Lindsay Sorhondo
About Lindsay Sorhondo
Lindsay Sorhondo, age 41, was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of KinderCare effective November 11, 2025. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and Writing from UC San Diego and an M.A. in Industrial & Organizational Psychology from NYU; she has been with KinderCare since 2013, most recently as Chief Innovation Officer and previously SVP of Strategy . Company performance context: in 2024 Net Revenue was $2,663.04 million and Adjusted EBITDA was $298.1 million; KinderCare’s 2024 TSR was -32% versus peer TSR +19% over Oct 9–Dec 27, 2024 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| KinderCare Learning Companies (KLC) | Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer | Nov 2025–present | Oversees strategy, operations, growth channels, CX/insights, marketing and IT; tasked with driving alignment and operational excellence . |
| KinderCare Learning Companies (KLC) | Chief Innovation Officer | Feb 2023–Nov 2025 | Led business and growth strategy, digital products, family/center operations; drove measurable outcomes and execution . |
| KinderCare Learning Companies (KLC) | Senior Vice President, Strategy | Feb 2020–Feb 2023 | Built stronger execution capability across national support center and field leadership to improve business outcomes . |
| KinderCare Learning Companies (KLC) | Various leadership roles | 2013–2019 | Advanced business and operational capabilities across the organization . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANN Inc. (New York City) | Leadership roles | Not disclosed | Retail leadership experience preceding KinderCare tenure . |
| Gallup | Consultant | Not disclosed | Brought analytics- and outcomes-focused approach to organizational performance . |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Effective Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | $450,000 | Nov 9, 2025 | Increased from $400,000; reflected starting Nov 28, 2025 payroll . |
| Target STIP (short-term cash bonus) | 55% of base salary | Nov 9, 2025 | Increased from 45%; 2025 payout pro-rated for base change and target change (per committee-determined measures) . |
Performance Compensation
STIP Program Context (Company 2024 Outcomes)
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout vs Target | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STIP Adjusted EBITDA ($MM, company) | 50% | $346.0 | $319.2 | 61.25% | N/A (cash) . |
| Net Revenue ($MM, company) | 30% | $2,724.0 | $2,663.04 | 77.60% | N/A (cash) . |
| Strategic Initiatives | 20% | 100% | 100% | 100% | N/A (cash) . |
| Total STIP payout (company formula) | — | — | — | 73.91% of target | N/A (cash) . |
Note: The 2025 STIP for Sorhondo will use performance measures set by the Compensation Committee; her 2025 bonus will be pro-rated for base and target changes effective Nov 9, 2025 .
Long-Term Incentives
| Plan / Award | Participation | Metric | Range (Threshold/Target/Max) | Vesting / Term | 2026 Target Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash LTIP 2023–2025 | Continues | Cumulative EBITDA | 50% / 100% / 200% payout | Cash, over 3-year period . | |
| Cash LTIP 2024–2026 | Continues | Cumulative EBITDA | 50% / 100% / 200% payout | Cash, over 3-year period . | |
| Equity LTI (RSUs/Options) | Begins 2026 | Service-based; program mix RSUs + options | N/A | Typical equity grants vest 25% at 1-year anniversary, remainder quarterly over next 3 years; options 10-year term . | $650,000 expected (subject to committee approval) . |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Total beneficial ownership, vested/unvested breakdown, options exercisable/unexercisable, and any pledging/hedging for Sorhondo were not disclosed in the filings reviewed. The company’s executive ownership table in the 2025 proxy does not include Sorhondo (not an SEC “named executive officer” at that time) .
Employment Terms
| Term | Details |
|---|---|
| Employment status | At-will; reports to the CEO . |
| Severance Policy (non-CIC) | Eligible under Policy for Providing Severance Payments to Executives; “Severance Multiplier” 1.0x base salary; pro-rated STIP based on actual performance; employer-paid portion of COBRA reimbursed up to 12 months, subject to plan terms . |
| Change-in-Control (CIC) Plan | Eligible under CIC Plan; “CIC Severance Multiplier” 1.5x base + target bonus; “Severance Period” 18 months; pro-rated STIP based on actual performance; employer-paid portion of COBRA reimbursed up to 18 or 24 months depending on role (Sorhondo’s letter specifies 18 months) . |
| Equity acceleration (plan terms) | RSUs/Options under 2022 Plan fully accelerate upon death/disability; full acceleration if awards are not assumed in a CIC (single trigger) and employee employed on CIC date; double-trigger acceleration if terminated within 12 months post-CIC other than for Cause/death/disability . |
| Clawback policy | Company adopted a Dodd-Frank/NYSE-compliant clawback policy for recovery of erroneously awarded incentive compensation in connection with the IPO . |
| Tax gross-ups | Company states it does not generally provide tax gross-ups to named executive officers; no gross-ups indicated for Sorhondo . |
Performance & Company Context
| Metric | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Adjusted EBITDA ($USD Millions) | $266.0 | $298.1 . |
Additional 2024 context: cumulative TSR -32% for KLC vs +19% peer TSR (S&P Composite 1500 Education Services) over Oct 9–Dec 27, 2024 .
Investment Implications
- Alignment and incentives: The increase in STIP target to 55% and the move from cash LTIP to equity LTI in 2026 strengthen pay-for-performance linkage and equity alignment; equity vesting terms (including double-trigger CIC protections) balance retention with shareholder-friendly design .
- Retention risk: Severance economics (1.0x non-CIC; 1.5x CIC; extended COBRA) mitigate near-term attrition risk during role transition; expected 2026 equity LTI ($650k) adds stickiness through multi-year vesting .
- Trading signals: 2026 equity grants introduce potential future vesting-related selling windows; no pledging/hedging or current ownership data disclosed for Sorhondo, limiting assessment of insider selling pressure .
- Execution track record: Career progression through Strategy and Innovation to COO, with documented responsibility expansion and outcomes focus, is consistent with KinderCare’s operational improvement agenda; near-term monitoring should focus on Net Revenue and EBITDA trajectories and any disclosed STIP achievements in 2025–2026 .