Paula McMillan
CFP®, CPA/PFS, CGMA
Wealth Advisor, Executive Director
Paula is a Wealth Advisor known for making the complex simple, specializing in highly personalized, one-size-fits-one financial planning. She works closely with clients to navigate the intersections of investing, tax strategy, and life planning with clarity and intention. In addition to her client work, Paula is a nationally-recognized voice, regularly published and quoted in outlets including The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger’s, The Business Journal, The Tax Adviser, the Journal of Accountancy, and HowStuffWorks, among others. She has also created two national podcast series for the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA)—Retirement Readiness and Women and Wealth—and delivered a TEDx talk, Retirement: Longevity and Security. Paula frequently speaks to national, regional, and local audiences on topics related to investing, retirement, and financial life planning.
Paula earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and holds multiple professional designations, including Certified Public Accountant (CPA), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® (CFP®) practitioner, Personal Financial Specialist (PFS), Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®), Certified Exit Planning Analyst (CEPA), and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). She is deeply involved in the professional community, serving in leadership roles such as Investment and Risk Management Committee Lead for the AICPA ENGAGE Advanced Personal Financial Planning Conference and as a member of the AICPA Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) Credential Committee. Locally, she is a board member of the Greensboro Estate Planning Council, serves on the Society of Financial Service Professionals (SFSP) board and as Foundation Board Chair, and leads the NCACPA Triad Women’s Initiatives Group. She is also the founder and chair of the Plenteous Financial Forum and chairs the Women’s Professional Forum Financial Divas group.
Her work and thought leadership have been widely recognized through numerous publications and presentations, particularly focused on women and money, retirement readiness, Social Security strategies, and financial literacy. Her research and commentary explore topics such as women as breadwinners, navigating divorce and widowhood, retirement preparedness, and effective integrated financial planning strategies.
Outside of her professional life, Paula enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She and her husband, Zach, their son, Zahn, and their dog, Johnny Cash, enjoy being outdoors as much as possible—whether hiking, running, gardening, boating, or kayaking.
