Account Executive & Technologist

Connecting people, ideas, and technology to build what's possible.

Senior Microsoft enterprise seller with 20+ years of hands-on technical depth. I sell, architect, teach, and translate, turning the full Microsoft cloud into business outcomes for AEC and real estate leaders.

Illustrated personal brand visual of Christabel Sheridan, Microsoft Account Executive, with sections for role and focus, customers, solutions, sales work, values, and pipeline.
20+
Years across sales, architecture, and teaching
3x
Microsoft Living Our Culture Award winner, plus Champion recognition
~$40M
In annual customer business managed at Microsoft
$4.5M+
Per year in sales influenced as Sr. Solutions Architect
The story

A seller who actually builds the thing.

I started in the server room, racking hardware, migrating networks, and standing up enterprise messaging platforms. Then I taught the next generation how to do it. Then I moved into selling it, because the customers I respected most needed someone in the room who understood both the business outcome and the bits underneath. Today I run a portfolio of strategic AEC and real estate accounts at Microsoft, and that full-stack background is the reason customers trust me with the hard conversations.

Two tracks, one career

Equal parts AE and engineer.

My background is intentionally hybrid. The technical track gave me credibility. The sales track gave me reach. Together they let me lead virtual teams that actually deliver.

The Technical Track

Architect, engineer, instructor

Two decades designing, deploying, and supporting the Microsoft stack across enterprise customers.

  • Network engineering through the Bank of Boston and Fleet Bank merger (NT 4.0 / Token Ring meeting Windows 95 / Ethernet)
  • Lead Solutions Architect, New Signature: ran a team of eight covering the full Microsoft stack
  • vTSP across Lync, Exchange, System Center, SharePoint, Office 365, Intune, Azure, Windows, and Dynamics 365
  • Adjunct Professor: taught A+, Network+, and MCDST certification courses

The Sales Track

Enterprise seller, account leader

From major-account selling at Sprint to nine strategic accounts in AEC at Microsoft, with quota leadership the whole way.

  • Account Executive, Microsoft (2022 to present): AEC and real estate portfolio
  • Modern Workplace Solution Specialist: 150%+ of quota in FY20
  • Sprint Nextel President's Council (2003, 2004); 191% of quota
  • Orchestrates virtual account teams of specialists, partners, and industry leads
  • Translates deep technical concepts into business language executives can act on
Signature work

Projects that shaped how I sell.

Selected work spanning network migrations, unified communications, collaboration platforms, low-code, and education. Each one informs how I scope and de-risk customer transformations today.

Network Integration

Bank of Boston and Fleet Bank merger

Enterprise network unification

Combined two very different networks into one operating environment: Windows NT 4.0 on Token Ring meeting Windows 95 on Ethernet. A formative lesson in protocol bridging, change management, and merging two distinct engineering cultures.

Unified Communications

OCS to Lync to Skype for Business to Teams

Architecture, deployment, migration

Countless customer deployments across the entire Microsoft real-time collaboration arc. Designed topologies, federated environments, voice integrations, and led the migrations as each generation gave way to the next, all the way into modern Teams.

Collaboration

SharePoint architectures, large and small

Information architecture and governance

Designed SharePoint environments for organizations ranging from small businesses to large enterprises. Site topologies, governance, search, hybrid configurations, and the content strategy customers actually adopt.

Low-Code Platform

Power Platform for construction

Industry solution team

Part of the team behind complex Power Platform solutions for the construction industry: Dataverse models, Power Apps for the field, and Power Automate flows tied into project, safety, and finance systems.

Enterprise Support

Tech support for regulated industries

Healthcare, education, banking, and more

Frontline and escalation support for organizations where downtime has real consequences. This is where I learned to read a customer environment quickly, ask the right diagnostic questions, and respect the operational reality behind every ticket.

Teaching

A+, Network+, and Microsoft certification

Hundreds of students into engineering careers

Adjunct Professor at Clark University and American International College for seven years. Taught the fundamentals that turn curious people into working engineers, and learned that the best sellers are also the best teachers.

Speaking

Education technology conferences

Years on the EdTech speaking circuit

Keynotes and breakouts at education technology conferences, translating new Microsoft innovations into practical adoption stories for institutions trying to modernize learning and operations.

Customer Immersion

Microsoft Certified Facilitator (CIE)

Customer Immersion Experience sessions

Certified facilitator for Microsoft Customer Immersion Experience sessions. Hands-on demos that put productivity, security, and collaboration tools into customers' hands, then connect what they felt back to the business case.

AI & Cloud Today

Microsoft Copilot adoption in AEC

Current focus area

Bringing Microsoft 365 Copilot, Azure AI, and the Power Platform together for architecture, engineering, and construction customers. Practical pilots, measurable productivity, and a path to scale that respects how the industry actually works.

Career journey

From the server room to the boardroom.

A path that intentionally alternates between deep technical work and customer-facing leadership.

Account Executive Microsoft2022 to present

Manages a portfolio of strategic AEC and real estate accounts representing roughly $40M in annual business. Mentors early-in-career sellers across the ATU and STU organizations. GLEAM Co-Chair (FY27).

Modern Workplace Solution Specialist Microsoft2017 to 2022

Presales architecture across Microsoft 365, Windows, and EM+S. Achieved 150%+ of quota in FY20. CIE Certified Facilitator. Co-Chair, GLEAM New England.

Lead Solutions Architect, Team Lead New Signature2013 to 2017

Built the Boston market from scratch. Led a team of eight architects covering the full Microsoft stack. Drove East Coast presales for Office 365, Azure, EMS, and Dynamics.

Sr. Solutions Architect Sentri, Inc. / Polycom2007 to 2013

Primary solutions architect for the sales organization. Influenced or directly closed more than $4.5M per year. Named Microsoft vTSP of the Year, FY2012.

Major Account Executive Sprint Nextel2002 to 2007

Direct sales to large, complex New England accounts. 191% of quota. President's Council, 2003 and 2004. Opened 14 corporate-owned stores including hiring and training.

Adjunct Professor Clark University and American International College2002 to 2009

Taught A+, Network+, and MCDST courses preparing students for industry certification and engineering careers.

Speaking and advocacy

On stage, in classrooms, in community.

I have been speaking publicly about technology for years, and about people for longer. These are the topics I am known for, and the platforms I show up on.

Signature speaking topics

Inclusion as a sales advantage How an AE / ATU lens on inclusion changes how you sell into traditional industries like construction and real estate, and why it is a business strategy, not just a values statement.
Mentoring queer youth into careers The mechanics of building pathways from school into technology and sales careers for LGBTQIA+ young people. Lessons from teaching, mentoring, and ERG leadership.
Being transgender in the sales world A personal, candid account of navigating enterprise sales as a transgender woman, and what allies, leaders, and customers can do differently.
Microsoft technology for education Years on the EdTech speaking circuit, helping institutions cut through hype and adopt what actually moves student and faculty outcomes.

Community leadership

Microsoft GLEAM, the company-wide LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group:

  • Co-Chair, GLEAM company-wide leadership team (FY27)
  • Business Unit Chapter Lead, GLEAM company-wide LT (FY26)
  • Americas Chapter Lead, GLEAM company-wide LT (FY24 and FY25)
  • Led FY24 ERG Engage efforts and supporting virtual team
  • Co-Chair, GLEAM New England (FY21, FY22, FY23)

Active with Out & Equal, GenderCool, Human Rights Campaign, and Out in Leadership.

Customer portfolio

A career of customer trust, across industries.

A selection of the customers I have served at Microsoft, organized by industry. Current strategic accounts are highlighted; the broader list reflects two decades of relationships spanning AEC, real estate, life sciences, healthcare, energy, financial services, software, and education.

Construction & AEC

Suffolk Construction Gilbane Building Company Consigli Construction Shawmut Design and Construction CDM Smith Woodard & Curran

Real Estate & Homebuilding

K. Hovnanian Douglas Elliman Weichert Realtors

Life Sciences & Pharma

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Millennium Pharmaceuticals Insulet Clarivate (Decision Resources Group)

Healthcare

Connecticut Children's Covenant Health Elliot Health System Point32Health (Tufts Health Plan) Rutland Regional Medical Center Benchmark Senior Living Cotiviti

Energy, Utilities & Environmental

Eversource National Grid Clean Harbors Casella

Financial Services & Insurance

Gordon Brothers Knights of Columbus MMG Insurance Linedata Wolf & Company

Software & Technology

Progress AspenTech Akamai Esri Lionbridge Bullhorn Digital Guardian (Verdasys) SeaChange International The Predictive Index Cerence Tripadvisor Monster Worldwide Verndale

Higher Education & K-12

Harvard University Boston College Suffolk University Colby-Sawyer College SUNY College System Arizona State University University of Texas at San Antonio Boston Public Schools Milford, CT Public Schools ACUTA Cengage Ascend Learning Monotype

Professional Services, Research & Other

Public Consulting Group Ropes & Gray Draper Verisk United Site Services ModusLink

Highlighted in rose = current strategic account portfolio at Microsoft.

Capabilities

Where my fingerprints are.

The technology and motions I have built, sold, taught, and led.

Microsoft Cloud

Microsoft 365 Azure Dynamics 365 Power Platform Microsoft Copilot Fabric Dataverse D365 Finance & Operations Enterprise Mobility + Security Intune Windows

Workloads and platforms

Microsoft Teams SharePoint Exchange Skype for Business Lync / OCS System Center Contact Center solutions

Sales & GTM motions

Enterprise account management Presales architecture Partner co-sell Customer renewals Virtual team orchestration Executive presentations MACC & consumption Account planning

Recognition & certifications

Microsoft Living Our Culture Award, 3x winner (FY23 Q1, FY23 Q4, FY24 Q1) Microsoft Champion (FY23 Q2) Microsoft vTSP of the Year, FY2012 Sprint President's Council, 2003 and 2004 Microsoft Certified Facilitator & Trainer

Let's build something.

Whether you are a customer mapping a Microsoft cloud journey, a partner looking for a co-sell ally, or an event organizer planning an inclusion or technology session, I would love to hear from you.