Welcome Katherine Cathey, the New Town Manager of Oak Island. Now that she's officially "on the job" (as of Monday, September 28), the Town of Oak Island is pleased to welcome our new Town Manager, Katherine Cathey!
Following the retirement of the Town of Oak Island's previous Manager, Kathryn Adams on June 30, Katherine Cathey was offered the position by the Town Council during a special meeting on July 23, 2026, following an extensive search and evaluation of more than 50 applicants.
Cathey is a dedicated public servant and local government leader, with more than 20 years of experience in county and municipal administration. She has previously served as County Manager for Person County, NC, as well as having held human resources and budgeting positions with the Orange County and Town of Hillsborough in North Carolina.
Katherine holds a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy Studies from Duke University. She is an ICMA Credentialed Manager and an active leader in professional, civic, and nonprofit organizations across the State.
In a statement released on the announcement of her hiring Katherine shared that she looks forward to "working alongside the Town Council, staff, and community members to build on the Town’s strengths and advance its goals and priorities," and that she and her family were excited to "make Oak Island our home, and I look forward to getting to know the people who make this community so special.”
Throughout the entire process, the Town Council made it a top priority to keep the public informed on special meetings and final candidate selection. That entire timeline is still available to view right here on the Town Website! If you want to see the process, just visit the dedicated page at OakIslandNC.gov/MANAGER
