Kay Collier McLaughlin, PhD is an organizational development and leadership consultant, author and speaker, principal of Transformative Leadership Consulting. “Formed” as a musician and lover of the arts through the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra, the orchestra program at Henry Clay High School and the Music Department at the University of Kentucky, her first opera experience came when traveling with the CKYSO to New York to play in Carnegie Hall. Seated in the top balcony of the Met among ‘serious opera lovers holding their worn librettos, the young people heard Lily Pons miss the high note three times in her final performance of Lucia, each time inspiring the crowd to more applause, roses thrown to the stage and tears. This unforgettable evening has never left me.” Founder of the Lexington Talent Education Association. Dr. Collier McLaughlin had a long career as teacher/teacher trainer of Suzuki violin, and as Deputy for Leadership Development and Communications for the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington. The author of 6 published books, she is Chair of the Board of the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame, on the board of the Blanton Collier Sportsmanship Group, a facilitator for the Kentucky Center for Grieving Children and Families and an honorary board member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas.
She serves on the Board of OperaLex as way of thanking all those who gave her the experience and love of music, and of contributing to the generative work of Everett McCorvey and UKOT.
