Kathy Nicolay is originally from Vancouver, Canada. She received a B.A. in cultural anthropology at Simon Fraser University in 1999 and has studied and worked abroad in Thailand, the Czech Republic, and India. In 2003, she completed a postgraduate  certificate in international project management.

In 2014, Kathy became the principal contributor and manager for the Leaders Circle, a program that partners with top thinkers, innovators and researchers to bring international meetings to Toronto. Since the inception of the Leaders Circle, Kathy has guided the program every step of the way. The Leaders Circle continues to assist industry leaders and local experts free of charge with the bidding, planning and successful delivery of international conferences.

Kathy became an Associate Member of IEEE in 2010. This membership has been an invaluable way for her to keep informed on IEEE activities in Toronto, Canada and globally, and to meet fellow IEEE members and volunteers.

One of the most notable international conferences secured by the Leaders Circle is the MedTech Conference, an internationally renowned international meeting that took place in Canada for the first time in 2020.  International meetings create incredibly important economic and social impacts for the city and region. From 2015 to 2019, Kathy was also a member of the strategic marketing working group with TOHEALTH!