Our People
Melody C. Gaulden, CPA
Melody Gaulden is the founder of Arc Advisors, where she leads a highly skilled team with extensive experience in tax planning, consulting, and compliance. She concentrates on working with foreign-owned U.S. companies and U.S. companies with foreign subsidiaries, advising on structuring their cross-border transactions in a manner that creates an efficient global effective tax rate while still mitigating risk. She counsels clients with global estate and trust issues. She also has considerable experience working with the offshore voluntary disclosure programs for clients who need to catch up on their tax filing requirements.
With a strong background in the field, Melody previously served as a partner and led the international services practice for Elliott Davis. She earned her undergraduate degrees from Converse University, dual-majoring in Accounting and Spanish. After graduating from Converse, Melody went on to receive her Master of Professional Accountancy, specializing in taxation, from Clemson University. She specialized in international taxation, attending Moore Global’s International Tax School in Prague. She also earned the Certificate in International Taxation from the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), further strengthening her expertise in cross-border tax matters. She has been active in the community, serving on the board for Greenville Literacy Association, Upstate International, and the Family Effect.
Melody is also a frequent speaker on international tax matters and cross-border business issues. She regularly presents for state CPA societies, accounting organizations, professional associations, and business and community events.
When not immersed in tax matters, you can find Melody hiking at Paris Mountain, testing out a new recipe, dancing the tango, or spending quality time with her family and friends.
Nathan Doucette, CPA
Nathan Doucette is a certified public accountant with a broad base of public accounting experience. Prior to joining Arc Advisors in 2023, he spent seven years at an international CPA firm providing a range of financial statement attestation and tax compliance services to foreign-owned companies.
His familiarity with the complexities of international business helps him maximize value to clients by anticipating many of their unique challenges and identifying important opportunities. Nathan is passionate about learning and loves sharing what he learns with others. He strives to go beyond simple problem-solving to equipping others with problem-solving skills and resources.
Outside of work, Nathan and his family enjoy traveling, working out together, and are actively involved in their local church.
nathan.doucette@growwitharc.com
864.473.5640
Bladimir Vargas
Bladimir Vargas is a valued member of the Arc Advisors team, known for his perspective, dedication, and social skills. He earned his degree from the University of South Carolina, where he majored in accounting and minored in economics.
Since joining Arc Advisors in the summer of 2023, Bladimir has been steadily expanding his accounting expertise while completing his bachelor's degree. His experience has increased his proficiency to include both U.S. tax regulations and international tax compliance. Bladimir offers a bilingual perspective to our team as he is fluent in both Spanish and English, which increases our team's ability to serve a diverse clientele and handle cross-border tax rules.
Bladimir's passion for learning and growing professionally is matched by his careful attention to detail and strategic mindset. He always takes initiative, offering creative solutions and ideas that help our firm succeed. He’s already passed parts of the CPA exam and is working on completing it.
In his personal time, Bladimir values quality moments with his family, especially his numerous nephews, and friends. He is an avid traveler who enjoys exploring new cultures and forging new connections.
melody.gaulden@growwitharc.com
864.502.8311
Diego Jaramillo
Originally from Cali, Colombia, Diego Jaramillo came to the United States on a full-ride soccer scholarship and earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Accounting from Anderson University. He later received a full scholarship from Deloitte to complete his Master of Science in Accountancy, with a concentration in Financial Markets and Transactions, at Wake Forest University.
Before joining Arc Advisors, Diego gained valuable internal accounting experience through a co-op with Bosch Rexroth for almost 2 years. Working within a corporate environment gave him firsthand exposure to financial processes, internal reporting, and the practical accounting challenges businesses face. This experience allows him to approach client matters from both an advisory and an operational perspective. Fluent in Spanish and English, Diego also brings an international outlook that helps the firm serve clients with cross-border operations, investments, and reporting obligations. He is currently pursuing his CPA licensure and continues to expand his knowledge of international tax planning, compliance, and advisory services.
Before beginning his accounting career, Diego competed as a professional soccer player in Colombia and later continued as a collegiate student-athlete in the United States. These experiences strengthened his discipline, resilience, teamwork, and ability to perform under pressure. Outside of work, Diego enjoys playing soccer, traveling, staying active, and spending time with family and friends.