Kay Hazen

Launching a Career in Communications and Leadership

While attending Black Hawk College from 1973 to 1974, Kay Hazen became deeply involved in broadcasting and media production.

She spent countless hours producing lectures and educational programming for local cable television while also serving as a radio DJ for the college radio station. Kay hosted mobile broadcasts of commencement ceremonies and anchored a regularly scheduled cable news program produced through the college studios.

Her talent and initiative quickly opened professional opportunities. In 1974, she was recruited by Galesburg Cottage Hospital to create and produce educational content for nurses, physicians, patients, and the broader healthcare system.

Leading in Healthcare and Public Affairs

In 1986, Kay joined Desert Hospital in Palm Springs, California, where she became one of the organization’s top female administrators, overseeing professional and outpatient services.

She joined Mine Reclamation Corporation in 1992 as vice president for public and government affairs, then launched her own public affairs consulting firm in 2000.

Through her consulting work, Kay has partnered with public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private-sector clients on a wide range of significant regional initiatives. Her work has included helping secure permits for major development projects, creating business improvement districts, expanding access to higher education, supporting solar energy development, developing economic strategies, and addressing environmental challenges surrounding the Salton Sea.

A Legacy of Civic Leadership

Kay’s leadership has spanned numerous civic, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations throughout the Coachella Valley.

For 18 years, she served on the publicly elected board of trustees for the Desert Healthcare District and Foundation. She was also a founding board member of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership, the Regional Access Project Foundation, and Friends of the Desert Mountains.

In addition, Kay served as chair of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, president of the American Heart Association Desert Division, and president of the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce, where she received the Corporate Athena Award in recognition of her leadership.

In 2023, Kay was honored by Palm Springs Life with a Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating her decades of leadership, advocacy, and service throughout the region.