11 female channel chiefs explain what they love about working in the channel

Celebrating the female leaders in this year’s 2026 CRN Australia Channel Chiefs list.

Working in the Australian IT channel comes with its challenges and its triumphs, while this sector can bring some bad days, the good always outweighs the bad.

As a part of the 2026 CRN Australia Channel Chiefs we asked the female winners what their favourite thing is about working in the channel.

For several female channel leaders, they love the relationships, from building new connections to fostering the friendships they already have.

It also gives some of the leaders a chance to be challenged, to put their developed skills to play. Plus, some love the fact that no two days are the same, as variety is the spice of life.

Here is what the 11 female winners of the CRN Australia Channel Chiefs said they loved about working in the channel.

Mary Armstrong, Regional Manager, Partner Sales ANZ, Cisco

The channel allows me to play to my strengths whilst still providing a challenge. I am known for thriving in complexity, bringing clarity, and remaining calm under pressure, I take a forward-looking approach that offers teams a clear vision to anticipate what's ahead and move with confidence. I focus on aligning the right people, data and priorities to create momentum and deliver strong commercial outcomes. Success in my experience is about balancing both sides of leadership: empowering people so they can thrive and driving commercial outcomes that move the business forward. I'm open to connecting with business leaders, experts, innovators and thought leaders across the industry who are passionate about elevating the partner sales ecosystem and creating meaningful growth together. The channel is all of this.

Jelaine Doncaster, Head of Channel Sales ANZ, Nutanix

I genuinely love the channel. I really believe in the partner system as it makes a considerable difference to customers achieving the outcomes they're trying to achieve. From the vendor side, it is really amazing to build relationships that are mutually beneficial and improve efficiency and revenue. It really is a great bunch of people trying to do the best they can, and many of the people I've met along the way have become my best friends.

Sonja Johnson, Senior Director, Partner Sales, ANZ, Zscaler

My favorite thing about working in the channel is building long term, trust based relationships with our internal teams and our Zscaler partners. When we are open and honest with each other about priorities, timing and what is really happening in the field it creates a healthier operating rhythm. That transparency helps us manage pipeline and business risk more maturely, set clear expectations and avoid surprises. Ultimately it strengthens collaboration, accelerates joint execution and makes the wins more meaningful because they are built together over time.

Yvette McEnearney, Senior Director Channel & ANZ Country Leader, GoTo Technologies

My favourite thing about working in the channel is the incredible variety it offers - no two days are ever the same. I thrive on building strong relationships with partners and collaborating toward mutual success. For me, seeing shared goals come to life through trust and teamwork is truly rewarding and keeps me inspired every day.

Hope McGarry, Vice President and Country Chief Executive, Ingram Micro Australia

My favourite thing about working in the channel is the people. I love the opportunity to serve partners and be part of their journey, watching them grow, win, and evolve their businesses over time. There is something incredibly rewarding about helping enable that success and knowing we play a role in their momentum and long-term impact.

Caroline Smith, Partner Account Executive ANZ, Akamai Technologies

The people! Channel is the best way to connect with people across all roles in a business. Everyone factors into the success of a partnership - teamwork makes the dream work!

Adele Smith, Director of Channels, Australia and New Zealand, CrowdStrike

What I love most about working in the channel is how it brings together everything I've built throughout my career while constantly pushing me to learn and grow. I enjoy acting as an extension of our partners' businesses, working closely with them to drive growth and achieve meaningful outcomes. The collaborative, fast-moving nature of the channel keeps the work engaging, and it's incredibly rewarding to help partners navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and support our shared customers in achieving stronger security results.

Suchanda Mandal, VP Partnerships, APAC, Cloudflare

My favourite thing about working with channels is the scalability and growth leading to a multiplier effect. When we get the strategy, trust, and incentives right - multiple markets, and customers can benefit faster from one idea or capability from those best-in-class partners. I love the mix of strategy and relationships, building something long-term with partners who bring deep local insight, ambition, and willingness to solve customer problems. When partners win, customers win, and we win - that shared success is incredibly energising and fulfilling.

Jo Dean, Vice President of Channel and Alliances, Asia Pacific, Commvault

The relationships - collaborating with talented, passionate partners who bring fresh ideas, unique perspectives, and genuine commitment to customer success. The channel is constantly evolving, and I love the energy that comes from solving challenges together, co-innovating, and helping partners grow their businesses. The channel isn't just a route to market; it's a community. Being part of that shared momentum and collective success is what inspires me every day.

Lindsay Zwart, Executive Vice President & General Manager of APAC, Pax8

The people. It's a community built on collaboration, shared problem-solving, and trust. Watching partners genuinely support each other while helping customers succeed is a joy to watch on a daily basis.

Kathleen Grahame, Director, Marketing APJ, Sophos

I values the trust and collaboration that comes from working closely with partners to solve real customer challenges and drive shared growth.

Take a look at the full 2026 CRN Australia Channel Chiefs list.

Some responses were edited and condensed for clarity.