Staff
President
480-921-3858 ext:650
Marlene
Gonzales
Vice President of Sales
Marlene Gonzales is the Vice President of Sales at Better Direct. With 20+ years in managing customer relationships, with both Better Direct and her prior role in banking, she encourages the staff to work closely with their clients. She is responsible for the training and the development of our sales teams including Commercial, SLED and Federal Contract teams to improve overall sales and maximize profits for the company. Marlene works closely with the Account Executives to identify top accounts, target skill sets, key market segments, and to assess each clients’ requirements. She has substantial experience in strategic planning, implementation, and leadership of critical sales programs. She consistently exceeds in a highly competitive environments and excels in building strong customer relationships with providing a total solution. When Marlene is not in the office, she enjoys spending time with her family and discovering new places in their travels.
480-921-3858 ext:283
Diana
zhong
Financial Quantitative Analyst
Diana Zhong joined Better Direct in 2018. As a Financial Quantitative Analyst, she works directly with Better Direct’s owner, Mark Evans. In this position, she handles all personnel, accounts receivable, payables, and day to day operations. Diana leverages her excellent teamwork and leadership skills to ensure that objective is completed on the time for delivery to our client. Additionally, she holds daily and weekly employee meetings to give information and take feedback for future improvement. Diana holds a Master of Science in finance from Arizona State University. She is a SAS Certified Base Programmer for SAS 9 and SAS Certified Advanced Programmer for SAS 9. Outside of work, she loves being a new mother and enjoys hitting new milestones every day.
480-921-3858 ext:275
Jackie
Ochoa
Project Manager
Jackie Ochoa is Better Directs project manager. She began working with Better Direct in 2015 as a GSA buyer and then shifted into an outbound sales rep. In July of 2018, she started working directly with Mark on special accounts. She helps maintain close relationships with the VIP customers who have had a long-standing relationship with Better Direct. She also manages the solutions architect team, and she is hands on in the Better Direct computer lab to provide equipment to meet the specific needs of DOD customers. Jackie has supervised in testing and shipping over 2 million dollars’ worth of end of life IBM equipment and continues to successfully provide solutions to all VIP accounts accordingly to their specified needs. When she is not at Better Direct, she likes to spend time with her family, work out, and travel.
480-921-3858 ext:241
Joe Holt
Solutions Architect and IT Services
As our Lead Solutions Architect and IT Services, Joe Holt is responsible for technical support for Better Direct Sales opportunities. He also provides billable design, configuration, installation and consulting services for Better Direct Customers. Joe is a primary source for support and maintenance for Better Direct internal systems. He enjoys solving engineering problems and anything that requires lots of thinking. Joe has over 38 years of computer industry experience including 25 years in sales at Fortune 100 companies and a successful transition to becoming a technical specialist while at IBM. Some of Joe’s accomplishments include numerous awards and trips as a sales representative and numerous past and current technical certifications from many manufacturers including IBM, HPE, Cisco, VMware and Lenovo. In Joe’s free time he enjoys spending time with his family.
480-921-3858 ext:325
anthony hernandez
Assistant Engineer Architect
Anthony Hernandez is our Assistant Engineer Architect. Anthony has held many positions starting at Data Entry and switching over to Purchasing Agent. His current role here at Better Direct is technical support. Anthony helps provide maintenance for Better Direct internal systems – including testing and replacing old hardware for new hardware in the server room, as well as employee computers. He is a very goal-oriented person who likes a challenge. He is currently attending ASU with an associate in Applied Science. Anthony’s main goal is to finish school with a bachelor’s in computer engineering. In Anthony’s spare time, he enjoys going to the gym and spending time with his family.
480-921-3858 ext: 241
Chase Cai
Operation & Financial Analyst Manager
480-921-3858 ext:320
khatu nguyen
Director of GSA and 2GIT Contract
480-921-3858 ext:355
kato wong
Sales Manager
KaTo Wong is one of our many amazing Sales Managers. KaTo’s role is doing quotes for our customers. This is his first job and has been with Better Direct since 2018. His goal is to learn the American culture and to learn more about the global market. His top accomplishment would be that he graduated with his Bachelor and Master in Finance degrees at Arizona State University. Outside of the work he loves collecting rare shoes and clothes. The rare pieces makes him excited as they hold investment value.
480-921-3858 ext:119
kimberly
lambert
Sales Manager
Kim Lambert is a Sales Manager with Better Direct. She started as an Account Executive learning the contracts which led her to a managerial role. She leads her sales team and continues to help customers across all facets of government by providing what they need through the ADMC-3, SEWP V, 2GIT and GSA contracts. Kim takes pride in her ability to prioritize tasks and complete them in a timely manner. She is very competitive and loves to challenge the sales teams. She also enjoys learning new skills. In her free time, she takes adventure trips with her best friend all over the country. She also hosts zoom chats once a week with several friends, each in a different country. She loves to play games and learn about their cultures.
480-921-3858 ext:133
Lala lane
Sales Managers Assistant
Lala Lane is our Sales Manager Assistant at Better Direct. Since starting in 2018 Lala has held many positions starting as a Data Entry Clerk, Account Executive for both SEWP V & GSA and has moved to her current position. Lala is responsible for processing customer orders and monitoring shipments, making sure they arrive at the correct destination. Along with her purchasing position, Lala also trains new employees on two of our biggest contracts, GSA and SEWP V. She never hesitates to learn something new and her dedication is expressed through her hard work and commitment. Lala enjoys spending time on the Navajo reservation with her extended family as she resides in Tempe with her 6 siblings. Lala is excited to see where all her accomplishments will bring.
480-921-3858 ext:232
Shya Lawson
Sales Account Executive
Shya Lawson joined the Better Direct team in 2022 as a Sales Account Executive, but now works concurrently as an HP Navigator. She originally began responding to requests on our GSA/2GIT contracts, but now focuses on ADMC-3 and HP Solutions. In this new role, she supports the team in their HP sales goals and trains to provide current information on the HP products/services that we offer. She strives to learn as much as possible and enjoys the friendly competition amongst her coworkers. When Shya isn’t in the office, she is spending time with family and friends, cooking, gardening or reading. She enjoys the Arizona outdoors and often visits Sedona, Flagstaff and Payson for the gorgeous hikes.
480-921-3858 ext:116
Iris guerrero
Sales Account Executive
Iris Guerrero is currently a Sales Account Executive at Better Direct. She started in 2021 as a Data Entry Clerk, and has moved her way up to her current position. She is responsible for providing customers with quotes, and assisting them in finding any items or products they may be searching for in a timely manner. Her goal is to expand her knowledge in sales and to learn everything there is about our current government contracts, GSA, 2GIT, SEWP V, and ADMC-3. While not at work, she likes to spend her free time drawing and playing video games with friends from all over the world.
Iris’s goal is to become a better version of herself everyday and to achieve a higher sense of self by providing support to
friends and family.
480-921-3858 ext: 125
Jacob Hernandez
Sales Account Executive
Jacob Hernandez is a Sales Account executive, specializing on the GSA, 2GIT and SEWP Contracts. His duties consists establishing relationships with customers by researching and quoting products that best fit their needs in a timely matter. Jacob is constantly learning new information as he grows more accustomed to the different procedures within the Federal Contracts. His overall goal is to be able to provide and contribute to his family and within the business. Some of the things that he values in life are relationships, respect and intelligence. One of his top accomplishments within his life is graduating with a Bachelor in Business Administration with a minor in Finance from Arizona Christian University on a athletic scholarship for football. Outside of work, Jacob is a light-hearted and an easy going individual who enjoys playing the guitar, learning new things and going to the gym.
480-921-3858 ext: 115
Adam Fogel
Sales Account Executive
Adam Fogel is Sales Account Executive at Better Direct, focused on the SEWP V and ADMC-3 contracts. Adam started at Better Direct in January 2023, and has accomplished learning three Federal Contracts within two months of sales. His background in leading software development projects helps him navigate complicated problems and provide clients with precise solutions. On his own time, Adam enjoys collecting board games and card games.
480-921-3858 ext:117
Jaimie Ball
Sales Account Executive
Jaimie Ball started in January 2023 and is currently a Sales Account Executive specializing in the GSA/2GIT and SEWP contracts. She is responsible for assisting customers in finding any products they need and providing them with quotes on the appropriate contracts. Her current goal is to increase her knowledge and proficiency in sales to better assist her customers. Outside of work, she enjoys learning new crafts and spending time with her loved ones.
480-921-3858 ext: 113
Sarahi Cruz
Sales Account Executive
Sarahi Cruz is a Sales Account Executive that assists with the GSA and 2GIT contracts. Her role is to create quotes for customers and find the parts and products they are looking to purchase off Better Direct’s Federal Contracts. Sarahi strives to become successful and is always open to learning new things. Outside of work, Sarahi loves spending her time with family and friends creating new memories.
480-921-3858 ext: 127
christina
wu
Purchasing & Financial Analyst
Christina Wu is a Purchasing Agent. At Better Direct, Christina assists her customers by helping with any of their IT needs. Before joining Better Direct, Christina completed her Master program with a Finance Major from W.P. Carey School of Business. Christina has also created new relationships with many manufacturers for Better Direct. In her spare time Christina enjoys cooking and exploring new recipes to try with her friends and family.
480-921-3858 ext:123
Jacqueline Folgar
Purchasing Assistant
Jacqueline Folgar is a Purchasing Assistant for Better Direct. Her role in the office is to create purchasing orders for customers who order items from the GSAAdvantage! website and 2GIT. She assists her customers in answering any questions they might have about their orders, such as estimated time of shipment, tracking information, status availability for a specific part, etc. In addition to her responsibilities, Jacky processes invoices to keep track of customer payments and frequently updates customers on their status of invoices. She effectively communicates with her team on a daily basis, is very detail-oriented, and manages her time well when it comes to meeting deadlines.
Jacky’s most recent accomplishment was graduating at the top of her class from Arizona State University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Animation and landing a summer internship with the university’s Immersive Creative Studio as a 3D modeler. During her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies with friends and family, building her artist portfolio, and focusing on improving her animation skills through 3D modelling characters.
480-921-3858 ext:130
Catalina Estrada
Purchasing Assistant
Catalina is a Purchasing Assistant for Better Direct. She processes invoices and keeps track of customers payments also updates them on their invoices. While not at work , she loves to spend her free time with her dog named Coco hiking and exploring new trails in Arizona. One of Catalina many goals is to expand her knowledge and grow with Better Direct.
480-921-3858 ext:124
Prestina Yazzie
Deputy SEWP Program Manager
Prestina Yazzie is a dedicated member of Better Direct as the Deputy SEWP Program Manager. She began with the company in 2015 as an Administrator and was appointed Deputy SEWP Program Manager in 2018. She is responsible for monitoring the SEWP program by preparing and submitting our products onto our SEWP V contract. Prestina is the administer liaison for the NASA SEWP program by submitting all reports. She assures a timely and accurate dispatch of all program activities, sensitive issues, and successes. In providing this information and documentation, it helps to predetermine objectives and meet future requirements. Prestina grew up on the Navajo reservation, but currently resides in Tempe, AZ with her husband and their seven children. Between balancing family, life and her position here, she likes to attend social events such as concerts, museums, and writing engagements.
480-921-3858 ext:205
Thien Phung
GSA Contract Admin
Thien Duc Phung is currently holding GSA Admin title at Better Direct. He is responsible for updating the price, country of origin for the products withing the catalog. By using the information, he obtained from sources using a set of complicated Excel formulas and logic he learned from training. Every week Thien will download the information from the sources, then transform the data to a readable format for everyone at Better Direct. Next step, he uses what he’s trained to complete the next objective such as filtering and verifying against contract guidelines for possible new products.
Thien had completed his Bachelor’s in Computer Science. He believes that there is nothing impossible to do. If you are putting time and effort to achieve your goals. Therefore, he is always looking forward to new challenges and is eager to learn. While working hard, he also enjoys reading fictional online novels and listening to music. Occasionally he enjoys playing games as well, especially FPS and survival genre.
480-921-3858
Mitchel LaMarca
GSA Contract Admin
Mitchel LaMarca, a GSA Administrator here at Better Direct, is responsible for the timely and accurate entry of incoming orders as well as assisting in the research & upkeep of current product information. Mitchel likes to stay busy at work and is a big believer in there always being something productive to do.
As a “forever curious” person, Mitchel always loves learning new things and expanding his knowledge in multiple fields with an affinity for metaphysics, math, and science. He also loves discussing movies/tv shows and playing boardgames with friends and family.
Mitchel has a variety of work experience ranging from retail and warehouse to fitness and entertainment. He has always strived to learn as much as he can at any company he’s worked for and aspires to obtain and fulfill leadership roles wherever he is. Within 3 years at his last employer, Mitchel went from entry level to a lead to a supervisor, and then ultimately accepted an executive position to help maintain and create the company’s culture and atmosphere.
When Mitchel’s not at work, he enjoys spending time with friends/family doing activities both inside and outside. He loves binge watching media and good old fashion table gaming as well as running, hiking, and biking outdoors.
480-921-3858
robert warnicke
Contracts Consultant
Robert has been practicing law since 1993, and primarily focuses on debtor/creditor relations and commercial litigation. In 2013 he opened his own firm, and has expanded his practice to include assisting Better Direct on business matters, particularly with respect to obtaining and complying with GWACs (Government Wide Acquisition Contracts). Over the years he has worked a number of appeals, including reported decisions: Hullett v. Cousin, 204 Ariz. 292 (2003) (involving the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act); Stauffer v. US Bank N.A., 233 Ariz. 22 (App. 2013) (Protecting homeowners with A.R.S. § 33-420). An Arizona native, he left to Tennessee for an undergraduate degree at Vanderbilt University, cum laude in Honors History, and returned to Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law for a J.D., also cum laude. He is interested in historic preservation, infrequently is involved in land use matters on behalf of existing neighborhoods, is President of Phoenix Historic Districts, and is Vice President of Phoenix Historic Neighborhood Coalition.
480-921-3858 ext:122
