Diane Brode

Diane Brode brings both innovation and heart to channel marketing. With nearly 25 years at Dell Technologies, she has worked across every aspect of partner marketing and today leads efforts to help Dell’s partners succeed at scale. She also serves on the board of the Channel Marketing Association and says joining CMA felt like coming home.

“Not many people even know what channel marketing is. The CMA slogan ‘you’ve found your people’ really hit home for me. It’s been incredibly rewarding to be part of this niche community and help foster its growth.”

Diane began her journey into channel marketing at a startup called OTG Software. The company needed someone to build a partner program from the ground up, and Diane took the leap. That early experience launched a career focused on building programs that evolve with the market and put partners first.

Today, she is helping lead one of Dell’s most exciting transformations by integrating AI into every part of the partner journey. From account targeting to campaign execution and training, Diane and her team are using AI to help partners move faster and get more value from every interaction. Dell’s new Digital Marketing Tool, powered by StructuredWeb, makes it easy for partners to co-brand, personalize and localize campaigns whether they have a marketing platform or not. What sets it apart is the role AI plays in shaping and improving the experience. Partners receive intelligent content recommendations, access to AI-powered video training and support that adapts to what they are asking for in real time.

“Our goal was to make it easier for partners of any size to get to market quickly and stand out,” Diane said. “What we didn’t expect was how much we’d learn from seeing what they are asking for right away. That insight helps us adjust and make the experience even better.” The tool has only been live for a short time, but is already seeing strong adoption. Diane attributes that success to how simple it is to use and how quickly partners can see results. “I’m personally blessed to be supported and surrounded by the best team and leaders in the industry,” she added. “Their collaboration and commitment have been key to making this real for our partners.”

For those just starting to explore AI in channel programs, Diane recommends starting small and focusing on areas with immediate impact. “Whether you are using AI to improve internal operations or giving your partners something they can use directly, both sides benefit. The most important thing is to help your teams understand how to work in this environment and keep learning.” When Diane recently attended the CMA Summit in Houston, her message was clear: “Get on the AI bus —or get hit by it!”

When she is not working on the future of partner marketing, Diane is cheering from the sidelines. A longtime Penn State fan, she now also roots for the Tennessee Vols where her oldest son attends. Her second son is at Ohio State and her daughter keeps her busy with high school lacrosse, basketball and soccer.