Portnox Hires Kristen Knight to Lead Global Channel Program

Portnox is launching a new global channel partner program as enterprises accelerate digital transformation initiatives that are reshaping network security requirements. 

The move formalizes the company’s existing reseller relationships and signals a deeper investment in partner-led growth for its cloud-native, zero-trust platform.

Kristen Knight joins as VP of channel sales to scale Portknox channel

The program debuts alongside the appointment of Kristen Knight as vice president of channel sales. 

Knight brings more than a decade of experience building and scaling security channel ecosystems, with prior leadership roles at Barracuda and Mimecast.

Knight’s mandate includes expanding Portnox’s channel presence across the U.S. and international markets while helping partners differentiate in an increasingly crowded security landscape.

“Having spent years in the legacy security space, I recognize the immense value Portnox brings for enterprises by reducing attack surfaces and redefining what’s possible with zero trust,” Knight said in a statement. 

“This program is built around providing partners with the training, incentives, and support they need to deliver immediate value,” she continued.

Portnox operates in a market increasingly defined by cloud migration, hybrid work, and AI-driven workloads—trends that expand attack surfaces and expose the limitations of credential-based security models. 

The company positions its passwordless, SaaS-delivered network access control (NAC) and zero trust network access (ZTNA) capabilities as a way for partners to help customers modernize access security without adding infrastructure complexity.

Building structure around an existing partner base

Although Portnox already works with more than 100 active resellers worldwide, the new program introduces a more structured framework aimed at VARs, MSSPs, and managed service providers. 

The company said the initiative is designed to make it easier for partners to position zero trust outcomes, generate recurring revenue, and deploy at scale.

Key elements of the program include: 

• deal registration protections 
• competitive annual recurring revenue margins 
• access to independently validated research intended to help partners translate technical capabilities into business-level conversations 

Portnox is also emphasizing customizable sales and technical training to support partners across the sales cycle.

Rather than relying solely on a self-service portal, the program prioritizes hands-on enablement, including structured onboarding and collaborative go-to-market support.

Security without slowing transformation

Portnox CEO Denny LeCompte framed the channel expansion as a response to a common enterprise tradeoff between speed and security. 

“Organizations are facing a false tradeoff: move fast with digital transformation and accept credential-based risk, or slow down for security reasons,” said Denny LeCompte, CEO of Portnox. 

“Portnox eliminates that tradeoff. With Kristen leading our channel strategy, we’re empowering partners to become the team that enables strategic initiatives without compromise. Our partners deliver demonstrably more secure outcomes and measurably faster results with independently validated ROI. That’s security you can prove, not just promise.”

The company’s 100 percent SaaS deployment model is also central to its partner pitch, allowing for faster rollouts without on-premises hardware. 

Portnox is actively recruiting partners into the program, with dedicated tracks for managed services providers and MSSPs as it scales its channel-first growth strategy.