Karen Garner

For over 20 years, I’ve blended public-service grit with private-sector precision—moving from K Street to Wall Street to Main Street—to help families retire with confidence and build legacies that endure, just as I’m doing for my own.

I cut my teeth in Washington, DC, working for the President at the White House Homeland Security Council, where I bridged Wall Street and government partnerships. That experience launched me into the private sector as Vice President at Dutko Worldwide, then onto the financial services sector with six high-impact years as a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch and four years of laser-focused retirement and estate planning at an independent RIA. I’ve seen it all.

Now, I’ve co-founded Catalyst with two elite advisors—genuinely great people—who share my obsession with doing it right. Having thrived in both the corporate and independent wealth worlds, I’ve experienced the good, the bad, and the truly excellent. I bring every lesson to the table to deliver trusted, personalized plans that let you retire with clarity, protect what you’ve built, and pass it on with purpose.

Picture this:  An Ole Miss business grad raised in a tight-knit Mississippi family, I inherited my mom’s unbreakable “can-do” spirit and learned to tackle complicated problems while trailing my dad Wayne as his pint-sized fix-it partner. Those hands-on, real-world lessons taught me two truths: always do the right thing and trust, sweat, and teamwork solve anything—and I still live by both in every client conversation.

Today, my husband Kyle and I call Ocean Springs home. Guided daily by a strong faith, we soak up Gulf Coast sunsets, cheer as my brother coaches my niece Catelyn’s softball games, treasure time with my mom, play with our dogs, and hop to Nashville to see our daughter Emily. Life’s too short not to live it fully—and that’s exactly the mindset I bring to your retirement and legacy planning.

What fires me up? Turning your retirement dreams into reality with fiduciary advice you can trust—and ensuring your legacy lives on for generations.  

Ready to build a future you love? Let us be your CATALYST!