Kate Shields

Kate began her career at Vault three days after graduating. After learning the ropes on the agency side, she left the firm for in-house in roles at Campbell Soup Company and ARAMARK before returning as a partner — all before the age of 30.

Kate leverages this background to master the balance of delivering best-in-class service for clients while creating an unmatched culture and workplace for the Vault team. Under her leadership, Vault has experienced disciplined, steady growth and has appeared on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest Growing Companies for five consecutive years. Hundreds of clients have sought out Vault’s expertise across Kate’s tenure.

The fuel of Vault’s success has unquestionably been talent, which Kate has unbridled passion for identifying, attracting and nurturing. Driven by the firm’s core values of Heart, Hunger, Curiosity and Excellence, Kate has poured her energy into making Vault an authentic and dynamic workplace where colleagues can show up as they are and be celebrated for their individuality and ideas. Reflective of this focus, Vault is a repeat winner of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work” designation.

A native Philadelphian who grew up in the Roxborough section of the city, Kate has prioritized civic service, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia. A mother to three daughters, Kate shares equal passion for opening doors of education and opportunity for women, serving on the Board of Directors for The Forum of Executive Women, the Paradigm Award and Scholarship for Working Women selection committee and as an advisor to her alma mater, Mount Saint Joseph Academy.

Kate holds a B.A. in English/Communication from the University of Scranton and an M.S. in Public Relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She lives in Whitemarsh Township, where she relishes being a suburban lax mom with a not-so-secret past as a girl of the 80s with high hair.

Fun Fact from the Vault:

She developed an obsession with backyard birding in her 30s that she can’t explain, and can identify most species without referencing her bird guide. Yes, she owns a bird guide.