Kay von Mérey grew up in Zurich and spent a gap year after her high school education volunteering with the Austrian Red Cross and in a hospital in Ecuador. Her studies in International Affairs at the University of St. Gallen, featuring a bachelor’s thesis on the ICRC, led to a traineeship with the ICRC, followed by diverse experiences in startups and banks. Currently, she is pursuing a double degree in CEMS-International Management and a Master in International Affairs, while leading the Circle of Young Humanitarians as the president, an organization she founded.