As Chief Investment Officer of Kestra Investment Management, Kara brings her extensive expertise to partner with the independent financial professionals associated with the Kestra Holdings ecosystem. Kara and her team provide hands-on support, that includes market commentary and research, guidance on portfolio construction, and a broad array of investment solutions designed to empower financial professionals to serve their clients’ wealth management needs.

Kara Murphy was Chief Investment Officer, Managing Director and a member of the Executive Committee at Goldman Sachs Personal Financial Management, overseeing approximately $26 billion in clients' assets. Kara and her team provided a broad range of investment strategies, including low-cost index strategies, active equity and fixed income, alternatives and options. Kara was also responsible for helping to develop advisor- and client-facing investment technology tools.While there, she served on Goldman Sachs’ Women’s Council, Inclusion and Diversity Committee, and the Sustainability Committee. Kara joined Goldman Sachs as a Managing Director in 2019 as part of Goldman Sachs’ acquisition of United Capital. As part of that acquisition, Kara also led investment-related integration efforts between the two firms.

Member of AIG's Extended Leadership Team (ELT), the 200 most-senior executives in the multinational firm, and Chief Investment Officer of AIG Funds. Kara oversaw the investment of over $50 billion in assets under management across a variety of investment styles: rules based, asset allocation, ESG and index. Funds included AIG Focused Dividend Strategy (FDSAX), AIG Income Explorer (IEAAX) and VALIC Socially Responsible (VCSRX). Duties included overseeing investment performance, risk monitoring, new product and strategy development, and trading operations. Kara also worked closely with various business partners including three different fund boards and the sales team. During her tenure in the investment industry, she steadily assumed increasing responsibilities and is one of the industry's few female chief investment officers. Kara joined AIG Funds in 2006, first as an equity analyst for the financial sector, then Director of Research, and then CIO. During her tenure as CIO, assets grew from $28 billion in December 2013 to $50 billion in January 2018, making AIG Funds (formerly SunAmerica Asset Management) one of the fastest growing asset managers in the industry.

Kara was an analyst on a long/short equity hedge fund with a focus on financial services companies.

Kara was an analyst focusing on investment strategy, macroeconomics, and equities.

Kara analyzed economic and political risks in various developing countries, with a focus on Eastern Europe and Russia.

Taught English and French to elementary students in a school focused on languages.