About Us
To create transformative, custom-designed travel experiences that blend exclusive access, meaningful connection, and the rarest luxury of all—time well spent.
For over 15 years, we’ve been the trusted partner for discerning travelers seeking seamless, high-touch luxury travel planning that elevates every journey. We serve clients who value their time as much as their experiences, delivering handcrafted itineraries that reflect their passions and surpass expectations.
Our promise is simple: to turn your most inspired travel dreams into immersive, unforgettable reality—with every detail refined, and every moment intentional.
Our Mission:
I founded Sterling Journeys with one mission: to craft extraordinary, custom-designed travel experiences for discerning clients who value detail, depth, and true discovery.
With over 15 years in luxury travel, I’ve had the honor of being named a 2025 Condé Nast Top Travel Specialist and a Virtuoso Cruise Icon for both 2024 and 2025, a distinction awarded to advisors with the top 1% of cruise sales within Virtuoso’s elite global network. These recognitions reflect the level of care, insight, and access I bring to every journey.
From wildlife-rich safaris in Africa to private yacht explorations in the Mediterranean, culturally immersive adventures in Japan, and breathtaking luxury cruises through Antarctica—I help my clients travel deeper, better, and more beautifully.
I hold specialty certifications as an Aussie Specialist and a 100% Pure New Zealand Gold Specialist, along with designations from the Travel Institute and CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), including:
About Lise-Marie
Founder Managing Director, Travel Advisor
Certified Travel Associate (CTA)
Master Cruise Consultant
Luxury Cruise Specialist
Sterling Wertanzl is a life-long world traveler and natural communicator. As the daughter of two longtime travel and cruise professionals, she understands the intricacies and nuances of the luxury travel experience, especially the notion of genuine connection. From a young age, Sterling embraced her Austrian and Norwegian heritage, forming deep relationships with both people and places throughout her life.
She is passionate about providing high-touch service and designing intricate itineraries for our clients. Outside of travel, Sterling’s passion is exploring human communication, particularly the art of persuasive messaging in media and interpersonal contexts.
She received her Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies from Ball State University in Indiana (2023), and her Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric from Hillsdale College in Michigan (2021).
Sterling is a proud member of Luxury Travel Advisor’s 30Under30 Class of 2024.
Sterling is based in Indianapolis, IN.
About Sterling
Director of Operations, Travel Advisor
With over 20 years in the travel industry, and a myriad of awards and accolades to her name, Sandy brings an extensive (and legendary) wheelhouse of skills and service to our agency. As an agency owner and top-producing travel advisor, Sandy’s commitment to white glove travel services that showcase the exceptional wonders of the world are some of the best in the industry.
Sandy founded We Make Travel Easy in 2007. As independent affiliates of Gifted Travel Network, We Make Travel Easy and Sterling Journeys grew immensely over the years in a community fostered by professional collaboration and building effective business synergies. Gifted Travel Network’s Top Producers Club is home to the top 10% of advisors in the network, of which We Make Travel Easy and Sterling Journeys are veteran spot holders.
This positive growth environment, where collaborative professional development thrives, (and the longtime friendship had by Sandy and Lise-Marie) inspired Sandy’s lucrative move to merge We Make Travel Easy with Sterling Journeys. We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter with Sandy, her extraordinary team, and her valuable clients. This is Sandy’s fifth consecutive year as one of Conde Nast’s Top Travel Specialists. Sandy was also voted Best Travel Agent in San Francisco by J Weekly Readers Choice for 9 consecutive years.
Sandy is based in San Francisco, CA.
About Sandy
Director of Business Development, Travel Advisor
Kara Robinson’s journey in travel began in a time when airline tickets were printed by hand and personally presented at the airport—an era that perfectly matched her love for hospitality with a human touch. From those early days as a leisure advisor with an international travel consortium, Kara was driven by a passion for delivering exceptional service and crafting meaningful, personalized experiences.
She later founded Elite Travel Designs, a boutique storefront agency that merged old-world elegance with modern sophistication. Under her leadership, the agency became renowned for its bespoke itineraries, white-glove service, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. With a team of dedicated employees and independent contractors, Kara built a brand that set the gold standard in luxury travel. Her success as a top producer ultimately led to the acquisition of her agency, allowing its legacy to continue under new ownership.
Kara’s industry influence extends beyond client service. She has spoken on national and international stages, sharing her insights on resilience, entrepreneurship, and rediscovering joy in the travel industry. As a mentor with the award-winning Travel Business University at Gifted Travel Network, Kara empowered advisors to elevate their businesses and confidently step into the world of luxury travel. Yet, despite her achievements, Kara never lost sight of what inspired her from the beginning: the personal connection with her clients. That passion brought her to Sterling Journeys, where her attention to detail, integrity, and deep understanding of luxury travel make her an invaluable part of the team. Today, she continues to design unforgettable journeys with the same heart, precision, and care that have defined her career from the start.
Kara is based in Bowling Green, KY.
About Kara
Director of Partner Relations, Travel Advisor
Narmada Ramakrishnan epitomizes integrity, energy, hard work and creative service in every detail of your vacation. Narmada grew up in Pondicherry, India in a well-renowned family and moved to San Francisco Bay area 19 years ago. Her passion for travel started at an early age of ten when her family took her on a trip to Sri Lanka.
She took her love for travel seriously when she went on to study travel management at Centre for Tourism Studies, Pondicherry University along with Certificate of Proficiency in Travel Careers, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA. She is a 22+ year travel industry veteran who has built strong relationships with clients and industry experts through her expertise and experience. Her mantra to use insight and foresight to proactively address details before they become a problem have won her accolades and appreciation. Her love for cooking, arts, and crafts, movies, good friends, and wine are the secret ingredients that make her a true travel specialist.
Narmada is based in San Francisco, CA.
About Narmada
Travel Advisor
Linda Alley has over 32 years in the travel industry, specializing in creating custom trips that go above and beyond the guests’ expectations. She listens carefully, pays attention to detail, and tries to anticipate her guests’ needs. Her love of travel started after high school when she went on her first cruise. After that, she wanted to go everywhere and see everything! Since then, she has been fortunate enough to have been to every continent except Antarctica.
For Linda, whenever she starts dreaming of a new vacation somewhere, it’s always the age-old dilemma: “Do I go back and re-visit the places I enjoyed so much before, when there are still so many other places I have yet to see?”
Linda is based in Seattle, WA.
About Linda
Client Care Manager
We Design Each Itinerary with Intention
Your next extraordinary journey begins here. Let’s design it together.
We blend exclusive access, elevated service, and unforgettable moments. Whether you’re planning a multigenerational family trip, a milestone celebration, a romantic honeymoon, or a solo journey of discovery, our team is with you every step of the way—from the first spark of inspiration to the final airport transfer.
We specialize in luxury travel planning worldwide, with a focus on:
African Safaris & Expeditions
Virtuoso Luxury Cruises
Europe, Asia, South America & the South Pacific
Boutique hotels, private guides, and once-in-a-lifetime access
Let us take care of every detail so you can focus on what matters most: experiencing the world in ways that are meaningful, seamless, and unforgettable.
