The Central Exchange said today that its new president and chief executive will be CiCi Rojas, a woman who has long been active in community leadership in Kansas City.The women’s advocacy and business networking organization said Rojas, who currently is vice president of community engagement at Truman Medical Center, will take the Central Exchange’s top job on Feb. 13.

Rojas, who has a long history of leadership in Hispanic and other community organizations, takes over for Joan Cohen, a CX board member who has been serving as interim CEO. Cohen stepped in after Ellen D’Amato left the position late last year.

The organization, founded in 1978, sponsors more than 400 personal and business development programs a year. It has about 900 members.

Rojas said Monday morning that she wants to “take bold steps for programming” that will reach more women in business, nonprofit, government and entrepreneurial roles.

“We need to take a broad view about what moving the needle forward for women really means,” Rojas said.

Rojas will add the Central Exchange’s responsibilities to an already full list of commitments, but she said she’s ready.

“I wanted this job,” she said Monday morning. “I wanted to be considered for it.”

Rojas’s previously served as president and CEO of the Dallas and Kansas City Hispanic Chambers of Commerce and as vice president of strategic alliance with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

She is a current Central Exchange board member and has been an active participant in the organization. She will be introduced as the new CEO Tuesday night at the organization’s annual membership meeting.

“CiCi’s vision, creativity and leadership will provide an incredible boon to CX’s already growing momentum,” said Denise Kruse, board chairman. “The organization and the area’s business community will benefit tremendously from her guidance.”

Rojas also serves as the national chairman for the Latino Coalition Foundation and is a member of the Camp Fire USA National Board of Trustees.

In Kansas City, she is chairwoman of Hope House, and an executive committee board member for KCPT Public Television and for Friends of the Zoo.

She also serves on the boards of the Heartland Women’s Leadership Council, Metropolitan Community College’s Foundation, Guadalupe Centers, Inc., Kansas City Convention and Visitor’s Association, and theBATS Exchange Listing and Hearing Review Council.

Rojas said she is interested in exploring more social media outreach opportunities in addition to building on the organization’s existing meeting structure. The Central Exchange sponsors the Leadership Lyceum, the largest leadership development conference held annually in the Kansas City area.

The organization also backs efforts to promote the selection of women as board members and top executives and to advance the presence of women in science and technology jobs.