Meet Our Team
Courtney Thomas
President & CEO
816-389-8862
A native of North Carolina and a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (Bachelor of Science in Accounting), Courtney moved to the Kansas City community in September of 2002. Courtney brings more than fourteen years…
Courtney joined the CX team in February of 2017, and her arrival coincided with the launch of a new strategic plan for the Central Exchange, outlining our path forward from now through 2020. Over the next four years, Courtney’s leadership and vision will shape the execution strategy to deliver on our goals to: Enhance Brand Equity, Grow Membership, Focus and Elevate Programming, Upgrade Technology, and Improve our Financial Strength.
Prior to joining CX, Courtney served as the President and Chief Executive Officer at Great Plains SCPCA, Kansas City’s largest animal welfare organization. Serving in this capacity for over six years, Courtney led a staff of 160 and managed a budget of $7.8M, while growing the organization’s mission impact by over 350% and establishing new facilities on both sides of the state line. As the top executive, she set the vision and strategy for operations, marketing, fundraising and business development, while leading agency culture, human resources, and finance activities. Prior to her most recent role as CEO, Courtney spent ten years in progressively responsible leadership positions in Marketing, Public Relations, and Operations.
KC Magazine named Courtney one of Kansas City’s Top 100 influential people in Kansas City in 2013, and that same year, Courtney received the 2013 Rising Star award from Nonprofit Connect. Courtney was also the Founder and President of the Pet Animal Coalition of Kansas (PACK) and represented the state of Kansas on the Companion Animal Advisory Council for the Humane Society of the United States. She is a Certified Animal Welfare Administrator — a prestigious designation of less than 100 across the country — acknowledging excellence in leadership, financial and operational acumen, public relations and veterinary medicine. Courtney is also is a member of the Lyric Opera Circle of Kansas City.
Outside of work, Courtney is the mother of three beautiful young children and has been married to her husband Jeff for thirteen years. She loves spending time with family, practicing photography, supporting our hometown teams, and participating in civic activities that make Kansas City a better place for all of us to live.
Courtney has a strong desire to get to know our membership on an individual basis and she welcomes the opportunity for members to drop by and say hello whenever onsite for programming
Steve Wright
Chief Financial Officer
816.471.7560
Steve serves as the CFO for Central Exchange. His background includes a long career in Corporate World with Sprint/Embarq to owning a small business while attending the University of Kansas. The responsibility of running a small business has strong similarities to the scale of CX.
The Corporate World gave Steve many opportunities to lead large groups of employees in Training, Payroll, Customer Experience, Vendor Contracts, Finance and HR. In all of these roles, Steve’s Business and Accounting background were key in delivering the necessary outcomes.
Steve lives in Overland Park area with his family but you will often see him downtown enjoying the rebirth of downtown KC. He enjoys spending more of his time learning new skills like woodworking and small construction while in this semi-retirement phase of his life.
Peter Beffa
Executive Chef
816-389-8856
Peter Beffa brings more than a decade of experience in the culinary and hospitality industries to Central Exchange. After completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing Management at Missouri State University, Peter followed his true passion by attending the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago.
He began his professional career at Rosebud Steakhouse in Chicago. After starting a family, Peter moved to Kansas City, where he kicked off his career working as a Sous Chef for 40 Sardines. Peter climbed the culinary ladder by helping lead an opening kitchen staff for Makers Mark Bourbon House & Lounge and acted as a culinary liaison for both Vinino and McFadden’s.
Just prior to helming the kitchen at CX, Peter spent several years as a Sous Chef at Bravo Cucina Italiana. Throughout his career, he has always believed in bringing people together through good, honest food.
Outside of the kitchen, Peter rocks it with his three kids and his beautiful wife. He enjoys family time, healthy exercise, and watching his children’s various sporting events.
Kerri Voyles
Director of Marketing & Communications
816.389.8863
Kerri Voyles thrives at the intersection of brand strategy and design. A Nebraska native, she’s a proud graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Journalism with an emphasis in Strategic Communication. Her passion for social justice and the arts fuels her purpose.
For more than seven years, she’s grown nonprofit brands including Missouri Community Action Network, where she developed and deployed strategic communication planning and led the nonprofit’s rebranding.
Outside of work, you’ll find Kerri alongside Ethan, her husband, cooking dinners in, enjoying good documentaries, and traveling near and far. She’s thrilled a part of the rockstar Central Exchange team, and she looks forward to expanding our impact where women shape the future.
Mona Raglow
Director of Member Experience
913.333.3921
Mona Raglow, “Queen of Implementation,” is passionate about helping people narrow the gap from what they “think” they want to get done, to actually doing the right things at the right time. At Central Exchange, she’s Mission Implementation Partner. Mona sees the big picture, crafts processes and executes strategies to bring our mission to life. Digging into our database, programming, member recruitment and cultivation are all areas Mona enhances.
Outside of this role, owning her own consulting business, selling monaplanners©, and facilitating for Franklin Covey, Mona relishes spending time with her tribe of friends, family and 17 nieces and nephews (soon to be 19!). A six-year CX member, Mona enthusiasm has only grown since joining Team CX. “Over the years I’ve met amazing women who have challenged me, supported me, motivated me, and taught me. They’ve also helped me develop my strengths and given me the courage to do things I might not have otherwise done.”
Phil Levy
Accounting Manager
816-389-8856
Phil Levy is Accounting Manager at Central Exchange. His more than 20 years of business experience equips him to play in the intersection of data, processes, and people. Prior to Central Exchange, Phil’s career spanned HR management, accounting management, contract management, banking and teaching.
Phil is a graduate of the University of Kansas, with a Bachelor’s in Mathematics and an MBA in Finance.
Outside of work, he loves being a husband, father to two independent, incredible daughters, grandfather to two amazing kids in Indiana and antagonist to the three cats (Winslow, Curly and Moseph) that rule the household. When not buried deep in a database or accounting transactions, Phil enjoys being with family and friends, the occasional round of mediocre golf, movies, hiking, local sports (especially when the Jayhawks play) and home improvement projects.
Kaylah Perry
Community Experience Manager
816.389.8850
Kaylah started at Central Exchange as an Edward A. Smith Leadership intern from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Upon concluding her internship, she took on the role of Communications & Impact Coordinator at CX Downtown.
Prior to her position at CX, Kaylah worked as a cashier at Belfonte’s Car Wash where the customers enjoyed her bright smile and welcoming personality.
This December, Kaylah will graduate from UMKC with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Business Administration. Upon graduation, she aspires to incorporate her writing skills and creativity into a career.
Kaylah resides in Raymore, MO with her fiancé, whom she has been engaged to since December 2016. She enjoys spending time with her family, baking, drawing, and reading mystery novels.
Walter Rogers
Sous Chef
Walter Rogers is the Sous Chef at Central Exchange, working alongside our executive chef to create culinary masterpieces. His role is vital in the success of Central Catering Co. and his presence brings joy to CX members. Walter proudly achieved two degrees from Henry Ford College in Michigan, one in culinary arts and one in hotel restaurant management.
Bringing 15 years of culinary experience to the team, Walter joined the Central Exchange last fall after his career as a Lead Line Cook at The Majestic. His career is driven by his passion for cooking and desire to create a positive experience for everyone he connects with, either through his food or by conversation.
Outside of work, Walter enjoys spending time with his family and giving back to the community. He works with his wife to paint rocks for Raytown Rocks. Together they create community engagement by leaving the rocks around the city for the public to find.
Stevie Kelley
Host & Concierge
Steven Kelly brings more than 15 years of customer service and hospitality to Central Exchange. He has a passion for spreading happiness to everyone he encounters, ensuring they have fun and memorable experiences. His warmth and lovable attitude encourages our members to feel right at home.
Stevey grew up in Warewood, Florida where he began his career path working at Disney World, helping to spread joy around the happiest place on Earth. After moving to Kansas City, he began working for UMKC, and was welcomed into the Central exchange family a few years later.
After a long day at work, Stevey enjoys spending time at home with his spouse and two labs, Babe and Elsey. He can always be found spending time with his family on the weekends, living life to the fullest, and dancing the night away.
“If something goes wrong, you just gotta keep on moving!”
Karena Jensen
Office Manager & Catering Assistant
Karena Jensen has a dual role here at CX, serving as both Office Manager and Catering Assistant for Central Catering Co. She comes to CX with a variety of experience, including bartending/hospitality and a long history in the corporate world, most recently serving as a Loss Control Consultant. In her corporate work, she led teams and created policies to better assist the needs of companies.
Karena lives in Kansas City and is a proud mother of an adorable 11-year old son. When she is not in the office, she enjoys exploring the city and creating art. Karena has a Fine Arts Degree in Metal Working and utilizes this talent every chance she gets. She is also a local activist who hopes to make the community a better place.