DAVIS, California — The Zigbee Alliance, an organization of hundreds of companies creating, maintaining, and delivering open, global standards for the Internet of Things (IoT), welcomed two new team members to steer significant change, guide burgeoning growth, and set new directions for the Alliance as it moves into a pivotal year for its members and the broader IoT market.

Michelle Mindala-Freeman joins effective immediately as head of marketing and Krista Ingram assumes the new director of marketing programs role.

As head of marketing, Mindala-Freeman will help promote the Alliance’s mission, standards, and solutions while driving the growth and success of the IoT for the benefit of members. She steps into this role from Microsoft, where she was a digital advisor for the North America CTO office, helping customers on their digital transformation journeys. Prior to that, she led strategy and solutions and was a client partner for Capgemini’s Telecom Media & Technology business, defining and delivering IT and industry technology solutions. Michelle brings experience building and promoting wireless and IoT products and services from earlier leadership roles in product management, marketing, and strategy at Landis+Gyr and AT&T. Staying connected to her wireless and IoT roots, she is currently also a Visiting Scholar at the Georgia Institute of Technology's Center for Development and Application of Internet of Things Technologies (CDAIT).

“Michelle brings a unique blend of executive leadership, client services, and technology experience to the Alliance at a critical stage of our growth,” said Tobin Richardson, president and CEO, Zigbee Alliance. “We are thrilled to bring someone of her caliber onto our team. I am looking forward to seeing the successful launch of Project CHIP and the strategic growth of the Alliance under her leadership.”

“Over the past decade, I’ve watched the tremendous work taking place at the Alliance to create a more seamless, secure, and connected world,” said Mindala-Freeman. “I’m excited to devote all my energies to this important mission helping our members solve the challenges and celebrate the successes of openness and interoperability for the Internet of Things.”

To further support marketing initiatives, Krista Ingram joins as the director of marketing programs. This marks a return to the Alliance for Krista. She was instrumental during the first 12 years of the Alliance, helping to grow it from a small collection of companies and single standard to several hundred members, leading Alliance events and marketing. Ingram brings knowledge and experience in standards organizations from her time at Inventures, where she provided marketing services for various technology consortiums and was a critical lead for the Thread Group marketing team.

“I have known and worked alongside both Michelle and Krista for many years now,” Richardson said. “I am elated to welcome them into the Alliance and to have our staff and members tap into the trove of expertise and energy they bring. As our Alliance grows in breadth and reach of both our standards and the companies in our community, we aim to balance a focus on near-term operational execution with our long-term strategy to shape and accelerate an evolving IoT marketplace. Michelle and Krista will play an essential role in this collaborative effort between our team and members.”

For more information, visit www.zigbeealliance.org