Alliance of Channel Women Boosts Advocacy For Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

The Alliance of Channel Women, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to accelerating the growth of female channel leaders in technology, is stepping up its focus on advocacy and education for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

The organization’s new DEI Committee, which supersedes the ACW Advocacy Committee, was created in response to the growing needs of ACW members and the channel community for DEI leadership and education amid heightened racial tension and civil unrest since summer 2020.

“ACW was formed to promote gender diversity and inclusion in the tech channel, but the need is clearly much broader as is evident most recently by escalating violence and discrimination against people of color,” said ACW President Amy Bailey, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Telarus. “To say this is not our fight is to abdicate responsibility for the welfare of our friends and colleagues who suffer – often in silence – at the hands of both malicious and unconscious bias. That’s why we’re standing up and speaking out for diversity, equity and inclusion of all kinds in the tech channel.”

Recognizing Benefits Of Diversity

The new committee seeks to create and curate education and other programs to help technology businesses recognize diversity as beneficial, nurture talent and advocate for individual growth. The ultimate goal is to create a tech channel environment where everyone – no matter their gender, race, ethnicity, age, or sexual orientation – is valued and included.

“ACW believes that we’re better and stronger together,” said DEI Committee Chair Raquel Wiley, Senior Channel Marketing Manager at TPx. “Through the DEI Committee, ACW will work with our members and their employers, our sponsors and vendors to promote a diverse channel community that reflects the world in which we live and work.”

In addition to Chair Wiley, the ACW DEI Committee is led by two Co-chairs: Jacqueline Steinberg, Partner Development Manager at AT&T Alliance Channel and Kelli McMillan, National Partner Manager at Five9. They are joined by former ACW Advocacy Committee Members and a growing list of ACW members.