Ciera Broberg, vice president of partner support at Telarus, was one of three women to receive the 2019 Alliance of Channel Women LEAD Award recognizing exceptional female leaders in the tech channel. ACW LEAD Award winners were honored at a ceremony during the 17th Alliance of Channel Women ACWConnectLive! Networking Event on Sept. 9, in Washington D.C. during Channel Partners Evolution.
“The LEAD Award is an honor given to women in tech who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in the channel,” said ACW Board Member Michelle Kadlacek, Chair of the Awards Committee and Vice President, Enterprise Channel Partner Program at Spectrum Enterprise. “Ciera stands out as a leader in the channel and ACW recognizes her efforts with this award.”
Broberg is an experienced partner support executive who relishes assisting partners with quoting, paperwork, project management, escalations and daily inquiries to help them be successful and grow their business. She spent the last eight years at Telarus working her way up the ranks from Director of Partner Support, Mountain West Region, to Senior Director of West Region Operations, to her current position as Vice President of Partner Support.
ACW interviewed Broberg about the past, present and future of women in leadership.
Who is the woman who showed you how to lead the way (e.g., your role model)?
My mom. I had to grow up very fast when my dad was deployed to Afghanistan in 2001. I took on the responsibility of helping raise my brothers and sister. I learned a lot about how to handle different situations without becoming overwhelmed and emotional. Even now, whenever I have a hard day or I am dealing with something that is outside the norm, I call my mom and talk through it with her. I know she is always there to help me see all sides and help me understand how I need to approach it without judgment.
What are you doing to lead the way for other women in the tech channel today?
I am a go-getter. I like to get things done. I strive to teach that same philosophy to the women in tech today. Make yourself stand out. Don’t wait for someone to tell you how it should be done. TRY IT. DO IT. If you fail, start over again and learn from your mistakes. You won’t get anywhere without trusting yourself and your abilities.
What is one thing we could accomplish that would most benefit women in the tech channel going forward?
Better communication. Let’s take down those walls. We need to share our best practices and help each other succeed. I don’t see enough of this today, and I think if we all worked together and shared our stories, we would be unstoppable.