Seven SHI leaders named finalists in CRN’s 2025 Women of the Year Awards

September 22, 2025 — SHI International is proud to announce that seven of its outstanding team members have been named finalists in CRN’s 2025 Women of the Year Awards. This prestigious program honors women who have made significant contributions to the IT channel through innovation, leadership, and impact.

Representing a wide range of disciplines — from sales and marketing to emerging technology and public sector leadership — these finalists exemplify SHI’s commitment to excellence, inclusion, and industry advancement.

SHI’s 2025 CRN Finalists:

• Kendra Perry – Channel Innovator of the Year Before most people even hear the name of a new technology, Kendra has already charted where it fits, how it scales, and why it matters. As Director of Emerging Technology at Stratascale, she leads the search for next-generation cybersecurity and infrastructure solutions—those capable of solving complex problems, closing critical gaps, and strengthening global IT ecosystems. A passionate advocate for growth and authenticity, Kendra launched the CybHER Collective, Stratascale’s women-in-tech initiative focused on mentorship, inclusion, and leadership development—a space where others can grow, lead, and be heard.
• Sarah Harris – Sales Executive of the Year Sarah leads a 300-person commercial inside sales organization dedicated to solving complex customer challenges through world-class technology solutions. Under her leadership, this problem-solving culture consistently surpasses revenue targets, including a 20 percent year-over-year sales increase, while amplifying SHI’s market presence through strategic partnerships and relentless execution. Sarah’s leadership blends mentorship, inclusion, and thoughtful execution, shaped by lessons learned both in the workplace and at home as a parent of two girls.
• Janet Valvano – Marketing Executive of the Year SHI has been Janet Valvano’s professional home since 1992, when she joined as a recent college graduate and the company’s first-ever marketing hire—“marketing assistant” to President & CEO, Thai Lee. Over the next three decades, she grew alongside SHI, transforming its marketing department into a strategic engine that fuels growth, strengthens partnerships, and drives customer engagement. Her leadership philosophy—"it’s good to be uncomfortable”—has fostered a team culture that embraces experimentation, adapts quickly, and consistently delivers high-impact experiences.
• Kelly Storie – Role Model of the Year With over 15 years at SHI International, Kelly Storie has shaped the careers of numerous individuals through mentorship, development, and a commitment to purposeful leadership across Inside Sales and Learning & Development. As Director of Inside Sales for Canada & Strategic Divisions, Kelly leads multiple high-performing teams focused on client engagement, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration. Earlier in her career, Kelly played a foundational role in SHI’s Learning & Development division, where she trained nearly 1,000 Inside Account Managers.
• Denise Collison – Woman of the Year  Denise Collison is a respected leader in public sector IT, known for empowering government and education organizations to overcome challenges and drive meaningful outcomes through technology. With over 30 years of experience, she has led SHI’s Public Sector Business Unit from under $1B to $5B in revenue as Senior Vice President. A strong advocate for authentic leadership, she leads with kindness, transparency, and respect, sharing her experiences through coaching initiatives and speaking at industry and women’s leadership events.
• Aleesa Foltz – Hidden Gem of the Year  Aleesa is a natural builder of strategies, systems, teams, and trust. As the driving force behind SHI’s partner ecosystem, she brings strategic vision to life by empowering others and creating the conditions for high-performance collaboration. Equally passionate about people, Aleesa is SHI’s Culture Advocate Lead, where she champions career development, collaboration, and inclusion—creating space for others to lead and thrive.
• Brooke Pierantoni – Rising Star of the Year  As many people leaders do, Brooke started her career in the hospitality industry, where hands-on experience laid the foundation for her expertise in people-operations. At SHI, Brooke’s early success as an individual contributor—filling more than 85 technical and sales roles—earned her leadership responsibility within 12 months. After four years at SHI, Brooke unites her passions for talent development, operational excellence, and strategic growth as IT Staff Director & Chief of Staff.

Celebrating Excellence

“The various journeys of these seven finalists and the leadership roles they play exemplify the empowerment, opportunity, and career development we hope is available to every one of our employees,” said Thai Lee, President and CEO of SHI International. “The outpouring of support they have each received from their coworkers from all corners of our company is truly inspiring. SHI congratulates all of this year’s CRN Women of the Year finalists and applauds the incredible women across the channel whose leadership, innovation, and inspiration continue to shape our industry every day.”

The winners will be announced at the CRN Women of the Year Awards Gala on December 9, 2025, in New York City. To view the full list of finalists, visit CRN’s official site.