Uncaged Show

Monique Jefferson is the Chief People Officer at The Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), a mission-driven Community Development Financial Institution dedicated to expanding access to quality, affordable multifamily housing. In her role, Monique leads CPC’s long-term human capital strategy, ensuring the organization’s people practices enable growth, resilience, and impact in a highly complex business.
A trusted advisor to executive teams and boards, Monique brings a human-first leadership philosophy grounded in accountability, equity, and results. She is known for aligning organizational strategy with talent, culture, and operating models that scale, with a particular focus on how change is experienced by employees, especially those from historically marginalized groups.
With more than 20 years of global experience across financial services, legal, insurance, nonprofit, and professional services organizations, Monique has led regional and global teams through periods of transformation and growth. Her background spans senior HR leadership roles where she partnered closely with C-suite executives to design and deliver value-add human capital solutions across talent and performance management, total rewards, succession planning, leadership development, and workforce strategy.
Beyond her executive role, Monique is deeply committed to mentorship, community impact, and advancing inclusive leadership. She is passionate about developing the next generation of leaders and contributing her expertise to organizations aligned with equity, opportunity, and social good.

Dr. Yonesy Núñez is a cybersecurity and technology risk executive who gets results. Known for his “fix the problem, not the blame” approach, he has led global initiatives that strengthen resilience, streamline operations, and protect organizations in high-stakes environments. With a doctorate in computing and deep expertise in cybersecurity, IT risk, and compliance, he is a trusted advisor to boards and executives, building elite teams and driving innovation where it matters most.

Jonathan Edmondson, CFA, is an international executive and technology operator with more than two decades of experience building, scaling, and transforming complex service and technology organizations. His career has spanned global logistics, enterprise operations, AI-driven automation, and organizational leadership, always with a focus on using technology to streamline systems, elevate performance, and enhance human potential.
Jonathan began his career at A.P. Moller Maersk, serving in finance, logistics, and intermodal operations during one of the most significant globalization periods of the 2000s. His roles took him across the United States, West Africa, and Europe, ultimately leading to a finance leadership assignment at Maersk’s Copenhagen headquarters. That early international exposure shaped his systems-driven approach to solving operational challenges at scale.
He later held senior leadership positions at Splashlight, where he led M&A and capital-raising initiatives, and at LiiV, where he oversaw financial strategy across a fast-evolving portfolio of technology-enabled companies. Across each role, Jonathan focused on modernizing workflows, implementing automation, and aligning technology with long-term business strategy.

In this episode, we talk to Matt Gresge and Gary Kohl, executive chairman of the board and CEO of Propelis, respectively.

Propelis and its family of brands – Marks, Equator, SGX, Collide, and 5Flow – help the world’s most influential companies build, scale, and elevate their brands. They deliver end-to-end services across creative, brand production, and technology—streamlining operations, amplifying ROI, and driving measurable transformation.

With over 50 years of experience in city and airport management, J. Jeff Hancock is a trusted leader in municipal operations, interim leadership, and public sector consulting. He currently serves as the Founder & CEO of Interim Solutions LLC, a Missouri-based firm providing interim talent, executive search, strategic planning, and compensation studies to local governments across the country. Jeff is passionate about helping cities run efficiently—especially during leadership transitions—and has built a national network of experts to support that mission.
Throughout his career, Jeff has served as City Manager or Administrator in more than a dozen communities, ranging in size from 7,700 to nearly half a million residents. He has led departments spanning finance, HR, economic development, airport construction, parks and recreation, and capital improvements—all with a focus on service delivery and long-term sustainability. He also served as a Special Advisor at Baker Tilly Public Sector Executive Recruitment and a Senior Manager with Management Partners, helping local governments navigate change through interim management and organizational consulting.
From revitalizing downtown districts to managing multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects, Jeff’s track record is marked by results. In Camdenton, MO, he helped secure federal grants for housing and community improvements. In Fort Scott, KS, he guided city leadership through critical transitions twice. No matter the challenge, Jeff is known for being steady, solutions-focused, and committed to the communities he serves.
Beyond his work in government, Jeff is deeply involved in civic life. He is a Life Member of ICMA and the Missouri City Management Association, where he served as President. He also held leadership roles in multiple economic development councils and earned accolades such as the 2005 Missouri City Manager Award and the 2009 Innovation Award from the Missouri Municipal League.

Dr. Polly Peterson is the President of the University of Jamestown, a distinguished leader in higher education, and a dedicated member of the Jamestown community. The University of Jamestown is an institution dedicated to academic excellence, institutional growth, and community engagement. Under her leadership, Dr. Peterson has led initiatives that have expanded academic programs, enhanced campus facilities, increased student enrollment, and strengthened the university’s financial foundation, marking her tenure as one of significant institutional transformation. Dr. Peterson is also the first woman to hold this role in the University’s history.

Prior to being named the 14th President in 2017, her leadership trajectory included several key executive roles. She served as Executive Vice President (starting in 2014), where she managed both Business Affairs and Institutional Advancement. Before that, she was the Vice President for Institutional Advancement (starting in 2006), overseeing development, alumni relations and marketing. In her current role, Polly continues to enjoy teaching Auditing.

During Polly’s tenure at the University, she has overseen three Capital Campaigns providing over $150 million in contributions to the University, allowing for the expansion of facilities, endowment, new programs, and unrestricted operations.

Before joining the University of Jamestown, Polly began her professional career in Public Accounting with EideBailly. Polly's expertise spans academic leadership, institutional advancement, public relations, business affairs, and accounting.

Dr. Peterson is an alumna of the University of Jamestown, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Accounting and Business Administration in 1989. She completed her Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Regis University in 2000 and her Ph.D from North Dakota State University in 2017.

Polly is a member and past president of the Anne Carlsen Board of Trustees, and is the President-Elect of the Sanford Rural Health Network Board. She is a former VP of St. John’s Academy Board of Directors, former President of the Finance Board of St. James Basilica, and is a volunteer for several other Non-profit organizations in the community of Jamestown.

Eric Flowers is the CEO of Ramsell Corporation, where he leads with purpose to expand access to care and close gaps in health equity. With more than 20 years of leadership across healthcare and technology, Eric drives Ramsell’s mission to serve underserved communities through innovative, data-driven solutions.
Under his leadership, Ramsell has grown its national footprint and deepened its impact in areas like pharmacy benefit management, behavioral health, and public health program administration. He is known for his strategic vision, collaborative leadership, and commitment to operational excellence.
In addition to his role at Ramsell, Eric actively contributes to the nonprofit space, serving on boards focused on healthcare, substance abuse treatment, mental health, and higher education. His service reflects a lifelong commitment to advancing community well-being through partnership and innovation.
Eric believes that meaningful change happens at the intersection of business and social responsibility. He continues to lead with integrity, building partnerships that deliver measurable outcomes for the communities Ramsell serves.

With over 20 years of experience, Emma's focus has been on building and leading high-performing global sales teams in the SaaS and technology sectors.

Currently serving as Regional Manager at insightsoftware, Emma is leading initiatives that empower CFOs in the Middle East and Africa with connected financial solutions. Expertise includes C-suite selling, leveraging the MEDDIC methodology, and fostering lasting stakeholder relationships to ensure impactful implementations and repeat business.
Previously held leadership roles, including Head of Global Sales, Head of As a Service, and Head of MENA for SAP. Known for a collaborative approach to problem-solving and a passion for creating people-first cultures that drive team success and customer satisfaction. Dedicated to enabling organizations to thrive through trying new things out, following strategic frameworks and having fun along the way!

VP of Sales Americas Telecoms at VertiGIS, Michael helps customers across various industries leverage the power of geographic information systems (GIS) to optimize their operations, enhance their decision-making, and improve their bottom line.

With over 20 years of professional sales experience and 8 years of sales management experience, he has a proven record of increasing sales volume and market share while delivering exceptional customer satisfaction.
Michael has a strong background in selling enterprise software solutions to IT and business leaders, with a focus on the construction, manufacturing, forestry, oil and gas, retail, mining, pipeline, and environmental sectors. He has successfully created and executed go-to-market strategies, managed complex sales processes, and coached and recruited high-performing sales teams. He also has a unique blend of interpersonal and technical skills, which enable him to communicate effectively, build rapport, and demonstrate value to diverse stakeholders.

Petra Mifka is an international Trust & Safety and quality expert with a strong track record shaping safer online experiences at scale. Originally from Croatia, she has built her career across several countries and cultures, gaining a deep appreciation for how diverse perspectives strengthen both teams and digital ecosystems.
In her most recent role as Head of Implementation within Product Operations, Petra led diverse, multicultural teams and developed human-centered quality frameworks designed to support operational excellence while protecting the well-being of the people behind the work.
Her approach combines strategic oversight with empathetic, people-first leadership, ensuring that quality standards enhance not only product outcomes but also the resilience and psychological safety of the teams responsible for them.