ABOUT OUR TEAM
Meet the Heart Behind the Mission
Committed to Compassionate Outreach
Meet Our Team
At the Community Compassion Center, our team is more than just a group of professionals; we are a family united by our passion for helping others. Every team member brings unique skills, experiences, and a deep commitment to serving our communities across Southwest Florida.
Together, we work tirelessly to ensure that local churches, non-profits, and families in need receive the support and resources they deserve. From organizing special relief efforts to overseeing day-to-day operations, our team is the driving force behind the compassionate outreach that changes lives.
Our Team Members
Each of our team members plays a vital role in bridging the gap between community generosity and families in need, driven by a shared passion for making a lasting impact
Peter Young
Executive Director
Peter has the joy and privilege of leading this dedicated team of volunteer leaders. He has been responsible for the development of the building and all operations. He works to ensure that all the efforts of the CCC are making the greatest impact in our community, valuing both physical and human resources as critical elements of our success –together we are better! His background includes work in the worship arts, pastoral ministry, administration, financial planning, consulting, development and operations. He has served as executive pastor, responsible for operations and development at Church of Hope for more than 25 years after moving from Canada where he served in several churches as well as in private practice in the financial services industry.
Tom Demery
Director of Partners of Distribution (PODs)
Tom’s chief role is serving as director of distribution partner recruitment. The CCC could not meet the needs of the community without knowledgeable local heroes/partners that have their fingers on the pulse of their networks and the needs of their neighbors. Tom puts the CCC together with these partners. Prior to relocating full time to Sarasota in 2021, Tom completed a successful career in the apartment finance sector. He also served as President Reagan’s Assistant Secretary for Housing and the Federal Housing Commissioner in Washington D.C. at HUD. In addition to his role at CCC, he serves as the International Chairman of Jesus Alive Gospel Outreach, an African-based evangelical organization impacting 6 countries in Central and Southern Africa.
Vicki Krone
Director of Internal Logistics
Vicki is a whiz at finding solutions to problems. She works with our volunteers and partners to create “pallets” that meet the needs of their individuals and families in need, needs met through our partners distributing those pallets. Within our warehouse, Vicki is a virtual dynamo that works tirelessly (and with boundless enthusiasm) to make sure nothing takes us off task. Vicki’s diverse background includes leading the advertising/marketing department at Pace Concerts to serving as an ATPAM National Press Representative for many national Broadway touring shows and using her logistical magic as the international tour manager for magician David Copperfield. This happy wanderer used her knowledge of touring to direct the business practices of Main Street Travel, an American Express travel agency, visiting over 114 countries during her career.
Gary Schwartz
Director of External Logistics
When drivers pull in to deliver their loads of good to the CCC, Gary is likely the first smiling face they will see. Gary oversees the flow of goods into, and around the aisles, into the racks, and out for distribution as he is the primary forklift operator at the CCC. Gary has an extensive history as a board member of non-profits in the Sarasota area for more than 30 years. His work life spans decades in the Sarasota-Mantee area with significant time spent in sales within the auto industry and concluding his career as the director of sales for Harmar Mobility.
Aimee Chase
Director of Inventory Systems
Aimee’s chief role is managing the Inventory Systems at the CCC – she handles optimizing resource utilization by tracking the intake, storage, distribution, and redirection of all the goods that come into the warehouse. Aimee hails from Michigan, earning a Bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University. She spent many years as a General Manager in the Food and Beverage industry before relocating to Sarasota in 2001 to join the facility management company Sodexho. Traveling extensively for many years with Sodexho, she wanted to have a permanent home and accepted the role of Food and Beverage Director for Bayside Medical Center in Saint Petersburg. She presently serves as the Vice President for Airrific Air Conditioning and Heating. Aimee is passionate about helping others and believes that compassion is not just a word, it is a way of being.
Katie McColley
Director of Communication
Who better than an active mom to manage the flow of communication – to our teams, our volunteers, our PODs, and the community. Katie’s heart for those in need of assistance is demonstrated by her work as a certified physical therapist assistant. She was previously the Director of Account Management and Care Coordination for a large outpatient therapy company, before stepping down, or up, depending on your perspective, to be home with her 2 boys.
Joey O’Leska
Director of Compliance
Working with compliance covers a lot of space at the CCC. Joey works with Tom and our PODs, building the CCC network of partners through formal agreements; with Aimee to track CCC’s flow of inventory, ensuring CCC has the resources to support our partners; with Vicki, Katie and our volunteers to make sure our documentation is in order. He also makes sure the CCC is on solid financial footing. Joey brings over 40 years of managerial experience in Washington, D.C. to CCC’s leadership team, overseeing the financial operations of the Immigration & Naturalization Service, Federal Trade Commission, Department of Veterans Affairs and Treasury Department.