The Alliance of Channel Women (ACW), a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating the growth of female leaders in the indirect channel of telecom and IT, has announced its 2026 board of directors. The 11-member board includes four new members who will serve two-year terms beginning in January.
Mel Kolinski, senior director of sales and partnerships for Ostra Cybersecurity, was named president. Kolinski joined the board this year and served as chair of ACW’s Local Chapters Committee. She previously served as co-chair of the ACW Events Committee and co-moderator for the ACW local chapter in Minnesota.
Staci Corbett, director of channel marketing at Fusion Connect, was selected vice president. Corbett joined the board in 2024 and has served as chair of ACW’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee.
Sommer Figone, director of field enablement at RapidScale, will continue in her role as secretary. She joined the board in 2024 and also served as chair of the ACW Events Committee.
ACW will name a treasurer at a later date, officials said.
Newly elected board members include Laura Gibbs, channel sales and marketing expert; Shannon Orr, senior director of national strategic partners at AVANT; Meg Thompson, strategic architecture manager at CCI Systems; and Jen Waltz, chief information security officer at IMAJENATIVE.
Returning board members are Madison Beedy, director of channel sales at EarthLink; Tracy Hali, an executive leader in people, partner and customer success; Holly B. Hunt, senior director of channel program management for CyberMaxx; and Jackie Steinberg, channel chief at DartPoints.
“This board represents the strength, diversity and momentum of the ACW community,” said Kolinski. “Each of these leaders brings a deep commitment to advancing women in the channel, and I’m excited to work together as we build on ACW’s legacy and continue expanding our impact.”
The four outgoing board members are Mayka Rosales-Peterson, director of partner marketing Americas, IBM; Akilah Murrell, director of channel marketing at F5; Ashley Cole, senior channel manager at AppDirect; and Maureen O’Connell, executive director, global partner sales at Comcast Business.
“We’re incredibly grateful to ACW’s outgoing board members for their dedication and leadership,” Corbett said. “Their service helped shape the organization ACW is today, and their contributions will continue to influence ACW’s mission and community for years to come.”
