Katherine Jerald

Katherine Jerald is a second-generation recruiter with a passion for the aerospace, satellite, and defense industries. After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Business, she earned an MBA in Finance and joined her father’s search firm, FPC Portland, as an executive recruiter. She later launched her own search firm, Elray Search, LLC, which focuses on solving the biggest talent needs of middle-market clients in A&D.

Katherine’s expertise in these fields has earned her numerous accolades, including being consistently one of the top producing recruiters in the FPC system and a five-time winner of FPC’s top recruiter award. Her commitment to encouraging a diverse workforce has resulted in 50% of the candidates Elray places being women, double the industry average. As a member of several organizations supporting A&D, including the Pinnacle Society, Katherine regularly shares her insights and expertise with other top recruiters and industry leaders.

Passionate about the aerospace, satellite, and defense industries, Katherine is an active member of several organizations that support these fields. She is a member of the Space & Satellite Professionals International (SSPI), Leading Ladies of Aerospace, National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) and Women in Defense.