Kate Barnwell

Consultant Kate Barnwell brings families together to define, align, and achieve their goals for successful enterprise ownership and management. She champions governance policies and communication strategies that foster equitable and enduring family decision-making.

With a background in business planning and financial analysis, Kate helps family owners stay informed and maintain regular communication with management regarding business performance. Proficient in collaborating with attorneys, tax advisors, and valuation specialists, she advises family leaders to create multidisciplinary advisory teams to proactively address complex issues related to changes in leadership or ownership.

Kate became a family business consultant following decades of experience working with family businesses, most recently as a non-family leader serving a team of sibling owners. She values the insights gained from her work with accomplished family executives in fine art, commercial real estate, and hospitality.

She was raised by an entrepreneur and is empathetic to the founder’s drive for care and control of both the business and the family.  At the same time, Kate recognizes that good things happen when next-gen family members are supported in discovering their strengths and capacity to lead. She has a particular interest in women leaders and their agency within family groups.