Intelisys Hires XO, Verizon Alum for Channel Development

**Editor’s Note: Click here to see which channel people were on the move in May.**

A longtime XO Communications employee is joining the Intelisys team.

Intelisys’ Joann Amaral

Joann Amaral now serves as partner development manager in the Southwest for the Petulama, California-based master agent. She’ll support partners in southern California and Nevada.

Amaral spent nearly two decades at XO, serving as a sales support manager, partner sales manager and lastly a channel manager when Verizon acquired the company. Her stint at XO gave her close proximity to Intelisys.

“As a supplier partner with Intelisys, I’ve developed relationships with the company and its sales partners,” she said.  “The unique opportunity to work with the best of the best in the industry was one I could not pass up.”

Her new position has her working closely with Samantha Burkhalter, Intelisys’ senior manager of strategic partner development for the Southwest. Burkhalter also worked at XO — from 2001 to 2004.

“Joann brings more than 20 years of telecom industry experience, and as a channel manager on the carrier side has built strong relationships with Intelisys sales partners and the channel community,” Burkhalter said. “We share a mutual passion for working closely with our partners and building strategies to help them grow their businesses.”

Intelisys’ J.R. Cook

Amaral will report to the company’s Western region senior vice president, J.R. Cook, who says Amaral’s appointment is a timely one.

“As convergence continues to open new opportunities for the channel, Joann is the ideal addition to the rapidly expanding Southwest region,” Cook said. “She has built a strong, trusted brand reputation through her exceptional support and dedication to her partners, and brings extensive knowledge of the Los Angeles and Las Vegas markets to her role. We are excited to provide strategic sales support that will further strengthen the growth of the Intelisys community and enable our sales partners to grow their businesses stronger, faster.”

Cook earned a promotion from senior vice president of business development in 2016.

Intelisys most recently added Globalgig’s mobility and wireless offerings to its supplier portfolio. It also celebrated its 16th partner reach $1 million in monthly recurring revenue with the master agent.