NORTH WILKESBORO, NC – October 16, 2025 — Signature Wealth Strategies is proud to announce that Kathleen Shepherd has joined the firm’s North Wilkesboro office as a Wealth Advisor, joining Carla Souther and her local team.
With more than fifteen years of experience in engineering, Shepherd brings a distinctive analytical and relational approach to wealth management. After a successful career as an engineer, she transitioned to financial services in 2023 with a clear purpose: to help individuals and families find simplicity, clarity, and confidence in their financial lives.
“I know that Kathleen’s going to bring new energy to our team,” said Carla Souther, Senior Wealth Advisor and founding partner of Signature Wealth Strategies North Wilkesboro. “She’s intelligent, eager to learn, and deeply rooted in this community. We met for coffee, and just clicked. It felt meant to be.”
A native of eastern North Carolina, Shepherd earned her degree in Textile Engineering from NC State University. She holds Series 6, 7, 63, and 65 securities registrations, as well as North Carolina Life and Health Insurance licenses, enabling her to provide comprehensive, goal-based financial guidance.
At Signature, Shepherd will support clients and families with holistic financial planning, serving both existing clients and new families across the region. With her background in engineering, she’s particularly skilled at helping clients simplify complex problems and make confident, informed decisions about their future.
“I love helping people bring order to their financial lives,” said Shepherd. “It’s a privilege to walk alongside clients, especially couples and women who are planning for retirement, as they define what security and fulfillment mean for them. I firmly believe that financial guidance should be welcoming and inclusive for all. Everyone deserves to feel understood, respected, and supported when they sit down with their advisor.”
Now based in Wilkesboro, Shepherd and her husband are raising their two children in the North Carolina foothills. Outside the office, they can often be found in their garden, on Kerr Scott Reservoir, or gathered on the front porch with friends and family.
Signature Wealth Strategies North Wilkesboro is part of Signature Wealth Group, an independent network of advisors offering comprehensive financial planning and investment management through Raymond James Financial Services. Led by Senior Wealth Advisor Carla Souther, the North Wilkesboro team offers customized financial planning and investment management services built on personal relationships and community connections.
