Kay has taught 4th-12th grade orchestra students in Wisconsin public schools since 1995. Currently, she teaches seventh and eighth graders at Oregon Middle School in Oregon, WI. She has also taught in the Janesville and New Berlin public schools.

Kay has served as violin coach for the Kenosha Public School Middle School Orchestra Retreat, and the UW-Whitewater Strings Camp and Chamber Retreat on many occasions, as well as serving on the teaching staff at the UW-Whitewater Strings Camp and as a teacher with Turtle Creek Chamber Orchestra String Camp in Beloit, Wisconsin.

Kay received her bachelor degree in Music Education from UW-Whitewater (1995) and a masters degree in Music from Northwestern University (2005) with an emphasis on orchestral development. Her violin teachers have included Thelma Wilcox, Walter Schroeder, Jeannine Schumacher, Roberta Carpenter, Sam McClure, Eugene Purdue, and Blair Milton. She has studied conducting with Glenn Hayes, Sam McClure, and David Becker.

Kay was named the Public School String Teacher of the Year in 2012 by Wi-ASTA (Wisconsin Chapter-American String Teachers Association). Kay is a member of Wi-ASTA, NAfME, and WMEA/WSMA. Kay currently serves as government relations chair for WMEA.

Kay is one of the conductors and founders of the Verona Area Community Orchestra launched in 2019. She is also a freelance violinist and violist and has played with Middleton Community Orchestra, Four Seasons Theater, Kenosha Symphony, Southeastern Masterpiece Chorale, Milton Choral Union, and the Beloit Janesville Symphony.

Kay's family includes husband Chadd, children Ian and Wren, and 2 dogs, 2 cats, a gecko, and eight chickens.