PHOENIX, AZ – May 13, 2024 – Bluum, North America's leading education technology solutions provider shaping tomorrow’s learning with today’s technology, announced today that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has named Sarah Kydd, Chief Commercial Officer - Secondary Market, to the 2024 Women of the Channel Power 100, an elite subset of prominent leaders selected from the CRN® 2024 Women of the Channel list.
Several other leaders in Bluum’s organization were selected as Women of the Channel, including Kerry Shaw, Alison Rossi, Emily Cook, and Terra Norine.
Every year, CRN highlights women from vendor, distributor, and solution provider organizations whose vision and leadership have a beneficial influence on the technology industry. The CRN 2024 Women of the Channel honorees are creative, strategic leaders who show an ongoing commitment to using their skills to innovate and drive success for their partners and customers.
From within this impressive group, the annual Power 100 recognizes some of the most influential women leaders from technology vendors and distributors who consistently contribute their advocacy and expertise to advancing the channel.
Every woman on the Power 100 inspires industry peers and shows deep dedication to improving outcomes and opportunities for their own organizations and the full IT channel ecosystem.
Sarah Kydd, Chief Commercial Officer - Secondary Market
She has dedicated 12 years to Bluum, holding various leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer for nearly five years, and now serving as Chief Commercial Officer - Secondary Market. Her work with channel partners allows Bluum to impact over 23 million students, supporting the valuable efforts educators make to enhance learning. At Bluum, she employs a consultative approach to drive growth in the channel, offering solutions that address the most significant challenges faced by school districts. She also collaborates closely with partners to understand their unique offerings and how these technologies can enhance learning accessibility.
Kerry Shaw, Chief Human Resources Officer
With a profound understanding of the dynamic intersection between people and business, Kerry has consistently demonstrated her prowess in shaping organizational success through strategic workforce planning and human capital management. Her notable contributions include launching the company’s shared values, which are integral to the corporate culture. Kerry also spearheaded the implementation of a new performance management process and led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives. Furthermore, she introduced new Leadership Principles, forming the cornerstone of the Leadership Development Program, and directed the development of Bluum's job architecture and compensation program. Her strategic vision and leadership continue to drive Bluum’s success.
Emily Cook, VP of Educational Services
At Bluum, she has spearheaded the development and deployment of advisory and professional development services tailored for educational organizations. She has assembled and led a team of 16 educational experts dedicated to enhancing leadership and governance practices, refining instructional methods, and engaging in research on the impacts of educational technology. Her profound passion for improving education serves as her driving force. With a decade of experience in the educational sector before her business endeavors, she deeply understands how each business decision can affect students' learning experiences. This keen awareness guides her in making strategic decisions to foster positive societal changes.
Alison Rossi, VP of Offerings & Enablement
Alison Rossi, the Vice President of Enablement and Offerings at Bluum, is a dynamic leader with a passion for strategic alliances and sales team empowerment. With a background in teaching, selling and coaching, she brings a unique perspective to her role, emphasizing talent development and solution-focused approaches. At Bluum, Alison is at the helm of managing strategic alliances, ensuring seamless collaboration with key partners, and driving the company's go-to-market strategy. Through innovative training programs and a strategic approach to alliances, Alison plays a pivotal role in shaping Bluum's success. Alison’s work in the channel for the better part of her career focused on delivering IT solutions to her customer base and developing the next generation of account executives. She is a doctoral candidate at Liberty University, with a focus on Strategic Leadership. Known for her strategic mindset and dedication to nurturing talent, Alison has become a driving force in the organization. Alison was recently selected as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Connecticut for 2024.
Terra Norine, Senior Vice President of Sales
Terra’s role involves connecting large school districts with channel partners to identify gaps in their offerings and determine what elevated support and partnership could look like. Through these partnerships, Bluum has developed strategies to offer professional development, integrate comprehensive Esports strategies into curricula, and raise community awareness for schools, helping to showcase their achievements. Leveraging these partnerships has enabled Bluum to provide elevated support for districts, surpassing what other resellers have done. From there, she developed research strategies to understand the depth of support needed within the districts. She then created comprehensive plans to provide greater support for Bluum’s customers, aligning with Bluum’s mission to empower educators and students with technology, we’re creating a fast track to a world where every child is equipped with the knowledge to reach their highest potential.
"We are delighted to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of these exemplary women leaders at Bluum. These remarkable individuals exemplify dedication not only to excellence in their roles but also to advancing our mission where everyone has access to a great education and spearheading innovation," stated Derrek Hallock, CEO for Bluum. "Each of these women has proven themselves as vital forces for change and progress within the IT channel, continually pushing the boundaries of leadership and transformation."
The 2024 Women of the Channel list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine, and online coverage will start May 13 at www.CRN.com/WOTC.
