Kat Shepherd

Founder and Owner, Wanderlust Hosts

TAP – Travel. Adventure. Purpose.

Wanderlust Hosts isn’t just a platform — it’s a movement. We honor the legacy of Black travel, celebrate our cultural brilliance, and empower our communities economically. Through our nationwide directory of Black-owned wineries, farms, breweries, museums, and retreats, we’re helping travelers land, learn, and live with intention.

Under my leadership, we’ve developed a TAP (Travel | Adventure | Purpose) model that fuses leisure with liberation. Whether you’re road-tripping to a Black-owned distillery in Georgia or parking overnight at a historic Black farm in Louisiana, you’re part of a bigger story — and I’m here to help write the next chapter.

Who is Kat Shepherd

I’m Kat Shepherd — a lifelong educator, RV adventurer, digital strategist, and unapologetically purpose-driven entrepreneur. As the Founder and CEO of Wanderlust Hosts, I bring decades of leadership, innovation, and cultural curation to a movement that’s redefining travel for Black Americans across the country.

Wanderlust Hosts was born from a vision: to create a safe, empowering, and vibrant network that connects self-contained RV travelers to Black-owned businesses, historical sites, and soul-stirring experiences. With every mile traveled, we’re not just seeing the world — we’re changing it.

Why I’m Built for This

From managing national training programs in the U.S. Air Force to leading digital curriculum at UC Riverside, my journey has always centered on impact, equity, and excellence. With over 20 years in education, business leadership, and nonprofit development, I’ve helped thousands of professionals and entrepreneurs turn their dreams into dynamic realities.

I’ve served as:

West Regional Director & District Director at SCORE
Business and Digital Marketing Instructor at University of California, Riverside
Founder of Improve Your Business Game™
US Air Force Veteran, Medivac and Trainer
National DEI Advocate & Leadership Trainer

These experiences taught me how to lead with both strategy and heart — two things I pour into every Wanderlust Hosts partnership and member experience.

My Leadership Philosophy

I lead with these principles:

Culture-first strategy: I design systems that uplift Black excellence.
Travel with purpose: Our journeys are not random. They are reconnections to self, land, and legacy.
Empowerment through equity: I build platforms that close the gap for overlooked businesses and underrepresented travelers.
Community over competition: I believe in networks, not silos.