earning the Americas Cloud Sales Center MVP award within six months for her exceptional leadership in organizational transformation and business impact.

In 2024, Tia led the US SMB Greenfield team for the Cloud Sales Center and ISV, managing an extensive portfolio of 300,000 accounts. Her previous role as head of the North America Partner Sales Strategic Programs and Acceleration Team showcased her ability to drive large-scale initiatives and foster strategic partnerships.

Tia's influence extends beyond her core responsibilities. She co-authored the 2023 AWS Women of the Cloud Program, which includes the impactful 2024/5 College Tours initiative, demonstrating her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.

Ally of the Year

John Beuchert

Vice President, Global Partner Programs and Strategy

Ivanti

John Beuchert is a seasoned channel executive with over 30 years of experience in driving double-digit sales growth through strategic global channel initiatives, analytics and incentive-based programs. With a solid background in SaaS and Fortune 500 companies, John excels in leading rapid and effective organizational changes, even under challenging conditions.

He has a proven track record of managing large global teams and handling substantial budgets exceeding $100 million. His aggressive leadership in global channel incentive and operational initiatives has consistently led to successful management of several multi-billion-dollar acquisitions and the associated channel integrations.

Ally of the Year

Chad Blackwell

Vice President, America’s Partner Organization

Commvault

Chad Blackwell leads Commvault’s Americas Partner Organization, where he collaborates closely with partners to accelerate growth across the region, drive sales execution and excellence, and expand marketshare.

Chad brings with him a wide breadth of knowledge from roles at CDW, Lenovo, and Cohesity, and expertise including deep understanding of partner sales and marketing motions, integrating alliance partners’ business go-to-market within solution providers such as Cisco, Pure Storage, Hitachi Vantara, Vast Data, MSFT, AWS, and HPE, creating a channel from the ground up, formalizing channel programs, and building specific go-to-market practices, like National Partner Organizations, from inception.

In his current role, Chad enhances the continuity of Commvault’s partner program, creating alignment within multiple partner routes to market for an exciting and productive partner ecosystem. Chad is passionate about integrating seamlessly with Commvault’s partners’ ecosystems versus just reselling products – all while effectively creating the best value exchange, profitability, and an easy-to-follow business model for the partner community. He firmly believes that OEMs that do this correctly and effectively will benefit in the long run.

Ally of the Year

Brooks Borcherding

Chief Executive Officer

Pythian Services Inc.

Brooks is a distinguished pioneer in the Cloud and AI industry, credited with the development and productization of one of the first Infrastructure-as-a-Service solutions, dating back to 2009. Today, he is the CEO of Pythian, a leading data analytics and AI company. Brooks is also recognized for leading three successful transactions, including the sale of NaviSite to Time Warner Cable in 2011, Datto to Vista Equity Partners in 2017, and most recently Cloudreach to Atos in 2022. His overall enterprise technology career spans more than three decades playing key roles with market-leading firms including Accenture, Cisco, and Avaya, as well as his leadership of five Private Equity backed growth companies.

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Ally of the Year

Darius Clare

Director of Sales

Arctic Wolf

Darius Clare is a proud husband to Sally and father to two boys, Daylen (4) and Daxton (2). A servant leader at Arctic Wolf, Darius brings his authentic self to work, rooted in his Bahamian heritage and small-town Minnesota upbringing. Growing up as the “poor kid” in a wealthy community and competing in college sports shaped his relentless drive, resilience, and deep belief in teamwork.

Darius is passionate about creating a more inclusive workplace, one where underrepresented voices are heard, supported, and given real opportunity. His mission is to leave every environment better than he found it, helping others avoid the biases he once faced.

Whether coaching, mentoring, or simply offering encouragement, Darius strives to bring a smile to at least one person’s day. His “why” is his family, providing for them in a way that gives them the freedom to pursue their passions.

Ally of the Year

Anthony Graziano

Senior Vice President, Marketing

D&H Distributing

Anthony Graziano joined D&H Distributing in 2023 as senior vice president of marketing. In his new role, Graziano will oversee all aspects of D&H's marketing strategies to support and optimize the growth trajectories of D&H's partners. Under his guidance, D&H will continue to expand its presence in the channel, nurture its existing partner relationships, and engage new audiences with dynamic, proven programs and resources.

Anthony's skill set spans go-to-market strategy, product marketing, vendor and partner alliance management, demand generation, and more. He has two decades of experience with multiple top-tier distribution companies, having built a reputation for creating successful strategies, launching high-impact programs and innovative campaigns, and generating substantial business growth.

He formerly served as worldwide head of channel marketing at Logitech, where he oversaw this vendor's marketing strategies, partner alliances, and channel events; and co-led global DEI initiatives for Logitech's LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group (ERG).

Ally of the Year

Nick Heddy

President and Chief Commerce Officer

Pax8

As President and Chief Commerce Officer (CCO), Nick is responsible for the strategy and execution of all Pax8’s global commerce operations, including sales, marketing, and partner services. Under his intentional and thoughtful guidance, he ensures all regional leaders and business units are aligned, enabling the company to achieve its mission and long-term goals. Nick identifies additional revenue streams and establishes programs to capitalize on new opportunities and drive significant growth. Nick previously held the role of Chief Revenue Officer at Pax8, where he was responsible for revenue generation processes and leading the strategic direction of the company’s sales, business planning, and go-to-market efforts.

Nick has earned several prestigious recognitions, including being named a CRN Channel Chief for five consecutive years, a 2020 C-suite Award winner by the Denver Business Journal, and many awards for his keynote presentations. He holds a BA in Entrepreneuring from Central Michigan University and an MBA from the University of Colorado Business School.

Ally of the Year

Paul Kerr

CEO

Arctiq

Paul Kerr is the Chief Executive Officer of Arctiq, leading the organization with a clear vision for innovation, customer value, and accelerated growth across North America. A dynamic and seasoned executive, Paul brings over 25 years of leadership experience in the information technology industry.

Prior to Arctiq, Paul was the founder of Scalar Decisions, where he served as CEO. Under his leadership, Scalar grew into a leading IT solutions provider, achieving over C$250 million in revenue before its successful acquisition by CDW. Paul’s entrepreneurial spirit, customer-first mindset, and ability to scale high-performance teams have consistently driven business transformation and market success.

Ally of the Year

Brian Lanigan

SVP, Global Head of Partner Ecosystem

SentinelOne

Brian leads the strategic development and expansion of partnerships across Hyperscaler Alliances, Channel Partners, Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), and Global System Integrators (GSIs). His leadership is instrumental in driving growth and scaling emerging products through a robust and dynamic partner ecosystem.

Prior to joining SentinelOne, Brian was the Worldwide Channels and Alliances leader at Lacework, where he transformed the company’s go-to-market strategy from a predominantly direct sales model to an 85%+ partner-aligned business. His efforts positioned Lacework as a top 20 AWS partner and solidified its Cloud Security offering within 6 of the top 8 Managed Detection and Response (MDR) providers.

Previously, Brian spent 8 years at Splunk as the Head of Global Strategic Alliances, where he played a pivotal role in building and scaling the partner ecosystem, contributing to the company's growth from $200M to $2.6B in revenue during his tenure.

Ally of the Year

Lloyd McCoy Jr.

Sr. Director, Public Sector Marketing

TD SYNNEX

Lloyd McCoy, Jr. serves as the Senior Director, Public Sector Marketing at TD SYNNEX Public Sector, where he leads efforts to analyze market trends, develop impactful marketing strategies, and deliver actionable insights that empower organizations to thrive in the U.S. public sector market. With over 20 years of experience, Lloyd has earned a reputation for bridging the gap between technology innovation and government needs.

Before joining TD SYNNEX, Lloyd managed market intelligence at immixGroup, where his research-driven strategies helped technology companies navigate complex public sector environments. Earlier in his career, he spent eight years as a senior analyst in the intelligence community, gaining invaluable expertise in government operations and procurement.

Lloyd holds advanced degrees in Public Policy and Strategic Intelligence. He also served as President of AFCEA Northern Virginia, fostering collaboration between industry and government.

Ally of the Year

Paul Pinkney

President, General Manager (Sales)

Red Hat Canada

As Red Hat Canada’s President and General Manager, Sales, Paul Pinkney leads the Canadian subsidiary of Red Hat Inc, the world’s leading provider of open source enterprise IT software solutions and services. Together with the Red Hat team and partners, he is guiding Canada's leading organizations as they navigate the new AI, hybrid cloud-first world of open-source applications and technology-leading digital transformation. Paul joined Red Hat Canada in 2012 when it was a handful of people and he has helped build an outstanding organization that was honoured as Red Hat’s North American Region of The Year. Paul is a thought leader who is passionate about inclusion, people, process and culture and shares his insights as a member of the Forbes Business Development Council.

Ally of the Year

Dan Smith

Executive Vice President

Almo Corporation (Almo Pro AV)

Dan Smith is an industry veteran with more than 30 years of AV market knowledge in roles that have encompassed the manufacturing, distribution and systems integration sides of the industry. As Executive Vice President of Almo Pro AV, Smith leads a business with an annual revenue of approximately $1B, more than 300 employees, 12 distribution facilities and 2.7 million square feet of warehousing space.

Previously, Dan spent nearly 13 years at LG as the U.S. Vice President of Sales for the IT and Commercial Large Format Displays. He’s also held positions across the channel in sales, product management, product marketing, supply chain procurement and business process improvement at companies including Magenta Research, Samsung, Tech Data and Inacom Corporation.

Dan holds an MBA and a BS in Business Administration and Management from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He also holds associate degrees in Electrical Engineering and Aptos (Body) Marketing.

Woman of the Year - Solution Provider

Joy Beland

VP of Cybersecurity Compliance

Summit 7

Joy Beland serves as the Vice President of Cybersecurity Compliance at Summit 7, where she leads regulatory readiness efforts across federal cybersecurity frameworks including CMMC, NIST 800-171, and ISO 27001. With over two decades in the IT channel, Joy brings a rare blend of hands-on MSP experience, training expertise, and high-level compliance leadership.

She began her career by founding and operating an MSP in Los Angeles for 21 years before moving into the cybersecurity vendor space, where she launched the industry’s first Cybersecurity Fundamentals bootcamp—training over 3,000 MSPs. Her transition into CMMC began in 2020, leading curriculum development and delivery of the first-ever Certified CMMC Professional bootcamp and earning Provisional Assessor and Instructor status.

Woman of the Year - Solution Provider

Kelsey Blackett

SVP, Revenue Strategy & Operations

Optiv

As Senior Vice President of Revenue Strategy & Operations at Optiv, Kelsey Blackett oversees the daily operations of the company’s revenue functions while driving scale, efficiency and long-term growth. She leads Optiv’s revenue strategy across Strategic Pricing, Monetization, Data Science & Analytics, and the company’s go-to-market engine—Optiv Market System. Her role centers on enabling the broader Revenue organization through strategic partnership and operational alignment to accelerate topline revenue and deliver profitable growth.

Kelsey Blackett brings over 15 years of experience in revenue strategy, operational leadership and data-driven transformation. Since joining Optiv in 2020, she has focused on evolving Revenue Analytics, modernizing go-to-market strategies, enhancing client experiences and external partnerships, and building scalable, end-to-end revenue operations. Prior to Optiv, she led Global Pricing and Revenue Strategy at Worldpay, where she spearheaded key initiatives aligned to the company’s growth objectives.

Woman of the Year - Solution Provider

Judith Breen

Vice President Partner Alliances and Portfolio Solutions

Insight Enterprises

Woman of the Year - Solution Provider

Holly Clark

CIO

Pomeroy Technologies

Born in Kentucky and raised on a farm, Holly brings grit, drive, and heart to everything she does. The second in her family to graduate college - after her mother - she’s a former national champion cheerleader and entirely self-made. She leads with the belief that there’s “no day but today,” showing up fully, acting with intention, and making every moment count for her team, her organization, and the future she’s helping to shape. And true to form, she’s “not throwing away her shot.”

Holly started in the industry in 2009 right out of university. She began her career in a level 1 position and spent seven years servicing our clients and 4 of those years as a technology and customer service trainer - helping others build confidence in tools, systems, and client engagement. That early focus on empowerment and communication continues to define her leadership style today.

Holly took on the leadership role for IT at Pomeroy in 2021 and was named CIO in 2024.

Woman of the Year - Solution Provider

Denise Collison

Senior Vice President of Public Sector Sales

SHI International Corp

Denise Collison is a respected leader in public sector IT, known for empowering government and education organizations to overcome challenges and drive meaningful outcomes through technology. With over 30 years of experience, she has led SHI’s Public Sector Business Unit from under $1B to $5B in revenue as Senior Vice President.

Among SHI’s first 50 employees, Denise recently celebrated her 30th anniversary with the now 7,000-person global solutions provider. She has played a central role in shaping its culture—grounded in collaboration, trust, and continuous growth. For Denise, how SHI achieves its goals is just as important as what it accomplishes. A strong advocate for authentic leadership, she leads with kindness, transparency, and respect, sharing her experiences through coaching initiatives and speaking at industry and women’s leadership events.

Woman of the Year - Solution Provider

Melissa Curtis

Vice President, Process Optimization

Bluum

Melissa Curtis is a results-driven executive currently serving as Vice President of Process Optimization at Bluum in St. Paul, Minnesota. With nearly fifteen years at the company, she led an impressive career, advancing through several leadership positions. Her journey began as Director of Operations in 2010, dedicating over twelve years in the role before earning a promotion to VP of Sales Administration in 2023, and transitioning to her current role in 2023. Her role has evolved, and today, she serves as an integral member of Bluum’s Executive Leadership Team.

Prior to Bluum, she served as an Account Recruiting Manager at Aerotek Professional Services and in sales at ING. Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science in Business with a Marketing specialization from St. Cloud State's Herberger Business School, where she participated in the American Marketing Association.

Woman of the Year - Solution Provider

Tara Kallstrom

Director, Cloud Channel Partnerships, GTM Strategy & Portfolio

Connection

Tara is a seasoned channel executive with 30+ years of experience leading innovative, impactful channel sales growth, while simplifying complex channel solutions in VARs, distributors, and vendor partners in North America, EMEA, and APAC. Throughout her career, she’s held several executive leadership roles including VP, Sales and Chief Enablement Officer, and she’s been honored with seven President’s Club awards and three MVP recognitions.

At Connection, she leads Channel Partner Services, Device Activations, and is a key member of the Go-to-Market Strategy and Portfolio team. Over the past year, she’s led over 40% year-over-year growth—implementing strategies that delivered multi-million-dollar gains in both recurring revenue and gross profit to Connection. She focuses on turning strategic channel partner offerings into scalable, recurring service solutions that expand market reach to meet evolving customer demands. Tara is passionate about inclusive, servant leadership—empowering talent, building cross-functional collaboration, and driving channel innovation.

Woman of the Year - Solution Provider

Tamara Kinney

Chief Revenue Officer

Lovelytics

Tamara Kinney is an award-winning sales, partnerships, and marketing executive, currently serving as Chief Revenue Officer at Lovelytics. She has led the company to 70% year-over-year growth and established it as Databricks’ #1 Enterprise global consulting partner— securing multiple Partner of the Year awards in 2024 and 2025. Tamara played a critical role in Lovelytics’ expansion, with the acquisition of Datalytics and merger with Nousot to significantly grow delivery capacity and market presence.

Prior to Lovelytics, Tamara held senior leadership roles at AWS, where she was promoted twice in three years, built strategic partner sales engines, and drove over $1B in revenue across 1,000+ ISV customers. At Tealium, she built global channel partnerships that drove record revenue growth. Her achievements have earned her recognition including the 2024 Silver Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year and a Top 25 Executive in Washington, D.C. by Key Executives.

Woman of the Year - Solution Provider

Maryam Mohammadi

VP, Customer Experinece

ITMCX

Maryam Mohammadi has built a career defined by purpose, perseverance, and impact—bridging the worlds of technology, customer experience, and education. After migrating to the United States, she earned my MBA in Project Management from Northwestern Polytechnic University, which laid the groundwork for a career fueled by strategic thinking and a passion for excellence.

Since joining IT Management Corporation (ITM.CX) in 2014, she has grown into the role of Vice President of Customer Experience, where she leads with a deep commitment to client satisfaction, operational excellence, and long-term relationships. Maryam takes pride in ensuring that every customer interaction reflects her company’s values and drives loyalty, trust, and tangible results. Her leadership has helped deliver complex projects on time, within budget, and with exceptional quality—earning recognition from clients and industry peers alike.

Woman of the Year - Solution Provider

Sarah Morreau

Senior Vice President

Long View

Sarah, a trailblazer in IT since 1998, has cemented herself as a strategic thought leader focused on enabling and empowering clients. She has been a tremendous force within the industry. She has risen through the channel as a woman in tech demonstrating unwavering resilience getting to where she is today. Sarah is a true pioneer in IT spend management, vendor contract creation, market analysis and FinOps. She works directly with Long View practice areas to develop net-new market leading solutions. Sarah leads with a hands-on approach to sales and customer service. She employs a zero-based budgeting approach to optimize software use, helping organizations transform by streamlining software portfolios through the use of strategic toolsets. Enhancing cost efficiency, and devising strategic long-term software lifecycles. Shaping budget strategies that empower clients to invest in business-transforming technologies and innovation.

Her extensive career has endowed her with profound expertise in partner and alliance management, software asset management as a service, including audit defense, negotiation, vendor management, cybersecurity, AI and CxO customer event management.

Woman of the Year - Solution Provider

Judi Pulig

Chief Operations & Financial Officer

Yorktel

Judi Pulig is Yorktel’s Chief Operating & Financial Officer, where her primary focus is on overseeing daily operations and driving organizational efficiency. She leads the implementation of strategic initiatives, ensuring seamless collaboration across business functions to align with the company’s goals. Judi spearheads efforts to optimize workflows, enhance productivity, and deliver sustainable growth while applying her expertise in financial oversight and fiscal reporting. Her leadership in operational excellence and strategy execution defines her role, contributing significantly to Yorktel’s success.

Woman of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Mary Coucher

Vice President, Worldwide Ecosystem Sales

IBM

With 41+ years in overall industry experience in Information Technology, Mary is widely recognized for her leadership, teamwork and management abilities, working both with IBM internally and with clients, across many geographies and cultures. She has led sales, mergers and acquisitions, business development, product design, supply chain and process engineering teams in a broad range of industries, including Manufacturing, Chemicals, Telecommunications, and Information Technology. Over the years, Mary has lived in several locations including assignments in China and Japan. Currently Mary is responsible for managing the Value Added Distribution Strategy for a multi billion-dollar sales mission for IBM's Partner Ecosystem, world-wide. This includes expanding IBM's robust partner base and expands on her prior role of running Infrastructure Channel sales.

Mary also serves as IBM's Senior State Executive for the Oregon which includes community outreach. Prior to her Channel Sales assignments, Mary was responsible for managing technology partnerships in China. Other assignments include Alliance Management, Intellectual Property licensing, Enterprise Supply Chain management, and Chemical Process Engineering.

Woman of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Nicole Dezen

Chief Partner Officer, CVP

Microsoft

Nicole Dezen is Microsoft’s Chief Partner Officer, Corporate Vice President. She leads the Microsoft partner ecosystem and the Global Channel Partner Sales organization. As Chief Partner Officer, she has grown the Microsoft Partner ecosystem to become the largest in the industry, enabling more than 500,000 partners to deliver AI transformation to millions of customers in each segment, around the world. Through the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, the entire partner ecosystem is empowered to accelerate digital transformation, scale, business growth and profitability. Leading the Global Channel Partner Sales organization, Nicole and her team deliver the channel partner strategy and business performance, aligned to the ambitious goals in SME&C. Through the work with Microsoft’s extended ecosystem of channel partners, Nicole is advancing the capability of its CSP partners to become Frontier Firms, and deliver meaningful revenue, share growth and TAM capture with SME&C customers around the world.

With more than 30 years of sales experience in tech, Nicole’s innate curiosity has led her from telecommunications sales to the CEO of technology startups, to leading Microsoft’s multi-billion-dollar commercial partner business today.

Woman of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Jenni Flinders

SVP Worldwide Partner Group

NetApp

Jenni Flinders joined NetApp in July 2021 and serves as SVP of the Worldwide Partner Organization. In this capacity, she advocates on behalf of NetApp’s global partner community and seeks to build a thriving, innovative ecosystem that maximizes value for customers. Whether on-prem or in the cloud, she leads by the maxim that change is good, but digital transformation is better. Jenni’s experience establishing and evolving channel strategy and programs globally helps ensure that her customers reap the benefits of cloud and emerging technologies. At some of the biggest technology companies in the world, she has developed comprehensive partner organizations that unify the power of marketing, sales, and partner development to “sell at scale.”

Throughout her career, Jenni has developed and implemented channel strategy, operating models, and programs across all partner business models with emphasis on cloud and hybrid-cloud markets. She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to NetApp as a tenured leader in the industry.

Jenni has received numerous industry awards, including being named among the top 50 most influential women in technology by CRN, and she has also been recognized for her efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Woman of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Michelle Hodges

Senior Vice President, Channels & Alliances

Barracuda Networks

As Senior Vice President of Global Channels and Alliances, Michelle Hodges oversees Barracuda's partner ecosystem, driving growth and deepening engagement across the company's vast network of MSPs, resellers, and distributors.

Prior to joining Barracuda, Hodges served as Senior Vice President of Global Channels and Alliances at Ivanti. She has also held senior leadership roles overseeing global channel and alliance strategy at GitLab, Gigamon, Riverbed, Apptio, Intel, VMware, SAP, and Microsoft. A recognized industry leader, Hodges has been named a CRN Channel Chief, one of CRN's Power 100 Women of the Channel, and a Channel Futures Top Cybersecurity Leader.

Woman of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Colleen Kapase

Vice President, Channels and Partner Programs

Google Cloud

Colleen is the Vice President of Channels and Partner Programs for Google Cloud. Colleen previously was the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Partner and Alliances at Snowflake where she built a next-generation cloud-first partner and channel organization from its infancy to multiple billions of dollars of impact. In 2020, she spearheaded the successful launch of the Snowflake Partner Network which changed the way Snowflake engaged with its partners.

Prior to that, Colleen spent 13 years at VMware, with her last role being Vice President of Partner Go-to-Market, Incentives and Programs. She was also the Director of Channel Programs for Citrix from 2001 to 2006.

Woman of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Natascha Lee

Global Channel Partner & Alliances Marketing Leader

Cloudera

With more than 20 years of Channel Marketing experience in B2B technology firms, Natascha Lee has led innovative Partner Marketing programs at Sun Microsystems, Oracle, and Microsoft among others. Natascha is a dynamic, authentic business leader who brings experience, positive energy, and impeccable impact to her work.

Natascha leads Cloudera’s Global Partner Marketing team, whose marketing responsibility spans all Technology Channel Partner types and routes to market including AWS, Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Intel, AMD, IBM, Red Hat, Snowflake, Accenture, Kyndryl, TCS, Pinecone, and thousands of regional SIs. Her focus at Cloudera is to drive audacious pipeline goals, deepen partner engagement, and increase the significant impact partners make to their bottom line.

Natascha has always focused on igniting partners and customers through innovative messaging, segmenting, targeting, influencing and measuring. She expertly combines the art and science of marketing to generate demand, increase market share and exceed aggressive revenue goals.

Woman of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Gretchen O'Hara

Gretchen O'Hara served as the Vice President of Worldwide Channels and Alliances at Splunk. She was responsible for growing partner-led revenue, building channel profitability and evolving Splunk's channel strategy and ecosystem to improve the customer and partner experience. Scaling Splunk solutions to support customers operating in a distributed, hybrid, multi-cloud world.

With more than 27 years of channel sales, marketing, alliance and ecosystem development, Gretchen brings a passion for building ecosystems, business building and connecting sales, technical and marketing to deliver world-class solutions that address customers' most important business outcomes. She has deep experience across all partners and segments. Prior to Splunk, Gretchen was the VP of AI & Sustainability and VP of Go-To-Market at Microsoft where she built multi-million-dollar businesses. Recognized as CRN Channel Chief and CRN Women of Channel Power 100 multiple years, she led the global cloud ecosystem strategy across core cloud solutions and ecosystem transformation.

Woman of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Michelle Paitich

Global Vice President, Channel Sales

8x8

As Global Vice President of Channel Sales, Michelle Paitich empowers company growth and customer experience through a robust and resilient partner ecosystem. She is responsible for 8x8’s go-to-market strategy with a global network of more than 2,000 partners and executing upon it to deliver topline revenue. Michelle was most recently at Twilio and before then was at Salesforce.

Paitich has a track record of repeated success across multiple partner types including ISVs, integration partners, SIs, and resellers. Through a combination of adaptability and collaboration, she amplifies her worldwide teams, partner programs, and operations in order to exceed sales targets.

Prior to joining 8x8, Paitich led the global partner team for Twilio Flex, substantially enhancing its partner operations. Before joining Twilio, she led the Salesforce ISV Partner Program and Partner Success team.

Woman of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Guayente Sanmartin

Senior Vice President and Division President, Commercial Systems and Displays Solutions

HP Inc.

Guayente Sanmartin is the Division President for Commercial Systems and Displays Solutions at HP Inc., where she leads the strategy, development, and execution of HP’s commercial PC and display portfolio with a focus on customer-centric innovation and operational excellence.

Under her leadership, the division has delivered the strongest P&L in the Personal Systems business. In the past year, she has spearheaded the creation of the AI PC category, setting a new benchmark in commercial technology and advancing HP's leadership in the future of work.

Previously, Guayente served as Global Head & GM of HP’s 3D Multi Jet Fusion Business and held leadership roles across Large Format, Consumer Services, and Commercial Desktops—introducing HP’s first subscription model and launching its first meeting room PC. She began her HP journey as an R&D engineer and has held global roles across Europe, Asia, and the U.S.

Woman of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Reyna Thompson

President, North America

TD SYNNEX

Reyna Thompson is the President of North America at TD SYNNEX, where she leads and manages the company’s operations across North America. With 30 years of IT distribution experience, Reyna joined TD SYNNEX in 2002 as Associate Vice President of Solutions Marketing for the Technology Solutions Division and has since held a variety of executive positions in sales and vendor management.

Previously, Reyna served as the Executive Vice President of Vendor Management for North America within TD SYNNEX’s Advanced Solutions Group which focused on cloud, security, Data/AI, and Data Center solutions. Her team of highly skilled co-workers supported an impressive line card of innovative technologies and services, enabling over 12,000 channel partners and demonstrating significant year-over-year growth by leveraging a wide array of programs and practices. Under her leadership, TD SYNNEX became an industry leader through its strength in line card, specialization, service, and a robust global footprint.

She expanded her responsibilities in 2022 to include vendor management for the public sector business, where she led the unprecedented combination of talent, resources, and capabilities within TD SYNNEX Public Sector, a specialized, fully integrated IT solutions aggregator for the U.S. public sector.

Woman of the Year - Vendor/Distributor

Mary Beth Walker

Vice President, Partner Experience and Enablement

HP Inc.

Mary Beth Walker is a seasoned sales executive with a wide range of experience in go-to-market (GTM) strategy and business planning. Most recently she has expanded her role to lead HP’s Channel Strategy and Enablement organization end to end, with responsibility for designing, enabling and operating HP’s GTM strategy for the channel.

During her tenure, Mary Beth has been instrumental in creating and expanding the HP Amplify program which was introduced in 2021. The program includes HP Amplify Impact, HP Amplify Online, HP Amplify Data Insights and HP Amplify AI, many of which are pioneering initiatives within the technology industry.

She continues to drive the company forward as a recognized leader in channel programs and strategies within the industry. With the latest introduction of HP Amplify AI, she aims to support and educate Amplify partners, empowering them to become trusted advisors in an increasingly complex AI environment.

Lori Cornmesser

VP of Channel and Alliance Sales

1Password

Lori Cornmesser is 1Password’s first VP of Channel and Alliance Sales, bringing more than 28 years of experience in sales, business development, and marketing, specializing in channel strategy and partner ecosystems.

At Deepwatch, Lori matured the company’s channel ecosystem, achieving a $280M partner-sourced pipeline and expanding the partner base by 40%. At CyCognito, Lori built the channel foundation from the ground up, delivering an $80M partner-sourced pipeline in year one.

At Infoblox, Lori scaled the company's revenue from $100M to $500M+, with $280M in partner-sourced pipeline, while leading their transition to SaaS and cloud-native networking. At Juniper Networks, where she spent a decade, Lori helped lay the foundation for her channel leadership career—driving channel revenues across multiple markets and contributing to the company’s growth from $500M to $5B.

Lori has been recognized as a CRN Channel Chief for 10+ years, a Power 100 honoree, a Top 100 Executive, and a Top Woman in the Channel for 18 years. She also received the 2023 Leadership Excellence Award and the Racial Justice Champion Award for her commitment to DEIB.