Executive Assistant - Governance & Ops Leader

Karen Clay – Imperial Beach, CA

****@************.*** • 619/598-4912 • www.linkedin.com/in/karen-clay-0727501b7

Executive Assistant Operations & Governance Support Cross-Functional Coordination

Professional Summary

Strategic Executive Assistant with 10+ years supporting C-suite and senior leadership across government, nonprofit, and multisite operational environments. Known for delivering high-quality administrative support, complex calendar and workflow management, board-level communications, and cross-department coordination. Brings advanced experience in governance, compliance, event logistics, customer service, and executive-ready documentation. Adept at managing confidential information, optimizing systems, and enabling leaders to operate at peak efficiency. Thrives in fast-paced, high-growth, and mission-driven organizations.

Core Competencies

Executive Calendar & Inbox Management

Cross-Functional Coordination & Stakeholder Relations

Meeting Prep, Briefings & BoardReady Materials

Travel Planning & Expense Reconciliation

Project & Workflow Management

Governance, Compliance & Documentation Control

Customer Service & Client Experience

Process Improvement & Operational Systems

Event Planning, Logistics & Vendor Management

Confidentiality, Discretion & High Judgment Support

Data Entry, Reporting & Administrative Operations

Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, Scheduling Tools

Professional Experience

Founder & President I Love to Glean (Food Recovery & Systems Leadership)

San Diego County – 2020–Present

Executive-level operations, governance, and administrative leadership for a regional food recovery organization.

Provide Csuite–level administrative support across multiagency partnerships, County departments, and nonprofit coalitions.

Manage executive calendars, stakeholder communications, meeting prep, and briefing materials for high-visibility engagements.

Produce board-ready slide decks, governance memos, SOPs, and compliance documentation aligned with SB 1383 and food safety standards.

Coordinate multisite logistics, cold chain operations, and cross-functional workflows across National City, Chula Vista, IB, and San Ysidro.

Maintain confidential records, partner agreements, and operational reporting systems.

Lead high-level event planning, including government-partnered programs and regional convenings.

Principal SierraEvents – Event Production & Business Coaching

California – 1998-1999

Executive support, logistics, and client management for large-scale events and business operations.

Provide administrative and operational support to clients and cross-functional teams.

Manage contracts, scheduling, vendor relations, and multijurisdictional logistics.

Produce executive-ready communications, proposals, and branded materials.

Lead planning for complex, high-visibility events, including the California Sesquicentennial Wagon Train (statewide, 1999).

Lead planning for two Chocolate Festivals in Oakhurst, CA, and one in Vista, CA.

Administrative & Operations Support (Various Roles)

San Diego County – 2010–2019

High-volume administrative support across logistics, customer service, and multisite operations.

Managed calendars, scheduling, documentation, and workflow coordination for supervisors and managers.

Delivered customer service, intake, and front office support in fast-paced environments.

Organized inventory, maintained records, and supported compliance and safety processes.

Coordinated travel, meetings, and internal communications

Supported onboarding, training logistics, and administrative systems. Customer Service Roles – Food service and client-facing environments with high-volume interactions.

Education & Certifications

Executive Mentorship & Professional Development

El Segundo High School

Technical Skills

Microsoft 365 (Outlook, SharePoint, Excel, Word, PowerPoint) • Scheduling platforms • Document management systems • Cloud collaboration tools • Project management tools • Basic data reporting

Selected Achievements

Led multisite operational coordination across San Diego County with 40 distribution partners during the pandemic (2020), improving workflow efficiency and partner alignment to deliver 3.3 million pounds of food to those in need.

Managed logistics for statewide, multijurisdictional events with government and community stakeholders with California’s Sesquicentennial Wagon Train in 1999.

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