Of the Field

Women of the Channel Leadership Summit West 2026

T

he Women of the Channel Leadership Summit West is a premier gathering for women across the IT channel seeking to grow as leaders, advance organizational diversity, and build meaningful, lasting connections. The event, intentionally designed for accessibility and inclusivity, offers a mix of motivational keynotes, interactive workshops, peer-driven panels, a…

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24Voices
11Underwriters
0Exhibitors
17On the bill · sessions
26Companies · in total
§I

The Voices

Programmed at Women, in alphabetical order.
Allison Cohen
Director of Events and Business Operations · The Channel Company
Amanda Griffiths
Founder · Bracelets for Change
Amy Wilde
Director of Data & Research · The Channel Company
Beth Vanni
Director of Research & Principal Consultant - IPED Division · The Channel Company
Brenda Hudson
SVP Commercial Sales · Insight
CJ Fairfield
Senior Associate Editor, CRN · The Channel Company
Donna Grothjam
Founder & Growth Strategist · Grothjan Consulting
Emily O'Carroll
Field CISO · GuidePointe Security
Gretchen Evans
Inspirational Voice for Resilience & Teamwork, Founder of Team UNBROKEN
Jacquie Rives
WOTC, Program Director & Community Leader · The Channel Company
Jennifer Anaya
Senior Vice President, Global Marketing · Ingram Micro
Jess Wass
Founder & CEO · Reworkit
Karli Sherman
Speaker, Leadership Coach, Emcee · Karli Sherman Productions
Karrie Sullivan
AI Adoption Coach + CEO · Culminate Strategy Group
Katie Bianchi
SVP, Network Security GTM & Chief Customer Officer · Palo Alto Networks
Kelsey Morgan, PhD
CEO & Co-Founder · EverFree
Kristin Malek
Revenue Operations Leader · CDW
Melissa Nacerino
VP, Global Partner Marketing · Zscaler
Rebecca Adams
Chief People Officer · Cohesity
Ruth Beyene
Principal Account Manager · Amazon Web Services
Sara Ross
Keynote Speaker|Author|Founder & Chief Vitality Officer · BrainAmped
Seana Fippin
Founder and CEO · Red Box Business Solutions

— and 2 more, by name unsung —

§II

Underwritten By

The houses behind the program. Tiers as disclosed.
BMC
CDW
HPE
HPE/NVIDIA
Ingram Micro
Intel
Optiv
Palo Alto Networks
TD SYNNEX
Trellix
Zscaler
§III

The Programme

Selected from 17 sessions on the bill.
  • Tuesday 5/12/2026, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

    WOTC Morning Walk Meet Up (Pre-Registration Required by May 1 - No Charge)

    Kick off the day with an energizing morning walk around the beautiful and lush grounds of the Omni La Costa Resort. We will meet at the Costa Del Sol Ballroom Foyer to check in. Th…

  • Tuesday 5/12/2026, 2:00 PM - 2:15 PM

    Women of the Channel West Opening Remarks

    Prepare for an extraordinary Women of the Channel West 2026 experience! Jacquie Rives, Women of the Channel’s Community Leader & Program Director, kicks off the event with celebrat…

  • Tuesday 5/12/2026, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM

    Opening Keynote: Unbroken - Turning Adversity into Strength

    Gretchen Evans shares her powerful story of resilience, from surviving a devastating combat injury to finding purpose and leading others through life's challenges. In this inspirin…

  • Tuesday 5/12/2026, 3:00 PM - 3:15 PM

    Executive Keynote: Palo Alto Networks - When Life Doesn’t Pause- Leading Through Pressure, Loss, and the Moments That Define You

    What do you do when one of the best moments of your life and one of the hardest happen at the same time, and your career doesn’t slow down? In 2022, Katie Bianchi stepped into a ne…

  • Tuesday 5/12/2026, 3:15 PM - 3:45 PM

    Keynote: Rise Together: From Barriers to Bridges in the Modern Workplace

    Today, four generations are working side by side—each shaped by different career entry points, expectations, and definitions of success. Drawing on insights from the latest State o…

  • Tuesday 5/12/2026, 4:25 PM - 4:55 PM

    Executive Leadership Keynote: Be the Signal, Not the Noise

    In a world—and an industry—that’s getting louder by the minute, those who stand out share a commitment to clarity in voice and action. This conversational session, led by bold thin…

  • Tuesday 5/12/2026, 4:55 PM - 5:10 PM

    Executive Leadership Keynote: Beyond the Firewall: Leading with Clarity in a World That Won’t Slow Down

    In today’s always-on, fast-moving business environment, leaders are expected to make high-stakes decisions, influence outcomes, and guide their teams—often without clear answers or…

  • Tuesday 5/12/2026, 5:10 PM - 5:25 PM

    Channel@Work's Raffle for a Cause: Commitment to EverFree

    The Channel Company’s Channel@Work program is designed to bring the Channel community together to connect and give back. The partnership between WOTC and EverFree dates back to 201…

  • Tuesday 5/12/2026, 9:50 AM - 11:30 AM

    Pre-Event Workshop: Dawn of the Earth Tea Activation (Pre-Registration Required by April 29 - $60)

    This immersive Tea Activation is a sensory journey rooted in intention, sustainability, and connection. All herbs are ethically sourced, toxin- and chemical-free, and cultivated in…

Intermission
Part the Second · For the Buyer

What does it mean when 26 companies show up — and 4 bet on three roles at once?

26 companies. four are betting more than once.

The numbers below are derived from the speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors on this page — cross-referenced into one ledger. They are the only thing here that 10times.com cannot tell you.

01Fig. 01 — Composition of the House
4All threespeak · spons · exh
7Sponsoringsponsor only
0Exhibitingexhibitor only
15Companies Speakingspeaker only

The Triple-Threat

CDW·Ingram Micro·Palo Alto Networks·Zscaler

02Fig. 02 — The Voices, by Seniority

79% of the speakers carry senior titles — C-suite, Founder, VP, or Director-level.

  • C-suite833%
  • Founder / Owner521%
  • VP-level28%
  • Director / Head of417%
  • Manager / Lead14%
  • Marketing / Brand14%
  • Other roles313%

Of 24 on the bill · classified by free-text title

03Fig. 03 — The Heaviest in the Room
  1. 01The Channel Company5V
  2. 02CDWSp1V
  3. 03Ingram MicroSp1V
  4. 04Palo Alto NetworksSp1V
  5. 05ZscalerSp1V
  6. 06BMCSp
  7. 07HPESp
  8. 08HPE & NVIDIASp
  9. 09IntelSp
  10. 10OptivSp
  11. 11TD SYNNEXSp
  12. 12TrellixSp
  13. 13AWS1V
  14. 14Bracelets for Change1V
04Fig. 04 — By Tier
unspecified11
100% of 11
05Fig. 05 — The Missing · who's at peer events but not here

These companies sponsored two or more peer events recently, but aren't on this program. For an organizer, that's a list of warm prospects.

06Fig. 06 — Adjacent Convocations · by shared underwriters