Meet Our Team
Carlos Jiménez
Chief Executive Officer
Carlos worked in College Admission for 15 years serving in leadership positions at Colorado State University Fort Collins and at Colorado College. Carlos has held numerous leadership roles including serving as President of the Rocky Mountain Association for College Admission Counseling (RMACAC), chairing the national Member Relations Committee for the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), co-chairing the NACAC Hispanic/Latino Special Interest Group and serving as a member of the faculty of the College Board Summer Admission Institute. He currently serves as chair of the Atlas Prep Board and chair of the Teach for America Colorado Regional Board of Directors. In addition, Carlos serves on numerous boards including The Joseph Henry Edmondson Foundation, Rocky Mountain Public Media, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, is a state-appointed Advisory Board Member of Pikes Peak Community College, and serves on the Western Regional Advisory Board for Cambridge International.
He graduated in 2004 from Colorado College with a B.A. in History and Political Science, completed an M.A. in Student Affairs and Higher Education at University of Colorado, Colorado Springs in 2008 and is currently pursuing an Education Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Change through the University of Southern California.
(719)232-3218 | Carlos@peakedu.org
Vennita Browning
Program Director
Vennita has been the Program Director for Peak Education since August 2005. In this position, she is, in effect, our Chief Relationship Officer, maintaining and strengthening our connections with each Peak Education Scholar and family. Her experience as a single mother of three boys, all of whom are college graduates, has given her unique insight into the daily struggles of low-income families served by Peak Education.
Vennita moved to Colorado Springs in 1986 from California after graduating with a B.A. in Mass Communications with an emphasis in radio and television from the University of LaVerne in LaVerne, California.
Before coming to Peak Education, Vennita worked with the Girl Scouts Wagon Wheel Council for 13 years as a Membership and Marketing Specialist. She recruited, trained and supervised leaders and marketed the Girl Scout program to girls in the Greater Colorado Springs area and surrounding counties. She developed successful outreach programs in low income and underserved areas of the council.
In addition to her work with the Girl Scouts, she served on the board of the Community Partnership for Child Development (CPCD), and finished her second term as a board member as the African American Youth Leadership Conference (AAYLC). In addition, she is in her tenth year as a mentor with the Sachs Foundation’s “Elevated” program, which empowers students to achieve excellence in postsecondary education.
Jasmine Rainey
Director of Access and Success
Jasmine is a graduate of Colorado State University. She comes from a low-income, first-generation background, which contributed to her passion of empowering and helping students from similar backgrounds. Jasmine was a recipient of the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and became the first DSF scholar to work for the organization. During her time at DSF from 2011 until May 2020, she served in a variety of roles, working as a TRIO advisor, a college advisor and later as a lead advisor who supervised and guided other advisors. Through her work she has assisted hundreds of students across the Denver Public Schools district, helping them gain access to higher education and obtain financial aid to support their plans. She has developed core college success programming, increased college enrollment rates at various high schools, led community trainings and presentations, and much more.
In addition to her passion for college access, Jasmine is pursuing her counseling degree to increase her ability to holistically impact students.
Pedro Ramírez
Senior Director for Strategic Initiatives
Pedro's higher education experience spans over 15 years in enrollment management, academic success, and student affairs. The past decade plus has been dedicated to college admissions, where he's worked at a variety of institutions to increase the quality and quantity of traditionally underrepresented students for matriculation.
Prior to arriving at Peak Education, Pedro served as the Associate Director for Outreach & Access at Colorado College.
Born and raised in California's San Joaquin Valley, Pedro received his B.A. from the University of California, Irvine, and his M.Ed. from the University of Texas at Austin. In his free time, he enjoys going on hikes with his wife Krista and son Leo, learning a new recipe, and enjoying SF Giants baseball.
Claudia De Santiago
Director of Development
In September of 2023, Claudia joined Peak Education as the Director of Development, bringing with her a wealth of experience and expertise. With over a decade of dedicated community service, conflict resolution, and guidance under her belt, Claudia has developed a versatile skill set that has proven to be invaluable on various international platforms. Her extensive involvement in the non-profit industry has not only made her a proficient communicator but also an expert at building and nurturing relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Claudia's primary objective at Peak Education is to diversify the organization's funding sources. She aims to achieve this by forging connections with new donors and networks that are currently disconnected from the organization.
Claudia graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Middle Eastern studies, she also holds minors in Political Science, Sustainability, and Arabic. Additionally, Claudia obtained an Associate in Business Administration from Crowder College in 2012, further solidifying her knowledge and expertise in the field.
Nataya Sanchez
Operations Manager and Assistant Program Director
Nataya Sanchez joined Peak Education as the organization’s first Fellow in May 2019. Her efforts have been instrumental to the redesign and relaunch of the Peak Education website as well as our enhanced social media presence. She has also focused on communications and program support for Peak Education’s just over 400 scholars.
Nataya graduated in May of 2019 from The College of Idaho and received a Bachelor’s in Business with a focus in Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation. One of her overarching goals is to help strengthen community. In college she was involved in an initiative to invigorate the presence of ENACTUS, an international organization that connects college scholars to academic and business leaders, as well as worked with the college’s “Yotes Social Enterprise” and started a movement called #WeCareWednedays which spread to Boise State University and the University of Utah, creating a greater connection and community among students of the three schools.
In addition to her work at Peak Education, Nataya also is Head Varsity Coach of the Girls Soccer Program at The Colorado Springs School, her high school alma mater, and has served as well as Assistant Varsity Coach for the CSS Girls Basketball program. She loves her dog Denver, who has become the office dog.
Tabitha Hart
Communications and Marketing Manager
Tabitha is a University of Colorado Colorado Springs graduate with a strong background in the business side of the industry. With over 18 years of experience in business development, marketing, and communications she has worked on a wide range of projects with local businesses, multiple Olympic National Governing bodies, Education Institutions, and Fortune 500 companies.
Tabitha is a passionate advocate of using storytelling to foster collaboration and build an authentic culture. She is committed to promoting strong teamwork, creating accessible solutions, and developing innovative approaches to business challenges. She joined the Peak Education team to make a significant impact on the world, and she believes Peak Education just the right place to do it.
Stephanie Kimlicko
High School Programs Coordinator
Stephanie has been supporting high school students in the Colorado Springs community for eighteen years, primarily as a teacher, advisor, and program leader. As Academic Coordinator at Thomas MacLaren School, she also collaborated with teachers and administrators to identify students’ needs and develop support systems and academic plans. Prior to that, she supported students with diverse backgrounds in one-on-one and small group settings at Fountain Valley School, where she also led experiential learning programs, directed an internship program for seniors, and facilitated student life workshops.
Stephanie has an educational background in world language learning and teaching. She holds an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language from Bowling Green State University and has worked with non-native speakers of English throughout her career. She has also mentored language teachers and continues to do so outside of Peak Education.
Passionate about empowering students and fostering educational equity, Stephanie is excited about guiding Peak Education scholars on their educational journey and continuing to positively impact the lives of high school students.
Tam Doane
College & Financial Aid Advisor
Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Colorado Springs has been home to Tam since 1999. She has dedicated over fifteen years to removing financial barriers for those who wish to pursue higher education. Tam works with Sierra and Harrison High School students to complete the FAFSA/CASFA and apply for scholarships. Before joining the Peak Education team, Tam worked with El Pomar Foundation and UCCS. She holds a Master’s degree in Counseling and Human Services.
Jazmin Talley
College & Career Advisor
Jazmin recently moved to Colorado Springs from a small town in Southwest Colorado where she was raised. Growing up as a first-generation college student and the daughter of immigrants, Jazmin has witnessed firsthand the life-changing power of education and is dedicated to expanding access to it. Her academic journey began by being a part of a TRIO program in middle and high school. Being part of that experience deeply influenced her understanding of the power of higher education and the importance of having resources in school to help students plan for their future. Prior to joining Peak Education, Jazmin worked in admissions at Fort Lewis College, where she developed a deep passion for education and the transformative impact it can have on students' lives. During her time there, she took on various roles, including reading applications, visiting future centers, and assisting with Spanish speaking programming, all of which furthered her commitment to supporting students in their educational journeys.
Jazmin graduated from Regis University with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics. During her time at Regis University, she was very active in the first-gen club and was president of math club, where she organized guest speakers to present on their projects and increased STEM student participation. Her background and experiences have equipped her with a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities that students face. In her role with Peak Education and partnership with D11 schools, she is excited to support Future Centers and help students realize their academic and career aspirations. In her free time, Jazmin enjoys reading, going to the movies and theater productions, as well as finding new places to explore!
Keyshon Cooks
College & Career Advisor
Keyshon was born and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado and graduated from Sierra High School. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication at Colorado State University in Fort Collins in 2019 with a minor in Criminal Justice. His interest in working in education sparked when he became an ambassador for a program at CSU called Key Communities. The program was designed for first year, second year, and continuing students to honor the identities and strengths of each student to help them transition to and through the university. Most students in the program identified as students of color and/or first generation to college. Once he joined another program at CSU called The Center for Public Deliberation, Keyshon learned how to facilitate community conversations. That is when he knew that he wanted to come back home to serve the community he grew up in.
Before Keyshon joined Peak Education, he was an Admissions Counselor and Recruitment Specialist at Pikes Peak State College for three years. During his time at Pikes Peak State College, he had the opportunity to recruit students at local high schools including those in districts 11, 20, 38, and 49. He assisted each high school with organizing registration days where Pikes Peak State College advisors and admissions counselors would help students register for their classes. Keyshon also helped advise students through enrollment procedures such as: completing financial aid, resolving residency issues, and navigating their student portal.
As a College and Career Advisor for Peak Ed, he works in the Future Centers in District 11 at at Coronado and Mitchell High schools. Keyshon's focus is helping students explore their options after high school, whether that includes the military, 2- and 4-year colleges, trades school, or straight to the workforce.
In his free time, Keyshon enjoys sports and being active in the community. He is the grounds and logistics coordinator for the Southern Colorado Juneteenth Committee, helps set up traffic control plans for events, and assists with voter registration.
Jessica DeSantis-Berg
Systems Specialist, Basecamp College Counselor, & Consultant
Jessica DeSantis-Berg is a counselor and consultant with Basecamp after an 18-year career in higher education admissions. As an undergraduate student, she studied business and economics (marketing) and Spanish at Lehigh University (PA). After admissions roles at Caldwell College (NJ) and Capital Institute of Technology (MD), she returned to Lehigh where she remained for the next 16 years. For 11 of those years, she built relationships in Colorado as part of her work to increase representation from Western states.
Throughout her college admissions career, Jessica contributed to a variety of areas—including file review, information systems, merit selection, and marketing. Additionally, she has been an active member of the admission counseling network, presenting at the Rocky Mountain Association for College Admission Counseling (RMACAC), Hawai’i Association of College Admission Counseling (HACAC), and the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) conferences, among others.
Jessica earned a Master’s of Art in Environmental Policy Design in 2013. In 2021, she left her role as a member of the admissions senior leadership team. Working within an organization that is dedicated to increasing opportunities for students from all backgrounds is the perfect fit for Jessica. She is passionate about access and equity, and enjoys sharing insight into the intricacies of the college admissions process.
Nancy Whitley
Basecamp College Counselor
Nancy recently moved to Colorado Springs from Dallas, Texas, where she was Director of College Guidance at a private, college preparatory high school. Prior to that she served at Vail Christian High School as English Department Chair and Director of Academic and College Guidance. As a career educator, Nancy graduated from Baylor University (BS in ED, 1984; MS in ED, 1985) and now holds several professional memberships, including with National Association for College and Admission Counseling (NACAC), The Rocky Mountain Association for College Admission Counseling (RMACAC), and the Colorado Council on High School/College Relations.
Most recently, Nancy achieved certification as a Highlands Certified Consultant, undergoing intensive training on how to understand and interpret the results of the Highlands Ability Battery (HAB) so as to help students take stock of their natural talents and abilities in pursuing a college, field of study, and subsequent career that aligns with their strengths and passions.
