As Cohesity continues to grow its channel presence, we remain 100% committed to building relationships that offer value to our partners and customers.
So it comes as no surprise that four Cohesity leaders — Kate Canestrari, Debbie Gililland, Karyn MacKie and Cathy Moncayo — have been named to CRN’s 2022 Women of the Channel list which honors the accomplishments of female leaders in the IT channel. By bringing innovative concepts, strategic business planning, and comprehensive channel initiatives to life, these extraordinary women support partners, customers, and junior colleagues with their leadership and common success factor—continuous learning.
We recognize and celebrate Kate, Debbie, Karyn, and Cathy for their consistent dedication to channel excellence.
Meet Our Women of the Channel Honorees
To help you get to know these highly accomplished women, we asked them how they got into the channel—and what advice they would give to women starting their channel careers. Here’s what they said:
Kate Canestrari, VP/Global Partner Marketing
- How I got into the channel: For 25 years, I’ve either worked for or with channel partners. In my early days, I had a field or solution marketing role—first with HPE, then IBM, Deloitte, Dell, and VMware. In 2015, I decided it was time to turn my focus to the channel and broaden my overall marketing skills. I love working with and meeting our partners and driving innovative marketing that raises the bar in how we go to market with our partners.
- My advice to women entering the channel: Living along the Boston Marathon route, the analogy that comes to mind is it is a marathon and not a sprint. Take those opportunities to learn, build connections, and have some fun. The remote world has definitely made building relationships and networking a bit more challenging, but we can all see a light at the end of the tunnel, so take advantage of the face-to-face events as things begin to open up. And don’t be afraid to ask questions; the channel can get complicated with many different pathways and routes to market. Be patient, grow your network, and grow yourself.
Debbie Gililland, Director/Global Partner Marketing
- How I got into the channel: After many years leading enterprise marketing teams at a large tech company, I switched gears and took an individual contributor position in Strategic Alliances. It was a great way to get my feet wet in the partnering world. Here I learned a lot about relationship-building and go-to-market strategies. I also learned the value and importance of a holistic, integrated ecosystem, particularly with channel partners. Fast-forward to today where I’m having fun using my experience to create marketing programs and strategy to help Cohesity scale and grow its business. I love working with partners!
- My advice to women entering the channel: A career is not always a linear path. It can have twists and turns. I’ve never been one to chase titles, but I am one to chase new opportunities where I can learn new things and grow my skills. I’ve taken a lateral move or even a step back at times for new positions and never regretted it because it shaped my experience and has made me a well-rounded marketer. My advice is to be open to opportunities that could grow your breadth of experience even if it might not look like an immediate step up.
Karyn MacKie, Director/Worldwide Partner Programs
- How I got into the channel: I had a sales specialist position at a small technology company and my job was to engage with the SEs to track and manage POCs. One day I was informed that there had been a reorg and my new job was to support the reseller partners who were not managed by a partner manager and the US distributor. I covered about 100 partners and also managed partner communications and program deliverables.
- My advice to women entering the channel: Take advantage of all of the opportunities that are available to you and never stop learning. You may not seek out each position; sometimes your new job is the result of a reorganization or the reality of the job you applied for is different from your expectations. While each of the positions you have may not be your dream job, look for the positives in each role to continue to build your expertise, identify what you enjoy doing, and highlight what your strengths are. Once you have gotten all that you can from a role, it’s time to move on.
Cathy Moncayo, Director/Partner & Channel Marketing
- How I got into the channel: I graduated at a time when marketing jobs were scarce. So I became an intern at a Chicago advertising agency. I applied for a sales coordinator position at a hot, new tech company nearby and was hired. While I really enjoyed the people and energy there, I was frustrated with not knowing anything about technology and I missed the agency vibe. I began looking for other jobs and at every interview I was asked: Why would you leave? I figured I should give it a chance and not be afraid to learn new things like technology!
- My advice to women entering the channel: Be eager to learn and not afraid to get out of your comfort zone. Ask questions, speak up, and let your voice be heard. Do your research when selecting a company to make sure it aligns with your values and goals. Build relationships by engaging, learning, and listening, and look to mentors for guidance.
Congratulations to these inspiring and insightful Women of the Channel at Cohesity!
