About Kay Linder, CPC

Kay Linder is a seasoned executive recruiter and trusted advisor to mission-driven nonprofit organizations across the country. As a Partner and Fellow with ThinkingAhead Executive Search, Kay leads national searches to place transformative leadership at the helm of nonprofits working at the intersection of conservation, education, and social impact.

With a deep commitment to building strong, values-aligned teams, Kay helps nonprofits access exceptional talent—individuals who are not only accomplished but also deeply committed to the organization’s mission and culture. She is especially passionate about sectors focused on environmental protection, climate change, zoos and aquariums, and children’s and science museums. Her guiding belief: Healthy nonprofits change the world—and the right leadership makes all the difference.

A first-generation American raised in a culturally rich household shaped by her mother’s Cuban heritage and her father’s Native American lineage, Kay brings a lifelong dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion to every aspect of her work.

Before joining ThinkingAhead, Kay was an environmental lobbyist with the Tennessee General Assembly on behalf of the Tennessee Conservation Voters and served as Development Director for the Tennessee Environmental Council, the state’s largest nonprofit environmental coalition. She also co-authored a grant to create a middle school curriculum on Neotropical migratory birds, combining her love of science and education.

Kay is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was both a John Motley Morehead Scholar and a National Merit Scholar. She earned her bachelor’s degree in the Interdisciplinary Honors Program, with a focus on Environmental Policy and Ecological Protection.

Now based in her hometown of Pinehurst, North Carolina, Kay shares life with her husband Bill (a PhD environmental engineer) and their joyful pack of French Bulldogs. Outside of work, she can be found kayaking, birding, or advocating for causes close to her heart: sea turtle rescue, literacy, and the Hispanic community.