Katherine Jerald

Katherine Jerald is a second-generation recruiter and founder of Elray Search. She focuses on helping defense electronics and aerospace companies hire standout senior leadership.

Before launching Elray Search in 2022, Katherine built and placed defense hardware executives across RF, microwave, and complex systems engineering.

She’s worked extensively in Huntsville, Alabama and Southern California—two of the most competitive defense talent markets in the U.S.

Her work in those locations earned her 5 consecutive top-performer awards for her results. Today, she recruits C-suite, VP, and senior leaders with deep insider knowledge of the defense electronics ecosystem.

Katherine holds a business degree from the University of Oregon and an MBA in Finance from Washington State University. Yes—she’s somehow both a Duck and a Cougar.

She is a member of the Pinnacle Society, the top 1% of executive recruiters in North America, and is a frequent public speaker on hiring, leadership, and recruitment in the defense industry.

She also hosts the podcast Mission Critical: Defense Recruiting and has appeared on The Resilient Recruiter, Millionaire Recruiter, and Elite Recruiter.

When she’s not closing executive searches, she likes chasing birdies, powder days, or mountain views around Lake Chelan.