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Jen Vellenga and Jennifer Rettele-Thomas

Co-Founders

jrt@voicefirstworld.com

785-341-9503

9047 Glade Street #1906, Lenexa, KS, 66219

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About Jen Vellenga and Jennifer Rettele-Thomas

Co-Founder

Jen Vellenga (Jen V) served as a professor, stage director, and leader in higher education before launching Voice First World with JRT. Over the last 25 years, she has empowered Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning actors and writers to embrace their authentic selves and speak confidently.

Jennifer Rettele-Thomas (JRT) served as the Associate Vice President for a university foundation for 15 years. Throughout her career, she realized the importance of owning her seat at the table with effective communication, relationship building, and storytelling. Her leadership background propelled her to launch Voice First World with Jen Vellenga.

Skills and Services

We provide leadership coaching through a communication lens and communication coaching through a leadership lens, depending on the client need.

At Voice First World, we help individuals communicate confidently in their positions of leadership. We believe in speaking with presence, without being perfect, to influence meaningful change in the world. We work from our Presence Paradigm™.

Our training outcomes include:
● Speaking with confidence and presence – in person and online
● Engaging authentically with clients and colleagues
● Articulating clearly while maintaining cultural authenticity
● Presenting professionally in the virtual environment
● Performing in leadership roles consistently, with presence and ease
● Crafting stories for impact and influence

About Voice First World, LLC

Voice First World® is a communication and leadership training company that applies the acting techniques seen on stage and screen to workplace scenarios. We help individuals and teams tell stories and communicate confidently. Our clients learn how to speak up when needed, with words that are direct, and they know when it’s time to listen.

Jen V. served as a professor, stage director, and leader in higher education before launching Voice First World with JRT. Over the last 25 years, she has empowered Emmy® and Tony® Award-winning actors and writers to embrace their authentic selves and speak confidently.

JRT served as the Associate Vice President for a university foundation for 15 years. Throughout her career, she realized the importance of owning her seat at the table with effective communication, relationship building, and storytelling. Her leadership background propelled her to launch Voice First World with Jen V.

Now I bring my whole self to leadership. You uncovered what I already had in me but was afraid to share.
Billi Dray Director of Development, Young Life Global
Jen has been magical in helping me to identify my voice and my VOICE! The ways that she has holistically addressed my strengths and my areas of improvement have all made me feel so much more confident.
Cate Readling Politician
I felt seen and understood while Jen guided me in pairing my authenticity and vision with proven storytelling techniques. She was singularly focused on how our work together would make practical and measurable improvements in my career.
Bliss Griffin Diversity and Inclusion Strategist
Jen recognized my strengths and provided me with pragmatic recommendations to bolster my self-confidence and refine my skills. Her insights have proven invaluable in my efforts to transmit messages with clarity and purpose.
Dr. Helena Maria Geirinhas Ramos Vice President, Administrative Management/Senior Researcher
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Learn more about Jen Vellenga and Jennifer Rettele-Thomas

Our clients are often in roles that are Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Financial officers, Executive Directors, Vice Presidents, but even though they have reached great heights in their careers, they do not feel like they are “enough.” They are not fulfilled and they have not taken the chance to look back at all they have achieved. Somehow they know that what got them here will not get them there – to the next level of influence and respect.