Congratulations to Extreme’s 2021 CRN Women of the Channel!
Natalia Vianden, Lorna Pierno, Kate Price, Brenda Richardson, Kilynn Sommer, and SarahJane Walshe recognized for strength, vision, and achievement in the IT channel.
At Extreme Networks, we are proud to have many accomplished women in leadership roles at every level, and we work hard to foster a culture of diversity, opportunity, and advancement. Over the past 3 years, we’ve increased our population of female employees by 30%.
Today, I’m pleased to share that CRN magazine has named six of these phenomenal women to its esteemed 2021 Women of the Channel list:
- Natalia Vianden, Director of Global Channel Programs
- Lorna Pierno, Director of Channel Marketing
- Kate Price, Senior Manager of Global Channel Operations
- Brenda Richardson, Senior Director, Head of Channels, Americas
- Kilynn Sommer, Senior Director of Channel Marketing & Partner Programs
- SarahJane Walshe, Manager of Distribution Marketing, Americas
Recognizing the unique strengths, vision, and achievements of a select group of women, this prestigious annual list acknowledges channel leaders who are blazing a trail for future generations.
Further, Natalia has been named to the WOTC Power 100 list! The Power 100 is an elite subset of CRN’s Women of the Channel who have gone above and beyond, inspiring their peers through their leadership and unwavering commitment to the success of their partners, companies, and the entire IT channel.
“Natalia, Lorna, Kate, Brenda, Kilynn, and SarahJane lead by example. It’s a privilege to get to work with these women every day. Their longevity, experience, and energy contributes to our thought leadership and has had a major contribution to our success. I couldn’t be more proud.” – Joe Vitalone, Chief Revenue Officer, Extreme Networks
“CRN’s 2021 Women of the Channel list acknowledges accomplished, influential women whose dedication, hard work, and leadership accelerate channel growth,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. “We are proud to honor them for their many accomplishments and look forward to their continued contributions to the IT channel.”
About the Recipients
Natalia Vianden, an experienced channel professional who has been with Extreme and the networking industry for over 20 years, launched and spearheads our Global Channel Partner Program.
On top of being named a 2021 Women of the Channel, Natalia was also selected for the WOTC Power 100 list for the THIRD time!
Click here to view the accomplishments that contributed to Natalia’s recognition.
“I feel honored to have received the ‘Women of the Channel Power 100’ award and am especially proud as this is my third time winning. It is amazing to see an increasing number of awards for women in technology, highlighting that our contributions are recognized and highly valued. On a personal note, I feel inspired to work for a company that is such a champion for women in the industry and am hugely appreciative of all the support and encouragement I have received from Extreme Networks. I like to think this win isn’t just a recognition for the work I do myself, but also that of my team members – who all work tirelessly to deliver the best partner program possible.” – Natalia Vianden, Director of Global Channel Programs
Lorna Pierno, a results-oriented and innovative marketing professional with 20+ years of experience in the networking industry, directs our global channel demand generation and communications initiatives.
Click here to view the accomplishments that contributed to Lorna’s recognition.
“I am honored to be recognized amongst these incredible female leaders. I feel fortunate to work for an organization that truly supports and empowers women and values inclusivity. I’m excited to continue empowering our partners to deliver effortless networking experiences.” – Lorna Pierno, Director of Channel Marketing
Kate Price, an experienced channel professional with over 15 years of service at Extreme across operations, programs, sales, and the channel, manages our global channel operations.
Click here to view the accomplishments that contributed to Kate’s recognition.
“I feel honored to be recognized by CRN for the first time, and this is not only a recognition for myself but also for all the other great women on my team and that I work with at Extreme.” – Kate Price, Senior Manager of Global Channel Operations
Brenda Richardson, a passionate and experienced channel sales executive with over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, leads our Americas channel sales strategy.
Click here to view the accomplishments that contributed to Brenda’s recognition.
“I am passionate about challenging complexity and am fortunate to be a part of such an innovative company. I am grateful to be recognized with this group of amazing women at Extreme and in the IT Channel.” – Brenda Richardson, Senior Director, Head of Channels, Americas
Kilynn Sommer, a bilingual marketing leader with a proven track record of driving growth and organizational effectiveness, leads our global channel marketing and partner programs.
Click here to view the accomplishments that contributed to Kilynn’s recognition.
“It is an honor and privilege to be recognized alongside some of the strongest IT Channel Leaders in Tech today and to see the list of CRN nominees continue to grow year after year. Working in the Channel has been the highlight of my career and to see more women join in on the fun is remarkable.” – Kilynn Sommer, Senior Director of Channel Marketing & Partner Programs
SarahJane Walshe, a skilled marketing professional with leadership experience in digital content and corporate communications, drives our distribution marketing efforts for the Americas.
Click here to view the accomplishments that contributed to SarahJane’s recognition.
“This recognition inspires me, even more, to empower our distributors to reach new heights. I’m energized to continue learning, growing, and challenging myself to reach for the stars! I feel so fortunate to be at an organization like Extreme, where I am surrounded by talented peers and transformative leaders who have opened up doors for my professional growth.” – SarahJane Walshe, Manager of Distribution Marketing, Americas
Congratulations Natalia, Lorna, Kate, Brenda, Kilynn, and SarahJane on this honor. Your accomplishments and leadership are valued across the organization and by our channel community.
The 2021 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN® Magazine and online beginning May 10 at www.CRN.com/WOTC.