The Author

Karissa Stelma was born and raised in New York City and has traveled around the world since she was 17, living in several countries including Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.

Her work in the regulated financial services market has taken her from an international investment bank based in New York to similar roles in London and Spain. She held Chief of Staff roles to well-known entrepreneurs before co-founding a boutique private financial advisory and consulting firm specializing in private equity and family office advisory. Karissa then held senior executive level roles within the Dubai International Financial Center, UAE. Currently, Karissa is the COO of an international compliance and regulatory advisory firm in Dubai.

As Karissa and her husband worked to grow their family in late 2017, they found themselves barreling down the challenging road of IVF. When she finally became pregnant, Karissa largely associated their success with a heightened approach to well-being, copious amounts of research, some truly exceptional doctors, and a strong support network.

Forever a New Yorker at heart, Karissa has been domiciled in Dubai for the last eleven years. She resides with her greatest loves—her husband, Kyle, and their three children.