Leadership Team
PEP’s team is comprised of a variety of professionals from diverse backgrounds. We believe that a solid management team, professional consultants & associates, and talent from key partners are critical to the success of PEP and delivery of superior services to our clients.
The culture at PEP is built on our shared core values:
- Applying uncommon integrity: we consistently operate truthfully and honestly, putting the needs of our clients and the project first.
- Seeking inspired solutions: We are constantly expanding our knowledge and looking for new and innovative ways to solve problems and provide services to help our clients and service recipients succeed.
- Creating lasting impact: We are focused on solutions that will make a difference, now and long-term.
- Attracting and building enduring partnerships: We put the client, project, or partner first and communicate openly, honestly, and respectfully.
Rachel E. Ramirez
CEO and President
Rachel is a proven leader and successful entrepreneur with extensive public and private sector experience who started her career in workforce development which cultivated her interest in helping people create careers. Under Rachel’s guidance, PEP grew from a one-person operation to a high-performing business with multiple prime contracts. Her focus now is on maximizing PEP’s contract vehicles, cultivating relationships with clients/partners, and ensuring exceptional service delivery. Her ability to instill a commitment to excellence in her team is evidenced by PEP’s client awards and consistently high evaluation scores. Rachel has a master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and is a Workforce Excellence Baldrige Examiner.
Jaime A. Ramirez
Vice President
Jaime is an expert at implementing organization effectiveness and training solutions and is dedicated to improving the operating efficiency and culture of organizations. He draws on these skills when leading business development efforts and directing and managing staff and federal government contracts. He has been instrumental in expanding PEP’s capabilities in the human capital areas of assessing and improving organizational performance, training & development, program management, and building partnerships. Jaime has a master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
Diane Mentzer
Director of Projects & Business Development
Diane regularly leads high-performing teams to success on federal contracts. She ensures a positive team environment, efficient performance, and a commitment to excellence. Her capture, proposal management, and proposal writing skills helped strengthen the PEP proposal development process and win rate. Diane led the team that won the 2009 Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Outstanding Contractor Award. Diane has a master’s degree in Management Information Systems and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
Tami Berg-Simon
Director of Operations
Tami oversees PEP’s internal operations and was instrumental to the success of PEP’s ISO 9001:2015 Certification process. She ensures that PEP’s representations and certifications are up to date in the System for Award Management (SAM) and that contract awards, modifications, and close-outs are managed effectively. Tami also supports PEP’s hiring activities and makes certain that new employees are welcomed to the PEP family, understand PEP’s culture, and have the resources they need to succeed.