Appfire is proud to celebrate two exceptional leaders who have been named to CRN’s Women of the Channel list — an annual recognition honoring those who are shaping the future of the IT channel through innovation, leadership, and impact.
Recognizing excellence in the channel
This year’s Appfire honorees, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Catherine Solazzo and Head of Channel GTM Strategy & Alliances Natalie Northern, exemplify the strategic vision and execution excellence that continue to propel Appfire’s partner ecosystem forward.
CRN’s Women of the Channel list highlights leaders from across vendors, distributors, and solution providers who are making a measurable difference in the IT ecosystem. These leaders are not only driving business growth, but also championing partner success and advancing the channel as a whole.
Catherine Solazzo: Transforming partner engagement and go-to-market strategy
As Appfire’s CMO, Catherine is recognized for her visionary leadership and transformative impact on the company’s global marketing and channel strategy.
With more than 20 years of experience in the IT industry, Catherine has led large-scale transformations across marketing, sales, and partner ecosystems. At Appfire, she oversees global marketing, communications, customer experience, and most recently, partner programs, bringing a unified, data-driven approach to demand generation and partner engagement, fundamentally reshaping how Appfire goes to market with and through partners.
Catherine’s forward-looking focus is ensuring partners are equipped to deliver meaningful customer outcomes and ultimately grow alongside Appfire.
“It’s critical that we open up Appfire’s demand generation and enablement engine so partners have more time to spend with customers and worry less about managing marketing and training programs,” says Catherine. “Our focus with partners is to simplify the path to revenue, adapt to customer demands with confidence, and be able to focus on their competitive advantage.”
Natalie Northern: Driving strategic channel impact
Natalie has built a career grounded in strategic thinking, global partnership development, and a deep understanding of the SaaS and Atlassian ecosystems.
Over the past decade, Natalie has evolved from supporting global partners to leading channel go-to-market strategy and alliances at Appfire. Her progression from Partner Manager to Head of Channel GTM Strategy & Alliances reflects both her results-driven mindset and her ability to scale impact across complex partner networks.
At Appfire, Natalie has played a critical role in shaping the evolution of the company’s go-to-market approach alongside Atlassian. Her hands-on approach, which includes coaching teams in the field, accelerating time to value, and strengthening partner collaboration, has helped position Appfire as a trusted strategic partner while driving measurable revenue growth.
“My philosophy is rooted in disciplined execution, but at its core, my role is about being a bridge builder — breaking down barriers and connecting organizations through clear vision and shared knowledge to solve complex customer challenges and accelerate growth,” says Natalie. “Having worked across the ecosystem, from ISV to Solution Partner to Atlassian, I bring a unique ability to decode ambiguity, turn ideas into action, and drive tangible enterprise impact.”
Advancing the future of the channel
This recognition highlights Appfire’s unique role at the center of the Atlassian ecosystem — both as a partner delivering value through its extensive portfolio and as an enabler of its own partner community. It reflects a commitment to fostering deeper customer conversations and driving sustainable growth through strong collaboration, effective solutions, and shared innovation.
As the channel continues to evolve, leaders like Catherine and Natlie are not just adapting, they’re actively shaping what comes next.