It is Katie’s strongly held belief that life, in all its aspects, should be balanced.
By striving for balance in her own life, Kathryn Brown (Katie) leads by example for everyone around her. As a married mother of two children, her drive to further her profession exists alongside her commitment to family, health, and community service.
In her role as Co-Founder and Principal of Morton Brown Family Wealth, she is a steward of her clients’ financial lives as well as a leader for a firm that is changing the way advice is delivered in the Lehigh Valley. Katie’s experience, vision, and values place her at the forefront of this movement. Katie has been outspoken about the importance of a comprehensive fiduciary approach to wealth management.
Turned off by Wall Street jargon and the daily “drama” of the markets, Katie works to foster a healthy relationship between money and life for the families she serves.
After earning an Economics and Finance degree from York College, Katie’s career as a financial planner brought her to the Lehigh Valley in 2003. For 15 years, she helped to lead financial planning, operations, and compliance as a Partner at Concannon Wealth Management, later Corbenic Partners. Katie earned both her Certified Financial Planner™ and Chartered Financial Consultant™ designations, demonstrating her expertise in investments, retirement, taxation, insurance, and estate planning.
In 2023, Katie earned her Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) designation, a cross-disciplinary study of philanthropic planning including taxation, finance, fundraising, purposeful planning, family office dynamics, psychology, and strategic philanthropy. With her CAP® designation, Katie is better able to integrate charitable planning with clients’ estate plans to help them achieve their legacy goals. As a member of the inaugural CAP® class, Katie was one of the first financial advisors in the Lehigh Valley region to obtain this certification.
A graduate of the 2011 Leadership Lehigh Valley class, Katie is a member of the Estate Planning Council of the Lehigh Valley and previously served as a Director on the Board for a four-year term. As a CFP Board WIN-to-WIN Mentor, Katie helps to guide aspiring female financial planners.
The balance Katie seeks with her family, in her profession, and throughout her community has led to her being recognized by InvestmentNews as a 2019 40 Under 40 Honoree. She also was named to Lehigh Valley Business’ 2019 Forty Under 40 list of honorees and a 2015 Woman of Influence.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks Certified Financial Planner™ and CFP® in the U.S. The CHFC® is the property of The American College, which reserves sole rights to its use, and is used by permission.
OUT OF THE OFFICE
Katie has had the privilege of contributing her time and talents to help make a positive impact throughout the community. She serves as a Director for Valley Youth House and previously served as Chair of the Finance Committee and past Treasurer for the organization. She also serves on the Board of Associates for the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation.
In Katie’s free time, she is most often found outside running as she trains for marathons and half-marathons, on a tennis court, or on the sports field sidelines cheering on her children, Caleb and Amelia.
Who is someone you admire and why?
My mom, the ever optimist! Despite having major brain surgery with four young children, she was a small business owner, a tennis coach, an art instructor, a scout leader, and just an incredible role model! To this day, she continuously challenges herself to try and learn new things from boogie boarding in the ocean to playing guitar. She uplifts everyone around her.
What do you find most rewarding about the work that you do?
Witnessing the increasing calm and optimism of the families we serve as they gain greater confidence in their financial lives.
If you had to describe a defining moment in your life, what would it be?
Being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 38. It forced me to re-evaluate everything in my world: my career, how I was raising and communicating with my children, how my husband and I support one another and the family, our personal financial plan, and how I was taking care of my own health both physically and mentally.
How do you think your colleagues would describe you?
I hope happy. Willing to do the work, dive in, and try new things.
How do you apply the vision of “leading a purposeful life” to your own goals?
By starting with gratitude. Speaking openly and often with my family around the dinner table, on the way to soccer practice, or just before bed. We discuss what we are grateful for and how we can best use those gifts to become the best versions of ourselves, lead fulfilled lives, and help others in need.
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