Every year, CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, recognizes incredible women whose expertise and vision are leaving a noticeable and commendable mark on the industry. Honorees are selected from technology vendor, distributor, and solution provider organizations. With its Women of the Channel list, CRN honors select individuals for their unwavering dedication and commitment to furthering channel excellence. Each honoree on this list brings their creativity, strategic thinking, and leadership to bear in a variety of roles and responsibilities, but all are laser-focused turning their unique talents toward driving success for their partners.

As 8x8’s Global Channel Chief, I know that great channel programs require great people to drive them. That’s why we’re so fortunate at 8x8 to have Katie McPherson, Director of Channel and Field Marketing, and Carri Stansbury, Director of Channel Sales, as part of our team. Both have been recognized as part of CRN’s 2023 Women of the Channel list.

Katie McPherson

With more than 17 years of experience in developing and managing strategic channel programs, Katie leads 8x8’s strategy for field demand generation among agent, resale, and

enterprise routes to market. Over the past year, she’s not only streamlined 8x8’s channel programs to align to the company’s strategic vision, but revamped our Marketing and Investment Fund Program for Channel

Partners to create clear guidelines and processes to drive efficiencies in funding

reimbursements.

Among many other significant accomplishments across her five years at 8x8, Katie continues to develop the programs that enable our incredible channel partners to grow with us and become vital advocates of our Experience Communications as a Service (XCaaS) offering. Using her data analytics superpowers, Katie is a master of ensuring efficiency, as well as a strong return for the organization, leading to solid career progression and internal recognition including the 8x8 Channel Champion Award and ‘Friend of Sales’ issued by 8x8’s Chief Sales Officer.

Carri Stansbury

Over her five-year career with 8x8 and with more than 14 total years of channel experience, Carri has worked equally hard in building channel teams, growing revenue, and exceeding targets year over year. In her current role as Director of Channel Sales, Carri is responsible for managing 8x8’s North America team of Channel Account Managers to recruit, enable, and empower partners to sell 8x8’s unique XCaaS solution.

Prior to this as Director of Strategic Channels, Carri led a global team of partner-focused National Channel Directors who develop, maintain and support the growth for our TSD channel, growing channel revenues 65% year over year. With this relentless focus, 8x8’s Strategic Channels team was recognized across the entire channel ecosystem with countless awards including AVANT EMEA Vendor of the Year, AVANT #5 Top Overall Supplier, Telarus Top Supplier Canada, Telarus CAM of the Year Canada, Telarus Most Improved Supplier ANZ, Intelisys NAM of the Year, and TBI NAM of the Year.

A true channel advocate, Carri is well known in the industry for her passion, integrity, and partner-first approach. Using her superpower of empathy, she puts herself in our partners’ shoes, quickly understanding their needs, and then serves them with a personalized approach.

8x8’s partner experience commitment

Both Carri and Katie represent to the highest degree 8x8’s commitment and relentless focus on the partner experience. Each ensures that across the organization, we are committed to being easy to do business with, winning deals with our partners, and helping them exceed their customers’ expectations.

Notes Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company, on this year’s Women of the Channel honorees, “We are ecstatic to shine a light on these women for their significant achievements, knowing that what they’ve accomplished has paved the way for continued success within the IT channel.

“The channel is stronger because of them, and we look forward to seeing what they do next.” I do as well. It’s my honor to call both Katie and Carri Team8s and congratulate them on this recognition.

To see the full CRN 2023 Women of the Channel List, visit www.CRN.com/WOTC. To learn more about how 8x8 values and enables its partners, click here to read the latest on 8x8 Elevate.