Meet Our Team
"When I founded Sterling Journeys over 13 years ago, I made it my mission to imbue every trip I plan with the spirit of profound connection. Because connection, the kind that changes us, is truly a luxury today."
Lise-Marie, founder
Email: lise-marie@sterlingjourneys.com
Meet lise-marie WERTANZL
Managing Director , Travel Advisor
Lise-Marie is a skilled travel professional and industry leader with a passion for connecting clients with their dream destinations. Beginning at age three, her love for travel ignited when she began living abroad in Norway and traveling with her virtuoso violinist mother. From a young age she immersed herself in the study of ballet, theatre and voice, and later pursued a successful career as a professional performing artist.
While aboard the Crystal Harmony as the lead singer, she met her future husband, who was (and is) a cruise industry executive. From then on, travel became and remained at the forefront of their lives together, both personally and professionally. In 2011, she founded Sterling Journeys, named after her daughter. For the past three consecutive years, she has proudly maintained Sterling Journeys’ spot in Gifted Travel Network’s Top Producer’s Club (the network’s top 10% of agencies). Lise-Marie was recently asked to speak at Gifted Travel Network’s 2024 Annual Symposium: The Business of Selling Luxury Travel, an event in partnership with Forbes Travel Guide. Her unique experience and skill in the luxury space award her the reputation of a true luxury travel expert.
In 2024, Lise-Marie was named a Virtuoso Cruise Icon. This honor is exclusive to Virtuoso advisors who are in the top 1% of cruise sales in the network.
Lise-Marie connects our clients to the people, places, and moments that will leave an indelible mark on their hearts and minds.
While Lise-Marie specializes in all luxury travel products and services, she is most passionate about exotic destinations off the beaten path, such as Africa, Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, and South America.
Email: sandy@sterlingjourneys.com
Meet SANDY LIPKOWITZ
Director of Business Development,
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 fourth 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 8 consecutive years.
Email: sterling@sterlingjourneys.com
Meet STERLING WERTANZL
Director of Operations, Travel Advisor
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 (2023), and her Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric from Hillsdale College (2021).
Meet Tyson Sheedy
Travel Advisor
Tyson Sheedy is a seasoned traveler and avid researcher. After living in Los Angeles, New York City, and London, she thoroughly explored these cities and traveled extensively from these points of departure. Every destination is another opportunity to learn and explore a new culture.
When planning a trip, she thoroughly researches the destination in order to craft a well-rounded and engaging itinerary. She has traveled to 29 countries on 5 continents. Her favorite adventures include following in the footsteps of the Inca to Machu Picchu, sailing to the Galapagos Islands, tracing her ancestry in Southern Italy and Western Ireland, walking on the Great Wall of China, snorkeling above the Great Barrier Reef, and meditating between the paws of the Sphinx.
Tyson’s love of travel and attention to detail make her an ideal travel advisor. She looks forward to helping you plan your next adventure.
Tyson specializes in moderate, premium, and luxury travel services, including group travel.
Email: tyson@sterlingjourneys.com
Email: narmada@sterlingjourneys.com
Meet narmada ramakrishnan
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.
Email: linda@sterlingjourneys.com
Meet Linda Alley
Client Care Manager
Linda Alley has over 30 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 my 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?”
Experience the Luxury of a
Life-Changing Journey
We help travelers cultivate connections to the people, places, and moments sure to leave an indelible mark.
Our combination of high-touch service and in-depth destination knowledge informs your keenly crafted itinerary. Our relationships with vetted travel suppliers take you far beyond the ordinary. Whether it’s a stylish stay in Paris or a journey to the heart of the Serengeti, We leave no stone unturned in our search for the most dazzling escape for you, hunting out tucked-away boutique properties or VIP-exclusive tours that define “once in a lifetime.”
Adventure (the kind that doesn’t compromise on luxury) awaits you.
Let Sterling Journeys take you there.
Book your complimentary consultation call with me now to start planning your own Sterling Journey.
