New Pax8 Head Of Global Vendor Alliances: ‘Strategic Alliances Are Rooted In Shared Goals’

‘It starts with having a technology road map. What are they building and how are they aligning that with the SMB market, not just enterprise? ... Pax8 plays a big role in guiding vendors through that journey, helping them translate enterprise innovation into something that lands with SMBs,’ says Kathryn Almendarez Marsman, Pax8’s new senior vice president of global vendor alliances.

Pax8 has named Microsoft veteran Kathryn Almendarez Marsman as senior vice president of global vendor alliances to evolve vendor relationships from transactional partnerships into AI-powered alliances.

With more than 25 years of experience leading global partner strategy and transformation at Microsoft, Marsman joins Pax8 at a pivotal time in the company’s rapid global growth.

“I was really impressed by Pax8’s innovation,” Marsman told CRN in an interview. “MSPs bring technology to life for small and medium-size businesses, and Pax8 is at the center of that. They’re not just distributing software, they’re enabling partners with tools, AI and support that help vendors lower customer acquisition costs and deliver value at scale. That’s incredibly exciting.”

In her new role, Marsman will oversee Pax8’s global vendor alliance strategy, serve as a sponsor for key relationships and help shape go-to-market approaches across international markets. She began her role at the Denver-based cloud marketplace earlier this month and reports to Oguo Atuanya, corporate vice president of vendor experience.

Before joining Pax8, Marsman most recently served as global leader for scale solution partners at Microsoft where she led some of the company’s largest and most strategic alliances and drove innovation across AI, security and Copilot. In her new role, she’s most excited about scaling those lessons across a broader vendor ecosystem while putting SMBs and MSPs at the center of the conversation.

“Strategic alliances are rooted in shared goals,” she said. “It’s not just, ‘Here’s a product, let’s sell it.’ It’s about what we’re building together and how we help MSPs deliver that value in a way that works for their customers.”

CRN spoke further with Marsman about her vision for Pax8 vendors, the evolution of vendor relationships and lessons from Microsoft she plans to implement at the cloud marketplace.

What drew you to Pax8?

Honestly, I was really impressed by Pax8’s innovation. When you think about it, partners are what bring technology to life, especially for small and medium-size businesses. MSPs make tech real for customers, and Pax8 is at the center of that.

They’re not just distributing software, they’re enabling partners with tools, AI and support that help vendors lower customer acquisition costs and deliver value at scale. That’s incredibly exciting. After so many years at Microsoft, this felt like the right next challenge, unlocking the code, so to speak, for this customer segment.

So what are some of your initial tasks as you settle into the role?

Right now, it’s all about spending time with our strategic vendors. I’m learning how we can innovate together, how AI can accelerate our work and how we can jointly grow. It’s about finding mutual value, not just for us and our vendors, but most importantly, for the MSPs and customers we all serve.

You’ve spent 25 years at Microsoft. How has that shaped your approach to vendor and partner relationships?

It’s had a massive impact. First, Microsoft is one of Pax8’s biggest vendors, so there’s a lot of knowledge I can bring over: how to operate at scale, how to build and maintain partner ecosystems, how to think strategically about long-term growth. But part of why I left was to expand beyond that, to spend more time with a broader set of vendors. That’s exciting for me. I can bring in innovation, process improvement and also those hard-earned lessons about scaling and evolving partnerships over time.

You’ve worked across areas like AI, cybersecurity, Copilot and partner transformation. How does that influence your current strategy?

It helps tremendously. At Microsoft, I worked a lot with vendors on how to navigate transformation. What does AI really mean for your business? How do you evolve your offerings? How do you bring that innovation to market effectively? Now at Pax8, I get to apply that to a broader ecosystem. It’s about how we enable our MSP partners, how we align with the direction of agentic AI and how we position our vendor solutions to stay ahead of what customers are expecting next.

What makes a strategic vendor alliance different from a transactional one?

Great question. It starts with having a technology road map. What are they building and how are they aligning that with the SMB market, not just enterprise? Strategic alliances are rooted in shared goals. It’s not just, ‘Here’s a product, let’s sell it.’ It’s, ‘What are we both trying to accomplish in this space, and how do we get there together?’ Pax8 plays a big role in guiding vendors through that journey, helping them translate enterprise innovation into something that lands with SMBs. And that’s Pax8’s true strength. We’re not just a marketplace, we’re enablers, coaches, collaborators.

How do you plan to strengthen Pax8’s value proposition for current and future vendors?

First and foremost, it’s about strategy. Having clear business plans, solid go-to-market alignment and investable models that benefit both Pax8 and the vendor. Then there’s the global view. What works in the U.S. might not resonate in EMEA or APAC. So I’ll be working closely with our global teams to ensure our strategies scale and make sense regionally, not just in one market.

What’s one lesson from your 25 years at Microsoft that will serve you well at Pax8?

Tenacity. You’re not always going to nail it on the first try. So, having a growth mindset, the willingness to adapt, to learn from what doesn’t work … and to try again is key. Microsoft taught me that, and in a fast-paced place like Pax8, it’s absolutely essential.

What advice would you give to women aiming for senior roles in tech?

Find your people. You need mentors, sponsors and sounding boards. Mentors give you coaching. Sponsors advocate for you when you’re not in the room. And sounding boards help you bounce around ideas when you’re stuck or need perspective. Be intentional about building those relationships. That network can open doors, guide you through challenges and help you show up stronger in every role.

So what’s your message to the vendor community as you step into this role?

We’re in this together. Pax8 is evolving and we want our vendors right alongside us in that journey. We’re here to drive innovation with you, to support you in scaling and to help SMB customers succeed through your technology.

And finally, what’s your message to MSPs?

You’re the chef in the kitchen. You’re the one assembling all the ingredients, bringing the solution to life and baking that amazing cake for customers. We can’t do this without you. You’re the heart of the ecosystem.