Get to know our team.
Meet the team behind BE Labs — a group of experts driven by purpose.
Blake Mitchell
Partner
Blake Mitchell (they/he) worked at Google for over 8 years where they managed teams in diversity & inclusion, learning & development and recruiting operations and enablement. A Georgia native, Blake moved back to the South in fall 2022 to work as an Operations Manager on Stacey Abrams’ campaign for Governor. They now partner with DiversityWorks Group to support clients on workplace culture, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Blake began their career in film production in Los Angeles and holds bachelor’s degrees in International Business, Finance, and Entertainment & Media Studies from the University of Georgia. Outside of work, Blake performs and educates in drag as Mary Lou Pearl and spends their summers working at an LGBTQ+ summer camp.
Courtney Jones
Partner
Courtney Jones founded and sold MomSource Network, an organization dedicated to creating diverse and inclusive workplaces through targeted diversity recruiting efforts, enterprise Returnship, and Trailing Spouse programs. A passionate advocate for diversity and a recognized thought leader on topics related to women in business, D&I, and work-life blend; she’s been featured in Bloomberg, CNN, and Working Mother and has worked alongside hundreds of companies to create meaningful opportunities for women.
Pam Jeffords
Partner
Pam Jeffords is the Founding and Managing Partner at DiversityWorks Group. She has over 25 years of experience advising companies and organizations on how to break the status quo and drive progress with their diversity, inclusion, and engagement goals. Pam is a member of the Global Leadership Council for Colorado State University College of Business, an advisory board member for the University of Denver Colorado Women’s College, and a Limited Partner in The JumpFund whose mission is to invest in women-led startups. Pam has also served as Chair of Women United for the Mile-High United Way where she received the prestigious Frances Wisebart Jacobs award for philanthropy. Pam has been featured in numerous publications, including Fortune magazine, The Economist, and BRINK. Pam holds a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Georgia State.
Patrice M Palmer
Partner
Dr. Palmer (they/them) is the inaugural Assistant Dean of Social & Cultural Inclusion and a Management faculty member at Colorado State University’s College of Business. With a Doctor of Education from Baylor University, their research focuses on inclusive workplace cultures and strategic inclusion through Employee Resource Groups. Dr. Palmer is a thought leader in DEI, recognized by Hop Culture, Imbibe, 5280, and Forbes for their work in craft beer and by LinkedIn as a racial equity champion. Their consulting experience spans industries from private equity to Broadway.
Brielle Pray
Project Manager
Brielle Pray serves as a project manager to our clients at DiversityWorks Group; making sure we stay on track and organized each step of the way. She graduated cum laude from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Drama, as well as a BA in Social and Cultural Analysis from the College of Arts and Sciences. Her areas of expertise include Africana and mixed-race studies and the Meisner technique of acting. Selected as a Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar and scholarship recipient, she participated in travel colloquia and community events in her undergraduate career to deepen her education on social justice topics. She was awarded Outstanding Achievement in studio and recognized as a University Honors Scholar. Passionate for both the arts and academics, Brielle offers a unique, informed perspective as a project manager to clients in their DEI endeavors.
Maneesh Shewaramani
Senior Analytics Consultant
Maneesh Shewaramani brings a decade of experience leading operations, data, and analytics teams for professional services organizations. His expertise includes advising clients on successfully implementing data and analytics products, automation, and process optimization. He now partners with DiversityWorks Group to bring the data together to understand the story and gather actionable insights. Maneesh holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Delhi and a certificate in Applied Business Analytics from MIT Sloan School of Management. Based out of Austin, Maneesh lives with his wife and two sons. During his free time, he enjoys working on home projects, building furniture, and cooking outdoors.
Mary Spriester
Project Manager &Communications
Mary has worn many hats over the years, but has always had a love of writing and communication. From early in her career, she found herself helping colleagues understand each other in meetings, and using personal time to write instructional manuals for everything from new employee orientation to the use of new technology. When not helping people at work, Mary has enjoyed volunteering in her local community, especially with students and with the unhoused. Currently, she is excited to couple two of her passions, writing and inclusion. In addition to her work as a freelance business writer, Mary serves on the board of Boys Hope Girls Hope, Denver. She enjoys spending time with her husband and four amazing children who make her proud each and every day.
Blake Mitchell(they/he)
Senior DEI Consultant
Blake Mitchell (they/he) worked at Google for over 8 years where they managed teams in diversity & inclusion, learning & development and recruiting operations and enablement. A Georgia native, Blake moved back to the South in fall 2022 to work as an Operations Manager on Stacey Abrams’ campaign for Governor. They now partner with DiversityWorks Group to support clients on workplace culture, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Blake began their career in film production in Los Angeles and holds bachelor’s degrees in International Business, Finance, and Entertainment & Media Studies from the University of Georgia. Outside of work, Blake performs and educates in drag as Mary Lou Pearl and spends their summers working at an LGBTQ+ summer camp.
Courtney Jones
Senior DEI Consultant
Courtney Jones founded and sold MomSource Network, an organization dedicated to creating diverse and inclusive workplaces through targeted diversity recruiting efforts, enterprise Returnship, and Trailing Spouse programs. A passionate advocate for diversity and a recognized thought leader on topics related to women in business, D&I, and work-life blend; she’s been featured in Bloomberg, CNN, and Working Mother and has worked alongside hundreds of companies to create meaningful opportunities for women.
Patrice M Palmer
EdD, MASJ, FRSA Senior DEI Consultant
Dr. Palmer (they/them) is the inaugural Assistant Dean of Social & Cultural Inclusion and a Management faculty member at Colorado State University’s College of Business. With a Doctor of Education from Baylor University, their research focuses on inclusive workplace cultures and strategic inclusion through Employee Resource Groups. Dr. Palmer is a thought leader in DEI, recognized by Hop Culture, Imbibe, 5280, and Forbes for their work in craft beer and by LinkedIn as a racial equity champion. Their consulting experience spans industries from private equity to Broadway.
Maneesh Shewaramani
Senior Data and Analytics Consultant
Maneesh Shewaramani brings a decade of experience leading operations, data, and analytics teams for professional services organizations. His expertise includes advising clients on successfully implementing data and analytics products, automation, and process optimization. He now partners with DiversityWorks Group to bring the data together to understand the story and gather actionable insights. Maneesh holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Delhi and a certificate in Applied Business Analytics from MIT Sloan School of Management. Based out of Austin, Maneesh lives with his wife and two sons. During his free time, he enjoys working on home projects, building furniture, and cooking outdoors.
Mary Spriester
Senior Communications Consultant
Mary has worn many hats over the years, but has always had a love of writing and communication. From early in her career, she found herself helping colleagues understand each other in meetings, and using personal time to write instructional manuals for everything from new employee orientation to the use of new technology. When not helping people at work, Mary has enjoyed volunteering in her local community, especially with students and with the unhoused. Currently, she is excited to couple two of her passions, writing and inclusion. In addition to her work as a freelance business writer, Mary serves on the board of Boys Hope Girls Hope, Denver. She enjoys spending time with her husband and four amazing children who make her proud each and every day.
Pam Jeffords
FoundingManaging Partner
Pam Jeffords is the Founding and Managing Partner at DiversityWorks Group. She has over 25 years of experience advising companies and organizations on how to break the status quo and drive progress with their diversity, inclusion, and engagement goals. Pam is a member of the Global Leadership Council for Colorado State University College of Business, an advisory board member for the University of Denver Colorado Women’s College, and a Limited Partner in The JumpFund whose mission is to invest in women-led startups. Pam has also served as Chair of Women United for the Mile-High United Way where she received the prestigious Frances Wisebart Jacobs award for philanthropy. Pam has been featured in numerous publications, including Fortune magazine, The Economist, and BRINK. Pam holds a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Georgia State.
Brielle Pray
Project Manager
Brielle Pray serves as a project manager to our clients at DiversityWorks Group; making sure we stay on track and organized each step of the way. She graduated cum laude from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Drama, as well as a BA in Social and Cultural Analysis from the College of Arts and Sciences. Her areas of expertise include Africana and mixed-race studies and the Meisner technique of acting. Selected as a Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar and scholarship recipient, she participated in travel colloquia and community events in her undergraduate career to deepen her education on social justice topics. She was awarded Outstanding Achievement in studio and recognized as a University Honors Scholar. Passionate for both the arts and academics, Brielle offers a unique, informed perspective as a project manager to clients in their DEI endeavors.
Our Behaviors.
We Will
We Will not
