Zapier’s Channel Chief Reimagines Partnerships with AI and Strategy

By Anthony Hughes

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – February 02, 2026 – In a move that signals a major shift in how tech companies foster partnerships, Allyce Mardesich, Zapier's Head of Ecosystems and Channels, has been named to the 2026 CRN® Channel Chiefs list. This annual recognition, widely considered a top honor in the IT industry, celebrates leaders who are reshaping channel strategy and driving innovation. For Zapier, an automation platform known for connecting thousands of apps, the award validates a profound, two-year transformation of its partner ecosystem—a revitalization centered on trust, co-selling, and the strategic deployment of artificial intelligence.

Jennifer Follett, Vice President at CRN's parent company, The Channel Company, highlighted the significance of the award, stating, “Leaders recognized as CRN Channel Chiefs this year have demonstrated unwavering commitment to their partners and the broader IT channel. Their vision, passion and drive for innovation continue to shape the future of our industry.” Mardesich's inclusion places her among the most influential executives steering the multi-trillion-dollar IT channel through an era of rapid technological change.

From Ground Zero to Co-Selling

When Mardesich joined Zapier two years ago, she inherited a partner program in need of a strategic overhaul. While the platform boasted a vast ecosystem of over 8,000 integrated apps, the framework for engaging with solution partners—the consultants, agencies, and service providers who implement Zapier for clients—required a fundamental rebuild. Mardesich, a veteran with 18 years of channel experience from enterprise giants like Atlassian and VMware, embarked on a mission to reconstruct the program from the ground up.

Her first major success came in 2025 when she secured a significant new investment for the partner program and its team. This infusion of capital wasn't for minor tweaks; it funded a complete relaunch. The revitalized program introduced a suite of changes designed to move partners from the periphery to the core of Zapier's go-to-market strategy. Key among these were new referral incentives, a dramatically expanded partner services fund, and the launch of a unified partner portal to consolidate previously scattered resources.

Perhaps the most impactful shift was the introduction of comprehensive sales and technical training, addressing a key pain point for partners who previously had to navigate a complex landscape of self-service documentation. This structured enablement laid the groundwork for a pivotal change: bringing solution partners directly into co-selling motions with Zapier’s largest enterprise customers. This move represents a significant strategic pivot, creating direct, tangible revenue opportunities for partners and aligning their success with Zapier’s own enterprise growth ambitions. It transformed the relationship from a simple referral system into a true, revenue-generating partnership.

AI-Powered Partner Enablement

While structural changes have been crucial, Mardesich’s most forward-thinking initiative lies in leveraging artificial intelligence to redefine partner enablement. In an industry where speed and customization are paramount, Zapier is now using AI not just as a product to sell, but as a tool to empower its partners. This strategy perfectly aligns with the company's identity as a leading AI orchestration platform.

Under her leadership, the channel team now uses AI to create training and marketing content in a fraction of the time it previously took. This agility allows Zapier to provide partners with timely and relevant resources to keep pace with a rapidly evolving product and market. More revolutionary, however, is the development of bespoke AI agents. These tools are being built to help partners generate customized marketing campaigns tailored to their specific audiences and industries. By providing partners with AI that can lower their go-to-market costs and improve lead quality, Zapier is offering a distinct competitive advantage and a powerful incentive to invest in the ecosystem.

This internal use of AI mirrors the explosive growth of AI on the Zapier platform itself, where AI-driven tasks are the fastest-growing category. By 'dogfooding' its own AI-powered automation capabilities to enhance the partner experience, Zapier demonstrates a deep, practical commitment to the technology it champions, making the value proposition for partners both clear and compelling.

A New Blueprint for Channel Leadership

The CRN recognition is a capstone on Mardesich's 18-year career dedicated to building and scaling global channel strategies. Her role at Zapier, reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, underscores the strategic importance the company now places on its channel ecosystem as a critical driver of financial growth and market expansion. This direct line to the C-suite signals a deep integration of the partner strategy with the company's core financial and operational planning.

The focus has been on more than just programs and technology; it has been about rebuilding confidence. Mardesich has consistently emphasized the importance of listening to partners and demonstrating a genuine, long-term investment in their success. This philosophy appears to be paying dividends, fostering a renewed sense of trust and collaboration within the channel.

“This recognition reflects the work our entire team has put into rebuilding trust with our partners,” Mardesich stated. “When partners tell me they feel heard and see that Zapier is genuinely investing in their success, that’s what makes this work rewarding. We’re just getting started, and I’m excited about what we’ll accomplish together in 2026.” As businesses of all sizes increasingly turn to automation and AI to navigate complexity, the strength and ingenuity of the channel that supports them will be more critical than ever. With its revitalized, AI-infused partner program, Zapier is not just participating in that future; it is actively building it.