Philadelphia, PA – May 4, 2026 – Almo Pro AV, a leading value-added North American Pro AV distributor with nationwide reach, today announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has recognized five of its exceptional leaders on the prestigious 2026 Women of the Channel list, including two who have earned this distinction for the second consecutive year. These honorees reflect Almo Pro AV’s ongoing commitment to driving growth, strengthening partner relationships, and delivering exceptional value across the industry.
This annual CRN list celebrates women from vendors, distributors, solution providers, and other channel-focused organizations who make a positive difference in the IT ecosystem. The CRN 2026 Women of the Channel honorees are innovative and strategic leaders committed to advancing channel excellence and supporting the success of their partners and customers.
Almo Pro AV honorees include:
- (2nd Consecutive Year) Karen Castaño, Vice President of Hospitality: Under her collaborative leadership, the Hospitality division is expanding Almo Pro AV’s market presence while strengthening end-to-end support for resellers, integrators, and hospitality customers nationwide. Previously Director of the National Business Team, Castaño has a proven track record of building high-performing teams and deepening partner relationships.
- (2nd Consecutive Year) Amanda Mecutchen, Director of Customer Marketing: Mecutchen is a results-driven marketing leader with more than a decade of experience in distribution. She develops and executes dynamic marketing strategies that elevate brand visibility, deepen customer engagement, and fuel revenue growth. With a keen focus on emerging technologies and market trends, she has been instrumental in advancing marketing approaches that strengthen Almo Pro AV’s competitive edge. Her success is rooted in strong vendor partnerships and cross-functional collaboration.
- Taukia O’Donnell, Director of Bid Operations and Project Management: O’Donnell brings more than 12 years of experience leading strategy, process improvement, and vendor partnership initiatives that deliver measurable results. Recognized for her leadership and culture-building, O’Donnell combines operational discipline with a people-first mindset, creating environments where teams thrive and performance follows.
- Gisela Ramirez, Southeast Territory Sales Manager: Ramirez is a seasoned sales leader with more than a decade in the Pro AV industry, and over 25 years in sales overall. She is known for building strong partner relationships, driving strategic growth, and aligning teams for high performance. Managing key Southeast markets, Ramirez delivers multimillion-dollar results through disciplined execution, and a hands-on approach. She is focused on supporting integrators and end users with scalable solutions and consistent follow-through.
- Kristi Valente, Director of Commercial Excellence & Operations – NA, Nexora | powering Almo & JAM: Valente leads enterprise CRM strategy and commercial operations across Almo Pro AV. An experienced Salesforce administrator, she oversees platform architecture, governance, analytics, automation, and security. Serving as a partner across Sales, Marketing, IT, Finance, and executive leadership, Valente drives data integrity and improves forecasting accuracy, which enables faster decision-making.
“It’s a privilege to celebrate the remarkable achievements of these women who are driving meaningful change across the IT channel,” said Jennifer Follett, VP of U.S. Content and Executive Editor, CRN at The Channel Company. “Each honoree has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a commitment to bold, innovative strategies that fuel transformation, growth, and success for their organizations and the broader channel. We’re proud to recognize their impact and look forward to seeing how they continue to shape the future of our industry.”
“The foundation of every successful business lies in the exceptional talents of its people,” said Dan Smith, EVP, Almo Pro AV. “We would like to take this opportunity to say how proud we are of the women who have been recognized on the CRN Women of the Channel list. Their remarkable skills, leadership, and commitment to building a successful mind state and culture have driven our historical growth but they are also key to our bright and promising future.”
About The Channel Company
The Channel Company (TCC) is the global leader in channel growth for the world’s top technology brands. We accelerate success across strategic channels for tech vendors, solution providers and end users with premier media brands, integrated marketing and event services, strategic consulting, and exclusive market and audience insights. TCC is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. For more information, visit thechannelco.com. Follow The Channel Company: LinkedIn and X.
About Almo Pro AV
Formed in 2009, Almo Pro AV is a leading value-added North American Pro AV distributor with nationwide reach. Backed by a team of seasoned professionals with deep technical expertise and vertical-specific knowledge, Almo Pro AV delivers personalized service and support to customers of all sizes. Almo Pro AV’s focus extends beyond Pro AV, with dedicated teams focused on Hospitality, Emerging Technologies, Professional Services, and NSP. With strong industry relationships and a commitment to partner success, Almo Pro AV goes beyond distribution, empowering customers with the products, training, and support they need to grow with confidence. Follow Almo Pro AV on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
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*All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.
© 2026 The Channel Company, Inc. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, Inc. All rights reserved
Media Contacts:
Traci Schaefer | TLS Communications, Inc. | 630-269-4567 | [email protected]
Laura Genoway | Head of Content Strategy & Media, Almo Pro AV | [email protected]
