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SEPTEMBER 2024

september 2024

A Letter from the Editors.

Fall is here!

Don’t let the temperature fool you, the “-ber” months have arrived. As we head towards the holidays and trade our sunblock for sweaters, we’ve also been busy preparing our first (and favorite) Fall issue of The PSI Post. We’re all about colorful collaboration and this time is no different!

This season we wanted to focus on the things that bring people together no matter where they are. From spotlight projects to potluck recipies, we’ve gathered quite the bounty for all to share. In articles like, Behind the Screens, we’re excited highlight dedicated PSI-ers and the work they’re most passionate about.

As always, our first thank-you is to you, dear reader. Each edition of the newsletter represents the hard work and effort of many people from across sectors and states. With Thanksgiving on the horizon, we also want to give a special note of gratitude to all those who have given their time and energy to making this newsletter possible.

Happy Harvest!

The Marketing Team

CONTRACT WINS

• AFSOC SETA Mission Rehearsal Training (MRT)

• NIOSH NPPTL

• NIOSH Worker Outreach

• Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Systems

Operations and Maintenance Support services OP1B

• Walter Reed VMWare Hardware/support

• Army C5ISR STEAD TO#1

• Code Maintenance bridge #8

• LevelUp Cloud Engineers

• AF Expeditionary Medical Modernization Planning, Programming, Support (EMMPPS)

Total: $30M Revenue

COMPANY NEWS

Quality team prepared for the PSI+ Stage 2 ISO 9K/14K/20K/27K audit 9/23 – 10/2, implemented our CMMC enclave in GCC-H/ Azure Government.

Security Team improved our security posture by eliminating the weaker SMS MFA method for PSI logins and prepared the HACS and Cloud GSA SIN packages.

REDUCE REUSE RECYCLE!

We are committed to ensuring that PSI supports the movement toward a sustainable and eco-friendly nation by providing ‘greener’ solutions, while cutting waste and adverse impacts to climate change and local environments.

Employees who visit a PSI office location, please recycle & dispose of your trash in the proper receptacles:

Blue Receptacles = Paper Products

Large Grey Receptacles = Materials from Acquired Products

Examples of materials from acquired products that must be disposed of in PSI’s Grey Receptacles include:

• Bubble Wrap

• Plastic Air Packaging

• Recyclable Paper Boxes

Styrofoam Peanuts & Peanut Pieces

Recyclable Cardboard & Cardboard Boxes

Fun Fact!

PSIs Technology Management Team hosted an E-Cycle event during 2Q2024 for the PSI enterprise. The TM team collected a total of 1,334 lbs of recyclables, including retired, broken and unusable PSI-issued equipment for enterprise E-Cycling.

DEPARTMENT UPDATES

TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

PSI is upgrading to Windows 11!

The PSI Technology Management Department will be rolling out the Windows 11 upgrade in Q1 2025. This rollout will be done in waves over a couple of months and will be a remote installation using Windows Updates.

If you would like to pilot Windows 11 early, you can volunteer by submitting a Help Desk ticket. Our TM Department is currently using Windows 11, as are some of our Technology Advocacy Group peer champions. This is currently only available by request, but will be made available to the organization as a whole in Q1 of 2025.

If you would like to learn more, visit the Windows 11 folder in our TM Training Library here and follow the link to the Meet Windows 11 article on Microsoft Support. Note that some software may need to be redownloaded and reinstalled after the upgrade.

SMS Messaging as Multi-Factor Authentication is Being Retired!

SMS messaging is no longer considered secure for multi-factor authentication (MFA). Therefore, the Technology Management Department is retiring SMS as a means for MFA. PSI Enterprise account holders will now be required to use the Microsoft Authenticator app as the sole means of MFA.

The complete removal of SMS as a method is targeted for October 31, 2024. Employees who have not already set up the Microsoft Authenticator app will get a prompt regularly to set it up before this date. After October 31, setting up the Microsoft Authenticator app will be mandatory before logging in again, and employees who have only the Microsoft Authenticator app will be prompted to add an external email address as a backup method for password reset. If you already have an alternate email registered to your account, you will not be prompted.

If you work in a SCIF or other area where you cannot access your phone during client work hours, contact the PSI Help Desk using the Ivanti portal or at helpdeskIT@plan-sys.com for a hardware token.

Bonus: Did you know? The Microsoft Authenticator app allows you to go passwordless!

You can now bypass entering your password by using the Microsoft Authenticator app. Microsoft Authenticator’s number-matching with your device (something you have) and your phone PIN or bio-metrics (something you know/are) satisfies two layers of authentication so that you no longer need to enter your password every time you are asked to authenticate. If you’d like to get started with passwordless authentication, visit our TM Training Library and check out the Passwordless Sign-In guide under the Office 365 folder, or click on your PSI account in your account list in Authenticator (you can use it for all your accounts!) and tap “Set up phone sign-in”.

Live Trainings by the Technology Management Department

Learn New Skills and Enhance Your Productivity

The Technology Management Department is passionate about helping you achieve productivity through excellent service and innovative solutions. To that end, the TM Department launched our live training program in Q2 2024. Since then, we have offered live trainings on the TM Department’s services and capabilities and the solutions that we can offer you, the PSI Enterprise employee. Our feedback has shown that this training has been especially helpful to new employees, as well as those looking for new ways to achieve greater efficiency through the features included in their PSI Enterprise account license.

We are now pleased to announce the expansion of our live training curriculum to include Microsoft Group Ownership. We will soon be announcing the first live training on this new topic in the Technology Management channel in Microsoft Teams. This new training will be designed to help group owners leverage their role to help their team reach new levels of collaboration and to effectively manage sharing and access of group resources such as SharePoint and Teams.

As usual, we will provide a feedback survey at the close of the training session with the goal of continuous improvement. We hope that you will take advantage of these trainings and enhance your knowledge and skills. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact the TM Training Team at tmtrainingteam@plan-sys.com

MARKETING

Marketing Request Form:

Your one stop shop for everything marketing! Earlier this year, the PSI Marketing Team rolled out a new Marketing Request Form to help better meet the requests of PSI employees. We highly encourage PSI employees to use the Marketing Request Form to help us help you, more efficiently and effectively. The Marketing Request form is your go to place for swag, a PSI dot.card™, event coordination, prints, and so much more.

Access the Request Form Here!

Dot Cards:

Networking has never been easier! This year, PSI made the switch from traditional paper business cards to permanent plastic dot.cards™. This decision came from PSI’s continued effort to modernize the way we work. Not only does it digitalize the way you network, the switch to dot.cards™ has saved money and reduced paper waste.As we slowly rolled out more and more dot.cards™, it became apparent that this was THE way to network. Most PSI employees who have made the switch to a dot.card™ have given us positive feedback on the ease and simplicity of having a digital business profile. It’s time to make the switch! All PSI employees will be able to get a dot.card™. Use the PSI Marketing Request Form to get started.

Get your Dot Card Here!

Where We’ve Been

These past few months our PSIers have been hard at work, attending conferences like the Defense Health Information Technology Symposium (DHITS) in Dallas, TX or the Department of Energy’s National CleanUp Workshop in Arlington, VA.

Attendance at DHITS has helped to expand PSI’s large reach into many familiar and new industries. We look forward to hearing all the amazing new things our PSIers are doing to promote and represent PSI!

What We’re Looking Forward To

PSI Charity Golf Tournament: On October 18th, PSI will be hosting our 26th

Annual Charity Golf Tournament benefitting our long-time charity partners, Special Love and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. As always, PSI will be matching each and every donation 100% to give to our wonderful and deserving charities.

Energy, Technology, & Environmental Business Association (ETEBA) Business Opportunities & Technical Conference (BOTC) 2024: From October 29th – 31st, The Federal Civilian Team is headed to Knoxville, TN to attend ETEBA BOTC 2024! Mike Wade & Richard Macon will represent PSI at this conference. ETEBA BOTC spotlights upcoming business opportunities within government agencies and prime contractors across the energy, environmental, and defense sectors.

Road Map

8AM 9AM 10AM

I arrive at the office. As the Life Cycle Management team lead, I get to work with an amazing team that really keeps the gears turning behind the scenes. The AFSOC C2MSIII contract demands versatility and flexibility, and it’s our job to ensure we operate efficiently and effectively, meeting the high level of professionalism our AFSOC customer expects.

The team syncs up to determine our priorities. Life Cycle Management plays a unique role in the AFSOC C2MSIII contract. We are a small team, each wearing several hats and well-versed in each other’s responsibilities, allowing us to lend a hand when tackling particularly large tasks. We’ll review our Kanban board and determine what tasks are the most appropriate for the day.

Communication is key, we’ll typically attend a design review, software demo, or some type of engineering meeting. From a Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) perspective, System Engineers like Carla Singletary and I collaborate with the hardware and software engineering teams as they develop their proposals. We often participate in engineering meetings to gain a deeper understanding of their projects. Our role is to help break down the requested capabilities into a set of requirements that serve as the framework for their projects.

BEHIND THE SCREENS

WITH ED ESPOSITO

PSI’s impact in various industries is only possible through our sectors and projects’ common goal of excellence and innovation. Achieving this day-today, however, looks different for each person and team. The AFSOC C2MS III Project reflects this goal through their collaboration and versatility.

Ed Esposito, Life Cycle Management Team Lead, shares what his typical day is like with his team and how they come together to provide effective solutions for their AFSOC customers.

Left to Right: Zach Williamson, Ed Esposito, Barry Thibodeau

11AM 12PM 1PM

As the engineering team develops their solutions, I get to exercise both my artistic and logical sides to create MBSE architecture viewpoints. These diagrams explain the system in a graphical format, ranging from a high-level perspective to a more detailed view of internal workings. This is my favorite part of the job. Stakeholders may not be familiar with the technology being developed, so my job is to present it in a meaningful way that they can steadily digest and understand. As viewers comprehend the higher-level viewpoint, they can move to the next diagram, where details become more specific and focused, allowing them to gradually gain a better understanding of the system’s design. Sometimes this can be more art than science, and my goal is to make it informative without overwhelming the audience. I take a lot of pride in these diagrams, and they’re one of the focal points of each engineering milestone. The tricky part is that we need a solid understanding of all these activities to develop appropriate models and architecture diagrams. We must be well-versed in a wide range of topics, from network design to radio frequency satellite communications, in order to identify requirements, express relationships, document, and reflect them in graphics. This is what I find most enjoyable about the job. I’ve always been interested in how things work, so I get to learn about all the intricacies and then help express that to the customer in a visual format.

Lunch time! Most days, we have lunch together, taking a short walk across the street to the on-base Bowling Alley for a patty melt, or stopping by one of the nearby food trucks. During this time, we share opinions on improvements or offer different perspectives. This contributes to a teamwork mentality, and I think we all recognize that when any one of us succeeds, the whole team benefits.

I’ll reach out to Project Managers to help them develop materials for upcoming milestone events. Milestones are an established date that a Project Manager must meet certain criteria to move into the next phase of their design, usually capped off with a formal presentation. The LCM team ensures that the PMs meet these criteria and we assist with developing their presentations. This is where the requirements we helped capture at the beginning of the project really showcase their importance. Their designs should directly address the established requirements, and it’s the System Engineer’s goal to tie everything together. Using a combination of applications, we map out the system design and relate it to the requirements, ensuring that the project’s goals are met and reducing scope creep.

3PM

4PM

We are always refining our processes. It’s a delicate balance between developing a process that will help a team complete their goals, and creating a workflow that could overburden them. AFSOC C2MSIII employs engineering teams that use a traditional Waterfall approach for engineering designs, but also relies on Agile teams for tasks such as software development which require a more hybrid approach. For example, we’re currently working with software developers on a project with a recurring cycle of updates based on end-user feedback. The customer still expects certain milestone events, so we work with the software team to ensure they have updated versions of appropriate software diagrams and other deliverables required at those milestones, but still communicate during their development loops as new requirements are developed. Simultaneously, we’re working on another project focused on hardware updates for an aircraft system that provides unique capabilities to the AFSOC mission. These engineering modifications often require significant changes to the overall configuration and must be well documented.

Throughout the day the LCM team is hard at work on their individual responsibilities. The Configuration Manager, Zach Williamson, reviews any Configuration Change Board requests resulting from the engineering efforts. He works with PMs to ensure any of their proposed changes to system configurations are captured properly and that other teams that might be affected are notified and concur. He follows up regularly to ensure the most up-to-date documentation is uploaded and available in our library, and that it’s properly labeled for future reference. This process is crucial because it defines the current system configuration and ensures that future efforts use the most up-to-date data from a reliable source. Once the documentation is developed, our PMO Analyst and technical writer, Angie Eliott, reviews any material that may be published to ensure it conforms to industry standards and best practices, providing the customer with a polished and professional product.

Our Quality Manager, Barry Thibodeau, performs quality audits, reviewing the various methods teams use to ensure their work is streamlined, efficient, and compliant. He ensures that the metrics used to report performance are relevant. Given the diverse facets of this contract, from hardware engineering to software development, logistics, and cybersecurity, no two processes are very similar. Barry’s goal is to ensure we run as efficiently as possible. The data he collects is used to report progress and performance, communicate our successes to the customer, and identify areas for improvement, offering assistance or recommendations as needed. In addition to our individual responsibilities, we also manage software licenses and individual ancillary training mandated by the contract. Our goal is always to improve these processes, leveraging automation and reducing redundancies to benefit the SOACS as a whole.

By this time, we’ve accomplished the goals we set for the day. We’ll do a quick review and prep for tomorrow. It’s nice having a variety of tasks to keep things interesting. We’ve got a great team dynamic, which makes it genuinely enjoyable to come to work. Our roles on the AFSOC C2MSIII contract help ensure that every project runs smoothly and meets the high standards expected by our customer. Our versatility, collaboration, and dedication to continuous improvement make us a vital part of the mission’s success. We take pride in our work and enjoy the camaraderie that comes with it, knowing that our efforts contribute significantly to the overall goals of AFSOC. Together, we strive to make every project better than the last, always aiming for excellence in everything we do.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH - SPESS

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 established the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as a research agency focused on the study of worker safety and health, and empowering employers and workers to create safe and healthy workplaces.

NIOSH has more than 1,300 employees spread across the U.S., from a diverse set of fields including epidemiology, medicine, nursing, industrial hygiene, safety, and other disciplines. NIOSH’s mission is to develop new knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and to transfer it into practice.

WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU:

In 2022 private industry employers reported 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses and over 5,000 workplace deaths.

HOW WE ARE HELPING:

Under our Scientific, Professional, and Engineering Support Services contract, 95 ATL staff members support the Office of the Director and seven different Divisions of NIOSH.

FOR EXAMPLE:

• National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory: ATL staff members conduct testing on a variety of types of respirators and protective clothing. Others are working on issues such as new approaches to respirator fit testing, new methods to test the efficiency of respirator filters, and assistance to manufacturers seeking NIOSH approval of their respirator designs.

• Division of Compensation Analysis and Support: ATL staff members perform radiation dose reconstructions to determine the probability that former workers’ cancers are related to their past exposure to radiation on the job.

• Division of Safety Research: ATL staff are engaged in research aimed to improve the fit of body armor for law enforcement officers. They have also been engaged in safety research on improved safety helmets, mast-climbing scaffolds, and autonomous vehicles.

• World Trade Center Health Program: ATL staff with backgrounds in nursing, data science, pharmacy, insurance, and other disciplines help NIOSH manage this program which provides compassionate healthcare and advances best practices in the diagnosis and treatment of 9/11-related conditions. It also provides funding support to investigate the nature and extent of the adverse health effects arising from 9/11 exposures.

• Office of the Director: ATL staff have been supporting NIOSH’s Total Worker Health Program, which brings together all aspects of work in integrated interventions that collectively address worker safety, health, and well-being. Total Worker Health takes into account that job-related factors such as wages, work hours, workload, interactions with coworkers and supervisors, and access to paid leave impact the well-being of workers, their families, and their communities. The long-term vision of the TWH program is to protect the safety and health of workers and advance their well-being by creating safer and healthier work.

ATL staff support research on the association of the workplace with mental health and substance use. ATL consultants recently completed a training program aimed to prevent burnout among public health workers.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH - WORKER OUTREACH

NIOSH’s Division of Compensation Analysis and Support estimates work-related radiation exposure (dose reconstruction) for certain workers with cancer who filed claims under Part B of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000. Part B provides compensation of $150,000 and medical benefits to employees (or their survivors) for illness caused by exposure to radiation, beryllium, and silica during their employment at Department of Energy, its contractor, or subcontractor facilities.

DCAS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR:

• Developing methods to estimate worker exposure to radiation (Dose Reconstruction)

• Developing scientific guidelines to determine the likelihood that an employee’s cancer is related to their occupational exposure to ionizing radiation (Probability of Causation),

• Establishing a process for adding classes of employees to the Special Exposure Cohort (SEC)

• Providing staff support for an independent Advisory Board (Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health).

WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU:

Since World War II, hundreds of thousands of men and women have served their Nation in building our nuclear defense. Many thousands of these Americans paid a high price for their service, developing disabling or fatal illnesses as a result of exposure to ionizing radiation and toxic materials in nuclear weapons production and testing. Too often, these workers were neither adequately protected from, nor informed of, the occupational hazards to which they were exposed. And very often, they were not adequately compensated by state workers’ compensation programs.

HOW WE ARE HELPING:

Current and former workers at Department of Energy sites are involved in this program in several ways: As claimants or advocates for claimants; as petitioners for inclusion of their workplaces in the Special Exposure Cohort, which affords benefits without the need for dose reconstruction for former workers with certain kinds of cancer; and as experts on the historic working conditions, protective measures, and radiation monitoring practices at the sites where they worked.

ATL staff maintain relationships with these workers and former workers and with their unions, retiree organizations, and other groups in order to facilitate communication between NIOSH personnel and former workers to further the goals of this program. Among our activities, we conduct workshops to educate and inform former workers and their representatives about NIOSH’s role in this program, how radiation dose reconstruction works, and how they can interact with NIOSH to benefit their members.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH - STSS

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has the mandate to assure “every man and woman in the Nation safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources.“ The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 established the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as a research agency focused on the study of worker safety and health, and empowering employers and workers to create safe and healthy workplaces.

NIOSH has more than 1,300 employees spread across the United States, from a diverse set of fields including epidemiology, medicine, nursing, industrial hygiene, safety, and other disciplines. NIOSH’s mission is to develop new knowledge in the field of occupational safety and health and to transfer that knowledge into practice.

WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU:

In 2022 private industry employers reported 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses and over 5,000 workplace deaths.

HOW WE ARE HELPING:

Under our Science and Technical Support Services for Various NIOSH Occupational Safety and Health Related Research and Analytical Tasks contract, ATL has provided various technical and support services to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to support a wide variety of initiatives. Here are some examples:

REVIEW AND UPDATE OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION FOR CHEMICALS IN THE NIOSH

EMERGENCY RESPONSE SAFETY AND HEALTH DATABASE: ATL conducted a review and update of all the information on chemicals currently in NIOSH’s database and developed all of the information for approximately 160 chemicals that NIOSH has not yet added to its online database. This included information on chemical and physical properties, trade names and other identifiers, toxicity, signs and symptoms, exposure limits, and recommendations for personal protective equipment, emergency response, decontamination, and first aid.

EVALUATION OF FIRE DEPARTMENT IMPLEMENTATION OF NIOSH FIRE FIGHTER FATALITY

INVESTIGATION AND PREVENTION PROGRAM (FFFIPP) RECOMMENDATIONS: NIOSH’s Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP) conducts in-depth investigations of certain firefighter fatalities and issues comprehensive reports with recommendations. ATL is conducting a survey of over 4,000 fire departments to determine how these recommendations are being implemented by fire departments.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE: We developed a novel artificial intelligence/machine learning solution to provide near real-time digital disease detection and used it to identify instances of workplace violence related to COVID masking requirements from news reports. We eliminated duplicate reports and reports that did not fit NIOSH’s criteria, refining 53,415 raw results down to 3,179 cleaned results.

SILICA EXPOSURE IN FABRICATION OF ENGINEERED QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS: ATL is using web scraping and other techniques to identify companies engaged in engineered quartz countertop production and conducting a survey of these companies to gather information about their occupational health practices. ATL will also be disseminating NIOSH-produced educational materials to bring awareness to the hazards and best practices in the industry.

NIOSH POCKET GUIDE UPDATE: ATL updated the technical toxicological information in the NPG for exposure routes, symptoms, and target organs, and developed the toxicological information for new chemicals being added to the NPG. We also.updated the first aid information for the NPG and developed first aid information for new chemicals to be added to the NPG: approximately 700 chemicals.

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ANTHROPOMETRY DATA COLLECTION SITES ARRANGEMENT FOR THE DIVISION OF SAFETY RESEARCH: ATL worked with stakeholders to identify and qualify data collection sites for the collection of anthropometric data on law enforcement officers who typically work in patrol vehicles. ATL worked with national law enforcement organizations and local agencies to secure the cooperation and participation of local contacts.

EXPOSURES, HEALTH EFFECTS, AND CONTROLS OF CHEMICALS FROM THERMAL SPRAY

COATING: ATL is using web scraping to identify companies engaged in thermal spray activities and conducting a survey of these companies to gather information about their occupational health practices. ATL is also helping to recruit companies for NIOSH field studies.

BYTE-SIZED EPISODE 4

PSI’s Annual Charity Golf Tournament is a time for light-hearted competition and coming together for a good cause. For 26 years, PSI has donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Special Love charities. Behind all the tournament’s fun is Geneen Roby, her family, and a team of volunteers. In this episode of Byte-Sized, we had the chance to speak with Geneen about her role at PSI, her family’s contribution to the tournament, and what it takes to manage such a special day for PSI. We thank Geneen for her willingness to share her family’s story, and all of her fabulous work she does for PSI and beyond!

If you are interested in volunteering for this year’s Charity Golf Tournament on Friday October 18, please contact Geneen at groby@plan-sys.com. Want to be featured in a future episode of Byte-Sized? Have suggestions for topics or people we should interview? Please send us an email at MarketingTeam@plan-sys.com

INTRODUCING ELEMENTS 5

WITH EDWARD NG FOUNDER & CEO

Hi E5! Thanks for sitting down with us. We’re sure you’ve told this story many times, but indulge us, how did Elements 5 begin?

Elements 5 began with a simple yet powerful mission, to do good and provide the best service possible. We’ve always believed in serving those who seek support, whether they’re our customers or our own team members who assist them. Our goal is to help everyone achieve their objectives, whether that means managing their EHRM system or even stopping by a store to pick up a coffee. Whatever the end user’s goal is, we’re committed to making it happen.

How did you become partners with PSI? What has been the most rewarding part of this partnership?

Our partnership with PSI began with Mr. Lin, a knowledgeable and caring CEO who recognized the potential in Elements 5. The most rewarding aspect of this partnership is the connections we make along the way. Engaging with individuals, especially like you, and witnessing the hard work and achievements of Mr. Lin’s team at PSI is incredibly fulfilling. Additionally, the work itself of course is rewarding. Taking on tasks and projects and completing them to the best of our abilities brings a sense of accomplishment that we truly value.

What is a project you and your team are working on that you’re most excited about?

What are some unexpected challenges the team has faced and how have you overcome?

Managing our workload. We realized we could no longer rely solely on one another and needed to expand our team. We’ve brought on new high-level team members who share our vision and values, individuals who are on the same page and genuinely have the heart to care about our mission and the work we do. With this expanded team, we’re committed to continuing our work and ensuring

The E5 team may seem small, but you are mighty! What’s the secret to effective teamwork & collaboration?

The secret ingredient in the dumpling soup is….. Nothing! -Kung Fu Panda. (Yes, I love that movie) It’s true, the secret to our effective collaboration is constant communication and being you. We make an huge effort to get to know each other personally, finding out what our teammates enjoy outside of work, discussing what they had for breakfast, or sharing stories about their weekends and families. It’s about being HUMAN and genuinely caring for one another. And, of course, we always make sure to have fun along the way! That is a mandatory requirement with us.

We wouldn’t be the Marketing Team if we didn’t mention your new look! We loved working with E5 on this, What strengths of the E5 team do you feel are reflected in this new branding?

Well, I went to Miami with my family and got this beautiful Tan, I’m still 5’5” and weighing 170 lbs— the waist size hasn’t changed much, but I can tell it’s growing slowly, as my doctor mentioned… As for our new branding, I embrace change. It brings new meaning and allows us to learn from past mistakes to improve in the future. Elements 5 is ready and confident to deliver the services and products our partners and customers need and want.

Lastly, what are you most looking forward to? What’s the next big goal?

I’m looking forward to continued success! While our partners, staff, and customers are happy now, I want them to be truly thrilled and proud of what we accomplish together. We have some big goals in the pipeline, and I can’t wait to share those when the time comes… so stay tuned!

CHECK OUT ELEMENTS 5’S NEW LOOK!

Interns & Beyond.

As the leaves turn brown and the summer heat dwindles, students across the world prepare as another academic year begins. For those students in university, many come back to their classes with a stronger knowledge of the world through their summer internships.

This previous summer, PSI welcomed 16 interns from coast to coast across all fields from HR, data science, legal, marketing, and more. In this article, you’ll hear from HR Intern Nate Acuna and Data Analyst Intern Matteo Shafer, and learn about their favorite memories from their internships, alongside what they’re looking forward to in Autumn!

What was the most interesting thing you learned?

Nate Acuna: “I would say the most interesting thing I learned at PSI was corporate office culture. I have always neglected the lifestyle of working a 9-5 job and sitting behind a desk, but when I got the internship opportunity, my mindset quickly changed. Since my goals for the summer were to build my connections and resume, along with making money, I felt that I would ultimately regret not interning for PSI – so I went for it. Being 20 years old in an environment that PSIers have worked in for longer than I have been alive was initially terrifying. It didn’t take long for me to realize how welcoming and cooperative everyone was! I settled in within the first week and felt very confident in my personal growth.”

Matteo Shafer: “I think probably working with the power apps, like learning the new software was the most interesting I’d say. Data visualization was a big part of my project this summer, so being able to build out that visualization from scratch was the most interesting part.”

What was the most memorable moment from your internship?

Matteo Shafer: “I would probably say when we finally started to get the power apps working, since there was a lot of things going wrong, but once things started clicking together it was very satisfying. The reason this was complicated because we had to manually input data and create our own graphs and charts to visualize the data, so it was a lot of moving parts.”

What is some advice to future interns, PSI or not?

Nate Acuna: “My biggest piece of advice for future interns is to not stress and that things work themselves out. My Dad always told me that character matters over anything. If you’re being friendly, open to new work, and cooperative with your co-workers/interns, things will get done regardless of what you know about a topic going into it. I had zero experience in the HR department but still managed to exceed my own expectations! All it took was a little discipline, consistency, and asking for help when I needed it. Nobody is going to be perfect – the point of being an intern is to absorb information and get your foot in the door. People look at character before your work.”

Keven’s Kitchen Potluck Edition

APPETIZER

BROUGHT BY ASHLEY SESE

LUMPIA SHANGHAI (FILIPINO EGG ROLL-SHANGHAI STYLE)

This recipe makes about 150-200 lumpias. This can be frozen for several months in gallon Ziploc bags. Freezing the lumpia before cooking is recommended. This avoids the wrapper from unraveling.

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs ground pork

2 lbs ground beef

1 lb baby carrots

1 medium onion

1 bunch of green onions

1 can of water chestnuts

3 tsp of salt (to taste)

1 ½ tsp Garlic powder

1 ½ tsp Pepper

3 eggs

3 pkgs of wei chuan spring roll shells

FILLING:

1. Mix pork and beef together in a big bowl & finely chop carrots, onion, green onions, water chestnuts (may also put through food processor). Add to the pork and beef mixture.

3. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the 3 eggs. Mix until well blended by hand.

4. Get a small piece of the mixture and cook in microwave for about 25 seconds and taste if it needs additional salt, pepper, or garlic powder.

5. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before wrapping.

WRAPPING:

1. Separate the wrappers. Cut the wrappers in half creating 2 triangles. Lay the wrappers shiny side down with the widest end of the triangle nearest to you.

2. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper on edge closest to you. Spread the mixture to about finger length.

3. Roll the wrapper over the filling tightly and seal the edges with a dab of water.

4. Fold/tuck the sides towards the middle and seal with a dab of water.

5. Continue rolling until it is a tight log.

FRYING:

1. Use a deep fryer at about 350F until golden brown. The wrapper can cook faster than the filling so try not to have the oil too hot.

2. If pan frying, pour cooking oil in a deep pan at medium heat and fry until golden brown.

3. Cook the lumpia in batches but do not overcrowd.

SAUCE:

1. Sweet Chili Sauce OR Filipino sauce: vinegar, crushed garlic, salt and pepper

SIDE

FAMOUS CORN CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can corn (drained)

• 1 can creamed corn

• 1 box “Jiffy” corn muffin mix

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1 stick of butter - melted

• 1 Tbsp sugar

• Shredded cheddar cheese

STEPS:

1. Mix all ingredients together except cheese. Put in greased casserole dish.

2. Bake uncovered at 350 for 35-45 minutes.

3. Sprinkle cheese on top last 5 minutes of baking.

*ANDY’S ADVICE: “People make it too soupygotta let it set and get those crispy edges.”

ENTRÉE 1

BROUGHT

KEVEN LEBLANC

PULLED CHICKEN IN GUAJILLO-ORANGE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 dried Guajillo chiles, seeded and torn into about 1-2 in pieces

• 2c orange juice

• 7 garlic cloves

• 2 tbsp white vinegar

• 2 tsp honey

• 1 tbsp mexican oregano

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1 tsp salt

• 4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat

ENTRÉE 1

STEPS:

1. Toast the Guajillo peppers in a dry skillet, pressing down and moving with spatula until they are glossy and fragrant but don’t burn.

2. Add peppers to the orange juice and let sit for 10 mins. Trim fat from chicken thighs.

3. Pour juice and chile mixture into blender and add vinegar, honey, garlic, oregano, coriander, and salt.

4. Blend until well puréed and add to saucepan with chicken. Simmer 20-25 mins. Once the chicken is cooked, remove and let rest for several minutes. Reduce the sauce on medium high about 10 mins until it thickens.

5. Shred the chicken with two forks and toss in the thickened sauce. Serve on warmed corn tortillas with queso blanco, onions, cabbage and radish or other toppings as you prefer.

ENTRÉE 2

BROUGHT BY KEVEN LEBLANC

BUTTERNUT RISOTTO

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 10-ounce bags frozen butternut squash (4 cups total), thawed, drained & dried

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve Kosher salt & black pepper

• 3 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, divided

• 1 small yellow onion OR 2 medium shallots, finely chopped

• 1 cup Arborio rice

• 3/4 cup dry white wine OR dry vermouth

• 1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth OR chicken broth

• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary OR 1 sprig fresh rosemary

• 2 ounces Parmesan OR pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (1 cup), divided Optional garnish: Chopped fresh chives OR thinly sliced scallions OR chopped fresh sage OR chopped toasted walnuts

STEPS:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F with racks in the lower-middle and lowest positions. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss half of the squash (about 2 cups) with the oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast on the lowest rack, stirring once about halfway through, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside; leave the oven on.

2. In a large Dutch oven over medium, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the grains are translucent at the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining uncooked squash and the wine; cook, stirring, until the pot is almost dry, about 2 minutes.

3. Stir in the broth, rosemary, 1 cup water and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cover and place in the oven on the lower-middle rack. Cook until the rice is tender but has not yet absorbed all the liquid and a skewer inserted into the squash meets no resistance, about 45 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven, uncover and stir in the roasted squash. Add half of the cheese and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then stir vigorously until the butter is melted and the risotto is creamy. Let stand uncovered for 5 minutes; the risotto will thicken as it stands.

5. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the remaining cheese and additional oil for drizzling.

DESSERT

GRANDMA’S LEMON & ORANGE CAKE WITH CITRUS GLAZE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• Zest of 1 whole orange (finely grated)

• Zest of 1 whole lemon (finely grated)

• 1 cup butter (unsalted and softened)

• 1¼ cup white granulated sugar

• ½ cup lemon juice

• ½ cup orange juice

• ¾ cup milk

• 5 eggs

INGREDIENTS FOR GLAZE:

• 2 cup white granulated sugar

• Juice & zest of 1 whole lemon

• Juice & zest of 1 whole Orange

STEPS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat bundt pan with cooking spray and set aside. (Can use shortening and flour to coat inside of bundt pan if you do not have cooking spray)

2. In a medium bowl, combine together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix in the orange and lemon zest. Set aside.In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy.

3. To the large bowl add the lemon juice, orange juice, milk, the eggs and mix to combine. Begin adding the flour mixture a little bit at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix for a couple minutes until the batter is smooth and all the ingredients are well incorporated.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 50 min to an hour until done. Check the center of the cake with a toothpick and if it comes out clean it’s done.

5. Let cake cool before releasing out of the bundt pan, around 10 minutes. To make the citrus glaze whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. When cake is still warm, pour glaze on top. Make sure to cover entire cake. Let cake cool before serving.

BOOK NOOK

As the leaves turn and the air gets crisp, there’s nothing better than curling up with a book, a blanket, and a warm drink during the Fall season. In this edition of Book Nook, our selection, ranging from chilling mystery solves to lifestyle, makes the relaxing mood of Fall that much cozier.

Mystery: The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

Historical Fiction: The Women by Kristin Hannah

Contemporary Fiction: The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

Romance: The Wedding People by Alison Espach

Fantasy: The Life Impossible by Matt Haig

Hispanic Authors for Hispanic Heritage Month:

Personal Finance: The Gift of Struggle: Life-Changing Lessons About Leading by Bobby Herrera

Business: NetWORKING Excellence: Building A Strong Value-Based Network

In An Accelerating Digital World by David R. Olivencia

Self Help: Creating Your Limitless Life: Esther Zeledon

KEVEN’S PICK

For my book suggestion, since kids also going back to school I chose a teen and young adult book. “The Cemetery Boys” by Aiden Thomas. The protagonist Yadriel, a 16-year-old gay Latinx trans boy, successfully performs the ritual his family denied him in front of Lady Death, and inadvertently unlocks his magical powers as a brujo. Soon after, Yadriel discovers that his cousin has suddenly and inexplicably died but that his spirit is nowhere to be found. The mystery calls to Yadriel, and determined, he sets out to root it out. If Yadriel can find his cousin’s body and release his spirit to the afterlife, he can finally prove to his family that he is a true brujo—and a boy. Yadriel’s plan definitely does not include falling for one Julian Diaz, the spirit of a handsome dead boy Yadriel accidentally summons. But now it is just the two of them, tangled up in a mystery they don’t know where to begin to solve.