Kay moved to the US with her family when she was 7 years old. She received her BS from Oklahoma State University in Sociology and Art History, with a specialty in African art and did her college internship in Walt Disney World. Kay moved to Seattle in 1992 and started volunteering at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM), where she has been a Docent since 1996. In 2001, Kay received her Masters from the University of Washington from the Jackson School of International Studies, with an interest in Middle East studies and also obtained a Museumology certificate from the Burke Museum.