Kristy Friedrichs

Kristy Friedrichs is Chief Operating Officer at Virtualitics, where she leads the company’s operating model, scaling its people, processes, and systems to support rapid growth in mission-critical AI.

Kristy brings more than two decades of experience helping technology companies translate strategy into execution. She most recently served as Chief Partnerships Officer at Palo Alto Networks, where she led global partner strategy and expanded strategic alliances. Previously, she served as Chief People Officer and later Chief Operating Officer at New Relic, where she played a key role in scaling the business, strengthening performance culture, and driving cross-functional execution.

Earlier in her career, Kristy spent more than 15 years at Bain & Company, advising Fortune 500 companies and leading operations for the firm’s Bay Area practice.

Kristy specializes in building high-performing teams, establishing data-driven operating rhythms, and scaling organizations with clarity and accountability. She holds a degree from Duke University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.