How Open Source Values Drive Inclusivity & Innovation Across our Partner Ecosystem

As I reflect on my journey in the tech industry, one thing stands out: the power of openness and meritocracy – both values foundational to open source as well as SUSE. 

Thank you to CRN for the recognition as  CRN’s Women of the Channel for 2025. I see this recognition as a testament to the inclusive and open environment at SUSE. This environment is a cornerstone of the open source ethos, where diversity and collaboration drive innovation.

The Power of Inclusivity

In my earlier days in the channel, I was often the only woman leader in the room. At an event, one of the partner executives pulled me aside and asked, “What do you see?”.  I looked across the group and it was 10 men in gray suits and myself. I hadn’t noticed this before but became more attentive and aware and saw a continued pattern.

I have worked to build a servant leadership team within SUSE as well as a culture through our ecosystem with guiding principles that support this approach. 

Often times we have to create an environment that supports a more diverse and inclusive team – whether it’s gender, background, experiences, education, religion, or culture. 

I’m thankful that at SUSE, working with partners is an incredibly inclusive space. We have individuals from diverse backgrounds, each bringing unique perspectives and expertise. This diversity is not just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for aligning to our global audience. Minds from varying backgrounds and experiences coming together not only foster innovation, but bring the most robust solution to fruition through trust and willingness to listen and learn from each other, embracing the various insights.

We have a diverse leadership team that represents the global partner ecosystem that we work with, and which best represents the values and outcomes we strive to achieve. Working with our partners in a trusting and open way allows us to cultivate the best solutions ‘together as one’.

SUSE’s values support an inclusive culture through being open, trusting, and driving innovation through the community. Over the last year, our ecosystem team has continued to develop new offerings and expand our reach to new countries with new programs, specializations, and incentives. 

An example is when we first rolled out our Cloud Elevate program. This was different and required new approaches with finance, tax, and legal. Working across departments, helping our various stakeholders understand ‘the why’ behind the changes and processes we were implementing, created an environment of support.  Working together, bringing people from different backgrounds, created a variety of ideas that helped us find the best solution for our customers and partners.

Honoring the Trailblazers

This year, several remarkable women from SUSE have been honored by CRN for their contributions to the channel. Each of these women embodies the spirit of inclusivity and collaboration, and their stories are a source of inspiration for all of us.  One thing I noticed, in addition to being thought leaders in their respective areas of expertise, is that we all have in common is: we all enjoy the beach!  

Thank you to this wonderful and diverse set of women who are driving and leading change and innovation.

1. Melissa Slack – Global Alliance Manager
2. Jill Schiller – Distribution Partner Executive
3. Whitney Park – North America Field Marketing Alliances Manager
4. Christine Puccio – Global VP, Cloud
5. Rachel Cassidy – SVP, Global GTM & Ecosystem Success

Each of the women honored by CRN brings a unique set of skills and perspectives to their roles, contributing to the diverse and inclusive environment that fosters innovation and success at SUSE. They work with our partners in different capacities: from sales and marketing to strategy and enablement.

Celebrating the Contributions of Our Honorees to the Partner Community

The success of SUSE and our partners is a collective effort, and it is powered by the incredible women who are part of our team. I invite you to visit CRN to read more about these amazing individuals and the work they do. Their stories are a testament to the power of inclusivity and collaboration, and they inspire us all to strive for excellence.