Partner Experience Leader

I build partner programs
that partners choose to champion.

Companies hire me when they need partners to love doing business with them — whether you're building from zero or fixing a program that's stalling. I connect the dots between partner experience, internal alignment, and revenue.

Let's Build Something → See My Results
Alissa Amundson

"Partners don't just join my programs. When I leave a company, they follow me — and ask where I landed."

Who I'm the right fit for

You need more than a program.
You need partners who are all in.

Most partner programs fail not because of bad structure — but because the experience of being a partner is frustrating, unclear, or forgettable. I fix that.

🏗️

You're building from zero (or near zero)

You've committed to a partner motion but don't have the program, the tools, the internal alignment, or the enablement to make it real. I've done this multiple times — at Instructure, Weave, LumApps, and as a consultant. I know exactly where to start and how to show early wins that keep executives invested.

🔧

You started something and it's stalling

Partners aren't engaging. CAMs aren't driving deals through the channel. Internal teams see partners as a distraction, not a multiplier. I diagnose where the experience is breaking down — partner-facing AND internally — and rebuild the connective tissue that makes it work.

🌎

You need to reach markets you can't reach directly

Whether it's language, geography, or industry relationships you don't have, partners are how you scale beyond your direct team. I build programs that give partners genuine reasons to represent you first — not as an afterthought.

🤝

Your internal teams aren't bought in

Sales sees partners as competition. CS sees them as a liability. Marketing doesn't know what to do with them. I've solved this repeatedly — by making every internal stakeholder a winner through the partner program, not just the partners themselves.

Results that move the needle

Fast impact. Measurable outcomes.

$300K
↓ ↓ ↓
$5M
Partner-attributed
ARR growth
18-month cycle · Instructure
30%
→
85%
Partner engagement
rate
3 months · Instructure
+40%
Partner-generated
pipeline increase
Instructure channel program
+20%
Partner referral
close rate increase
First 2 months · Weave
5→15%
SDR qualification
rate improvement
Within 30 days · LumApps
My approach

Four things that make partner programs actually work

The programs that fail usually fail for the same reasons. Here's what I focus on instead.

💰

Build for revenue, not just relationships

Happy partners are great. Partners who understand exactly how to generate revenue through you — and do — are better. I connect partner activities directly to revenue outcomes and make that math visible.

🏢

Make internal teams your first partners

Channel programs don't fail because of bad partners. They fail because Sales, CS, and Marketing aren't bought in. I make sure every internal team has a reason to want the partner program to succeed — and I tie it to their KPIs.

✨

Design the experience, not just the program

A program is a structure on paper. An experience is how a partner feels about doing business with you. When the experience is smooth, lucrative, and worth championing, partners promote you before your competitors — every time.

⚡

Deliver fast, then build for scale

I don't spend six months planning before showing results. I identify quick wins, deliver them, and use that momentum to build the infrastructure for long-term scale. Executives stay invested when they see early proof.

Skills in action

Real programs. Real results.

Partner Day
$300K to $5M in 18 months

Built Instructure's Channel Program from the Ground Up

When I joined the channel team, Instructure had partners but no real program — no clear tiers, no lifecycle, no enablement, and no way for partners to predict their own success. I built it: the reseller program structure, the partner journey, the PRM, the CAM playbook, and a Diamond Services tier that created a new revenue stream for partners (and eliminated a client-service gap for Instructure).

The key insight: I mapped success for the partner and for the CAM. When both sides have a clear path to their goals, the program runs itself.

"I am more excited to do business as Instructure's partner."
— Partner feedback following Partner Day event
Cross-team collaboration
Partner engagement 30% → 85% in 3 months

Turned Internal Skeptics into Program Champions

The Diamond Services program required CS, Legal, Sales, IT, and Product to all move together. Every team had objections. Sales feared cannibalization. CS worried about quality. Legal wanted access controls. I addressed each on their own terms — building the case using their metrics, not mine.

The SafeGuard model — where a partner delivers implementation but Instructure certifies quality — turned CS from resistor to advocate. It gave them oversight, gave partners confidence, and gave clients a reason to trust the channel.

"Well, that sounds like a no-brainer."
— Instructure CEO, following executive committee presentation
Presenting at partner event
+20% partner referral close rate, first 2 months

Immediate Impact at Weave — Program Rebuilt in Weeks

At Weave, I built two partner portals, overhauled the partner journey, stood up a complete enablement structure for a strategic co-sell/resell partner, and taught the sales team how to sell alongside partners — all within four months.

The results were immediate and measurable. Net partner referrals increased within weeks. The close rate for partner-sourced deals jumped 20%.

SI Partners VAR Agency Strategic Co-Sell Reseller
The educator advantage

Why hiring a former teacher is the underused supermove in partner leadership

Ten years in a classroom taught me things about behavior change, communication, and making complex things work that most channel leaders never learn.

🎯

Design for behavior change, not just information transfer

Enablement that informs is not the same as enablement that changes what partners do. I build for the second one.

🔄

Fail fast with minimal ego

Teachers iterate constantly. What didn't land today gets redesigned for tomorrow. No attachment to the plan — only to the outcome.

🌀

Navigate difficult personalities and conversations

Ten years of classroom management means I can read a room, de-escalate friction, and move people who don't want to be moved.

✂️

Make magic with minimal resources

Partner programs are chronically under-resourced. Teachers build transformational experiences with a whiteboard and determination.

"Hiring former teachers is the underused supermove for corporate recruiters. We plan with the end result in mind. We execute under constraints. We never stop iterating."
— Alissa Amundson, on the transferable power of teaching
Education
M.Ed. — University of Southern California
B.A. History — Brigham Young University
B.A. Russian Literature & Language — BYU
What people say

Partners remember. Leaders reach back out.

★★★★★

"She truly understands how partnerships can become business opportunities for both the vendor and the local partners — she gets both worlds. Her ability to align business needs with strategic execution was truly impressive."

Miguel Angel Rodriguez Martinez · Revenue Director, Multi-Market
Diamond Services Partner, Instructure
★★★★★

"I had the pleasure of hiring Alissa to help build a new channel sales program from the ground up. She is a rockstar and was a critical component of our success. I've seen Alissa demonstrate these strengths time and time again. I would jump at the chance to hire Alissa again in the future."

Kurt W. Showalter · SaaS Business Development Leader
Hired Alissa to build channel sales program
★★★★★

"With little to no resources she has built a functioning channel program, created countless enablement resources, trained internal sellers, external users, channel partners, and leaders globally. If you need someone who embodies proactivity, Alissa will not let you down."

Brett Childs · Revenue Enablement Leader
Colleague, Instructure
★★★★★

"Alissa has a rare ability to turn big-picture vision into actionable, scalable programs. Her work on Channel Reseller Tiers, partner enablement, and the PRM platform directly supported our marketing efforts and helped drive partner engagement. She's incredibly collaborative, data-driven, and always focused on delivering value — for both partners and internal teams."

Paul Bacanu · Global Marketing | Technology Advocate
Channel Marketing Manager, Instructure
★★★★★

"The mix of her positive attitude, creative problem-solving, constant partner focus and get-it-done mindset is an extremely powerful asset for any team she is a part of. There is no such thing as a failed experiment — only experiments with unexpected outcomes."

Manish Sharma · CRO & Revenue Leader
Worked directly with Alissa, Instructure
★★★★★

"She is a standout professional in the Channel and Partner Program space. During our onboarding process as one of the first Diamond Services Partners of Instructure, Alissa's leadership and guidance were fundamental. She helped us establish a robust, agile, and mutually beneficial partnership framework that set the tone for long-term collaboration and success."

Miguel Angel Rodriguez Martinez · Revenue Director
Partner feedback on Diamond Services Program
Read all recommendations on LinkedIn →
Work samples

Programs built. Systems designed.

A selection of programs, frameworks, and tools built across multiple companies and contexts.

Diamond Services
Partner Program

Diamond Services Partner Program — Instructure

End-to-end services partner tier: enablement structure, revenue model, QBR framework, SafeGuard certification, and partner restrictions. Presented to and approved by executive committee.

Program Design Services
Channel Partner
Lifecycle & Tiers

Global Channel Reseller Program — Instructure

Built-from-scratch global program: partner tiers, lifecycle maps, CAM quota model, PRM launch, and incentive structure designed to drive tier progression and territory growth.

Program Design Global
Partner Enablement
Curriculum Design

LX Design & Enablement Work Samples

Instructional design and learning experience samples: sales certification, product training, channel partner onboarding. Built for partners, internal teams, and professional services teams.

Enablement LX Design
Alissa Amundson
About

I help companies become vendors
that partners want to represent.

Over the past six-plus years I've built channel and partner programs across SaaS companies — from Instructure (EdTech) to Weave (HealthTech) to LumApps (IntranetTech) — and as a consultant helping companies replicate what I built at Instructure. Before that, I spent ten years as a classroom educator, department leader, and athletic coach, which turns out to be an exceptional preparation for building partner programs.

My sweet spot is companies that are ready to take partners seriously — either building the motion for the first time or repairing one that started strong and stalled. I'm best when I have executive buy-in, a problem worth solving, and the latitude to make internal teams as invested in partner success as the partners themselves.

I'm based in Midway, Utah and work fully remote. I'm currently open to Director and VP of Partner Experience, Channel Programs, and Partner Enablement roles at growth-stage and mid-market SaaS companies.

Partner GTM Channel Programs Partner Enablement Partner Experience Reseller / VAR / SI ISV & Integration Partners PRM Management Instructional Design Cross-functional Alignment Salesforce Global Programs Executive Presentations

Ready to build something partners love?

Whether you're starting from zero or fixing what isn't working — let's talk about what's possible.

Get in Touch →    LinkedIn