Kelli McMillan Honored in 2024 Inclusive Channel Leaders List
July 25, 2024
We're proud to announce that Kelli McMillan, Five9 Director of Channel Sales, is among the honorees included on the 2024 CRN Inclusive Chanel Leaders list. The list recognizes over 100 individuals across the channel who are dedicated to building an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential.
CRN Inclusive Channel Leaders bring a notable focus to inclusivity in their channel leadership roles. This award considers top channel leaders who actively defend and promote inclusive leadership principles, demonstrating a strong commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within their teams, companies, and the broader channel.
Nominations for the Inclusive Channel Leaders list were open to managers, leaders, and individual contributors within the channel ecosystem in a vendor, solution provider, or distributor channel organization. Applications were reviewed by members of the CRN editorial team with input from advisory board members.
Over her past six years at Five9, Kelli has built a thriving CCaaS partner program that enables, educates, and empowers partners to succeed with Five9 all while promoting an inclusive environment across the Five9 ecosystem. After identifying the lack of diversity within the technology industry, she founded the Xposure Inclusion and Diversity Council, a Business Resource Group where individuals from different backgrounds and cultures can collaborate through mentorship and sponsorship opportunities. Xposure is also a partner to chambers and other member organizations, together supporting professionals looking to enter the technology and telecommunications spaces through mentorship and community programs.
The CRN Inclusive Channel Leaders award isn’t the industry’s first time recognizing Kelli for her drive to foster inclusive environments. She has previously appeared on Channel Future’s DE&I List, which honors individuals whose words, actions, and leadership covet notice.
“Inclusivity initiatives are facing challenges across multiple sectors, especially when building sustainable engagement. This becomes especially challenging at the intersection of ERG Leaders and their companies KPI's,” Kelli said. “One of our goals with Xposure is to strengthen a company's culture by facilitating communication between ERG leaders and executive leadership, ensuring vital initiatives such as pay equity, mentorship, collegiate recruitment, and support for diverse ERGs remain integral to each company's culture.”
Kelli also notes the significance of including a dedicated Culture and Belonging leader within an organization's leadership team. Appointing a dedicated Culture and Belonging leader ensures a proactive approach to fostering an inclusive workplace, enhancing innovation, and positively impacting the company's offerings and revenue. This strategy also accelerates company success, particularly in multicultural markets. Mentored businesses can boost their revenue by over 80% compared to their peers by avoiding costly mistakes and gaining valuable insights to drive growth.
Jake Butterbaugh, Senior Vice President for Channel Partners at Five9 added, "We are thrilled to celebrate this award with Kelli. Her commitment to fostering inclusivity and driving positive change exemplifies our values and inspires us all."
