Alliance of Channel Women is highlighting women who are Living the ACW Pledge: Women Supporting Women. We’re seeking nominations from the channel community for women – from the mailroom to the boardroom – who embody the oath in their words and actions.
Sandra Blettner, Migration Partner Development Manager at Amazon Web Services, was nominated by Sherry Yu, Senior Solution Engineer at VMware.
In what way(s) is your nominee an example of Living the ACW Advocacy Pledge of women supporting women?
Sandra Blettner is an exemplary model of women supporting women – not only does she listen to you entirely, but she is graceful, humble, and always willing to extend a helping hand. Sandra is also a great mentor to younger women and is always trying to connect with others so that they know they have someone to reach out to when dealing with work issues, looking for advice, or simply building friendships.
What is a specific example of what she did for you and when it happened?
I was very nervous when I started my first college internship at Cisco. I didn’t know anyone in the sales office – I was 19, and everyone else was primarily male and at least 50 years old. She suggested I say hi to someone named Annette Parker, another channel woman who I approached in the office and was able to connect with. Having a connection with someone else in the office during my first week made me feel welcome and part of the Cisco community and showed me the importance of women connecting with women.
What impact did her action have on you and/or your career?
Sandra is my oldest sister and thirteen years older than me. I was only nine years old when she was a twenty-two-year-old fresh out of college working as a rep at AT&T. I didn’t have many role models to look up to since I didn’t know anyone else that studied engineering and had gone on to take roles in business as she did. She encouraged me to study engineering and apply for technical sales roles. I always ask Sandra for work advice, whether it is how to deal with a difficult colleague or customer. I credit her for where I am today! If not for her, I probably would not have known about the field of IT sales, and I wouldn’t have had the chance to support the enterprise market in NYC at both Cisco and VMware.
Want to Nominate a Woman Who is Living the ACW Pledge?
Do you know a woman who has played a supportive role in your technology career, please tell us who she is and how she had your back!
ACW will accept nominations throughout the year and will recognize:
- Every nominee in the monthly ACW Member Newsletter
- Name a Big Impact Award Winner every quarter
For more information, visit ACW Advocacy Pledge.