ACW is home to a vibrant community of channel professionals from across the country. We enjoy getting to know them at our in-person events and are happy to introduce you to them in this recurring Membership Matters Q&A. This month we’re getting to know ACW member Katrina Paglierani, Vice President of Partnerships and Alliances at Modulus Data.
Since Paglierani’s arrival at Modulus Data almost three years ago, the company has grown its staff from 21 to 32 people and completely changed their line of business from a consulting firm to an iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) company. In this short time, Modulus Data has established partnerships with some of the best job boards, professional employer organizations (PEOs), payroll companies and human capital management (HCM) companies in the business. Paglierani was quickly promoted after a year and half to her current position as Vice President of Partnerships and Alliances.
Why did you join ACW?
Working in HR technology, I noticed that there are a lot fewer women in the technology side of the industry, and I hope to be able to help more women rise to higher levels with our industry. It’s also my hope to be able to assist women who are re-entering the market, perhaps after raising their children, or those who are looking to work remotely in order to have a more flexible schedule to raise their family.
What do you hope to get from and to give to ACW membership?
I’m hoping to join a couple of the committees to offer my assistance, but also to learn from other women who are working in different industries.
Are you a committee volunteer?
I’m looking to volunteer two committees and I am leaning toward the Education and Tech committees.
What do you get from your committee participation?
We shall see. I hope to be a beneficial participant and to gain some new girlfriends since I work at home in the woods of Maine.
What difficulty have you overcome that impacted your career for the better?
I consulted for startups starting back in 2003 when I got my first contract offer that allowed me to work at home and actually make more money than I could commuting.
Then, two weeks after I bought my current house in 2006, the company folded, and I found myself struggling to find new accounts. My solution was saying yes to everything that came my way. I was working 80 hours a week either on contracts or spending 20-30 hours on contracts and 30-40 hours looking for the next one. Usually, I had five clients at a time.
I realized then that you need to really take an account of what is important to you and what you are willing to sacrifice to get there. Also, some rewards are not worth the sacrifice. Because I am the only income in my household I found that security is most important to me as is getting paid what I’m worth.
If you were to give yourself advice when you graduated from high school, what would it be?
Get your degree online, it won’t make a difference after your first job. This coming from a mom who just put two girls through college, which I’ll be paying for until I am 75.
What’s the best book – fiction or nonfiction – that you’ve read recently and why?
“The Energy Bus” by Jon Gordon. My best friend of 35+ years sent it to me. It basically tells you to stick to your plan and keep moving forward let others decide if they want to get on the bus, or not get on the bus.
What are your hobbies outside of work?
I love four-wheeling on my ATV and driving around in my Jeep with the top down and all the doors off.
What is one personal and one professional goal you have in the next five years?
My personal goal is to get a small campground set up to run as my retirement business somewhere near ATV trails. A professional goal is to join in a project or organization where I can be an integral part in their growth and benefit from their future sale through equity participation.
The ACW Membership Matters program is managed by ACW Communications Committee Member Anne McConnell, founder and president of The Stone Group. For information, contact pr@allianceofchannelwomen.org.