“Behold, I will do a new thing.” – Isaiah 43:19
God’s goodness never fails us! After months of searching, we joyfully announce Karen Noel as the new Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
As one of the oldest charitable organizations in northwest Missouri, we believe in the power of our work and in the rich history dutifully shared with passionate colleagues, friends, donors, and clients throughout our service area.
Our tagline, “To Serve & To Lift,” encapsulates this passion and history, and is the same passion that has ultimately brought our agency to Karen’s leadership.
“It is humbling to be joining Catholic Charities, as this institution has a 141-year history of supporting those most in need in Kansas City and the surrounding rural areas,” she said.
She holds dual master’s degrees – an MBA in Marketing and an MA in Finance. And has over 20 years of experience leading organizations in the technology and telecommunications industries. A major portion of her corporate tenure was with Sprint where she led various sized organizations in marketing, business development, product and operations. She also co-owns two local businesses with her husband, Dr. Kent Noel.
Karen is actively engaged and promotes continuing education as a bridge out of poverty. She serves on two advisory boards at Kansas State University and is a committee member of AACSB – a prominent national business school accreditation focused on broadening the utilization of technology and extending the reach of educational opportunities. Additionally, she has guest lectured at NYU, keynoted at the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), the Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC), and The CMO Club’s national summit.
She has a love for volunteering, serving locally as a board member for Turner House Children’s Clinic, American Red Cross, and Holy Spirit Catholic Church Parish Council. By providence, she also has a unique and beautiful history with our agency, having both supported our work for years and receiving our services with the adoption of their daughter Liz.
Between Karen’s credentials, passion, and personal love for our work, we are excited to begin this next chapter together with the friends and family of Catholic Charities.
“I am grateful to have Karen Noel as our next leader for Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph,” said Bishop James Johnston, Bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. “Not only does she bring a wealth of experience but also a great drive to serve the poor and vulnerable, which springs from her love for Christ and her Catholic faith.”