Kay's Chemical Engineering career began at the Dow Chemical Company in 1990 in process engineering/production spearheading a new soil devolatilization technology.
She then focused in the Environmental group, namely in VOC/NOX Netting RCRA Subpart CC implementation and other RCRA regulations, as well as negotiations with EPA and the TECQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality). From environmental work she moved to process engineering in the designing/upgrading of facilities in Texas and Tarragona, Spain.
The remainder of her Dow career was spent in the Process Safety group. The work included the EPA Risk Management Plan(RMP) dispersion modeling for all facilities and chemicals at Dow North America for the first EPA RMP submittal. She also led the development/rewriting of a 17-chapter Dow relief device manual.
Kay developed the Dow's first Portable Buildings Best Practice after the Texas City BP explosion and Process Safety Standards for Portable Buildings and Tents. Through the best practice she initiated the chemical industry involvment and participation in the writing of the the required OSHA API RP 753: Management of Hazards Associated with Location of Process Plant Portable Buildings, and the API RP 756: Management of Hazards Associated with Location of Process Plant Tents. She brought the design and best practice of blast-resistant high strength portable buildings at Dow.
She was the Dow PHAST Subject Matter Expert globally for assisting others in developing dispersion models for designing plants through hazard analysis and LOPA. This included implementating a global PHAST training program for Dow.
She was also responsible for the implementation of the Dow Global Process Safety Training program in 17 languages, as well as leading an effort to ensure process engineers and process automation engineers were trained in process safety.
Kay graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman with a Chemical Engineering degree.
Kay retired from the Dow Chemical in 2016 to enjoy her family and hobbies of RV travels and genealogy.