If the first step is getting more women into sales, the real plot twist is getting more women into the rooms where strategy and headcount decisions actually happen. In this post, we’re featuring five women in sales leadership at Cribl who are running teams, shaping go-to-market motions, and mentoring the next wave of talent. Their careers haven’t followed a neat template—and that’s exactly what makes their perspectives so valuable in an industry that still skews heavily male at the top. We’re not putting them on a pedestal; we’re handing them the mic and asking everyone else to take notes.
Sarah Mantz — Manager, Commercial Sales
What’s your role at Cribl, and what does your day-to-day look like in sales?
I am a Commercial Sales Manager for the West region. I work with my team to support our customers & prospects to solve business challenges related to telemetry data management and ensure they get the most value possible out of their investment in Cribl, while also coaching & supporting career growth opportunities for the reps on my team.
What impact are you trying to make here – on customers, the sales org, or other women in sales?
I aim to be a trusted advisor for my customers, to help enable growth opportunities for early-in-career sales reps at Cribl, and to empower other women in sales to be confident in being themselves to do their best work!
What advice would you give to women who want to move from IC to leadership in sales?
Focus on being the best IC that you can, take on informal leadership opportunities like mentorships and leading team initiatives, and make your interest in leadership known to your manager so you can build that into your career development plan.
Tina Thompson — Partner Business Director
What’s your role at Cribl, and what does your day-to-day look like in sales?
I'm Partner Business Director. There is no standard day-to-day in this role, it's a rollercoaster in the best way! Some days I deal with field/partner escalations or discovery calls, on others, I work on reporting & build presentations/tools for the team to use, while also attending/hosting events, QBRs, partner enablements, etc.
What advice would you give to women who want to move from IC to leadership in sales?
Don't ever try to mold yourself to other people's expectations or try to become someone who isn't inherently yourself. Knowing who you are, personally and professionally, allows you to be confident in the work you're delivering and build YOUR unique brand.
What feels different about Cribl compared with other companies you’ve been at?
In 20 years of being in this industry, Cribl is the only place I've worked where everyone exemplifies the motto "we're all in it together" at every level. Cribl is like a big family, we help each other, we laugh together, we grind 100% of the time and we may have our disagreements, but we always lead with respect and compromise to figure things out.
Jennifer Roth — Sr. Director of SLED
What’s your role at Cribl, and what does your day-to-day look like in sales?
I’m the Senior Director of Sales for the State & Local Government, Higher Ed, and Academic Medical Center sector (also known as SLED).
One of the things I love most about sales is that no two days look the same. A typical day might include strategizing with a regional sales manager about pipeline generation, helping position an opportunity with a key decision maker, meeting with customers to understand their data challenges and how we can help solve them, attending conferences to connect with state and university leaders, recruiting and interviewing new public sector talent, or diving into metrics to understand where the team is winning and where we should focus next.
The common thread across all of it is collaboration—with customers and with the team. And honestly, that’s when the job is the most fun.
One thing you want future women at Cribl to know before they join
Cribl is a place where you can continuously learn, grow, and stretch yourself.
You’ll be challenged in the best possible way, surrounded by incredibly smart and supportive teammates, and given opportunities to expand your skills and your career.
And maybe most importantly—you might find yourself having more fun at work than you expected.
If you bring curiosity, energy, and a willingness to contribute, you’ll get just as much back from the experience.
One Cribl value that resonates most with you and why
Open and Authentic.
Transparency builds trust, and authenticity drives accountability. When people are open with each other—about challenges, opportunities, and expectations—it creates an environment where things actually get done.
I love being part of a culture filled with trusted, ethical doers who show up, follow through, and support each other along the way.
Michelle Birdwell — Sr, Director Solution Engineering
What’s your role at Cribl, and what does your day-to-day look like in sales?
I run our Americas Solutions Engineering team for the Enterprise and Commercial segments, which accounts for around 25-30% of Cribl's global revenue. Day to day never looks the same in sales (but that's why I love it!) Our SEs are primarily engaged in the middle of the deal cycle, translating business pains into technical solutions. Our role ensures prospective customers understand how Cribl specifically helps them realize positive business outcomes through demonstrations, architecture conversations, and proof events. Personally, my role is to support our teams during these sales cycles and ensure they have all of the tools they need to be successful.
What do you love most about the sales team and how you all work together?
At the heart of the Solutions Engineering role is our partnership with the sales team, and I've always prided myself on creating extremely strong relationships with Sales. I jokingly tell my sales peers that we aren't "Batman and Robin" - we are "Batman and Batman!" At Cribl, everyone is very aligned that we have the best chance of success when we stand on equal footing. In addition, SEs and Sales each bring a unique, complementary perspective, which is especially important for a leader setting strategy and helping the teams succeed. I'm exceptionally blessed to partner with Mike McGrath and Jaime Fulton, two amazing sales leaders at Cribl! Those relationships are part of what helps me jump out of bed every day!
Best career advice you’ve received from another woman.
Stop listening to your inner imposter syndrome! Because I hear this so often from my female colleagues, I sometimes believe we are genetically programmed to question or doubt ourselves! I have one amazing mentor in particular (Thanhia Sanchez) who I call whenever I need a pep talk. The conversation is usually the same. "What are you trying to accomplish? Why are you concerned about hitting that goal?" Then, after some short deliberation, she delivers a long list of my accomplishments and why I will, of course, be successful!" Sometimes you just need a good reminder. I will add a second piece of advice that I received very early in my career that I often pass along to others. I was in a programming job writing SAP code, and I absolutely hated it. I finally went to my manager to see if there were other roles I could pursue. Her advice to me was, "Don't be so good at something you hate doing!" Not that she was suggesting I fail, but rather if there is something else you want to do, you need to speak up. When you're successful in a role, people may just assume you love what you're currently doing.
Jaime Fulton — VP, Commercial and Sales Development
What’s your role at Cribl and what does your day-to-day look like in sales?
I'm the VP of Commercial Sales for AMER and LATAM.
I love that no two days are ever the same! In my role, I lead the commercial sales team, driving revenue growth by consistently hitting and exceeding our targets. A key part of this is building high-quality pipeline with our cross-functional teams and the Cribl ecosystem. To achieve this, I spend time on customer and prospect calls positioning Cribl's value, and collaborate with GTM and Marketing Operations to boost sales process and pipeline generation efficiency. But the best part of the day is working closely with the team to help them overcome challenges and listen to how they are building and managing their book of business.
If you were mentoring a woman in sales, what are the top 3 things you'd tell her to look for in a company?
First, find a place that lets you sell in a way that's authentic to you. The best sales cultures give you a framework, not a script. If you're being told to change your personality and the traits that make you who you are, that's not a place where you'll thrive long-term or want to be!.
Sponsorship, Not Just Mentorship: Identify a manager or a sponsor within the company who will actively advocate for you and your career progress, especially the rooms you might not be in…yet!. Mentorship and sponsorship are both extremely important throughout your career. In your early years, this sponsorship is often more important than mentorship alone for breaking through plateaus.
Lastly, work for a company where the culture rewards how you achieve success, not simply that you hit the number. Observe how sales wins are celebrated and, more importantly, how failure is handled. The company's values should be visible in how people interact, particularly during high-pressure situations.
What advice would you give to women who want to move from IC to leadership in sales?
Stop waiting until you feel 100% ready, because that moment doesn't come. The jump from IC to leadership is less about having all the answers and more about being genuinely curious about other people's success and determined to create solutions to problems you observe! Put yourself in a position to say “yes.” When a new role comes up or a team for a cool project is getting assembled- say yes! Jump in and volunteer even if you don't think you have the skills yet!
Start now — take on a peer mentorship, volunteer to run team trainings, ask your manager what problems keep them up at night and help solve one. The technical skills that made you a great rep will get you considered, but your ability to develop others is what will make you great at the job.
These leaders are proof that when women have a voice in how we sell, hire, coach, and grow, the bar moves up for everyone—not just for other women. Honoring them during certain times of the year is a great reminder, but the real work is building systems where their influence, decisions, and opportunities are visible all year long. Our Women of Cribl ERG and #non-dudes-of-cribl Slack channel are part of that backbone—places where future leaders find community, sponsorship, and the occasional well-timed reality check. Here’s to the women steering Cribl’s sales organization today, and to the many more we expect to see in these seats tomorrow!
