If you ask her, Carissa credits horses for shaping most of her personality. At seven years old she asked her father for a horse to which he told her he thought she was to young and needed to wait a bit. (Her father clearly didn’t remember teaching her that if someone says no, and you believe in it, you find a way to do it yourself.). Carissa flipped through the yellow pages and wrote every ranch in the valley, looking to trade work for learning how to work horses, and earn enough money to buy a horse of her own. And behold, someone called up. Not only did Carissa get a horse, and a great job working with a trainer that changed and shaped her life at a very young age, she realized that results come from reaching out.  Since then, Carissa lives her life with this mantra at her foundation.

Carissa brings possibility to every moment of her day. Her professional career took her to Washington D.C. (where she cut her teeth on public policy,) back to Utah to work for over a decade in the substance abuse field, to her current position as Co-Owner of Living the Dream Wellness, and Owner and Founder of Impact for Purpose. “I was never satisfied working 9-5 for someone else’s dream. I was constantly restless. I would found I was happiest working around the clock to inspire my own dreams then to just tag along. I believe we all are capable of so much more. If we spend our entire lives just making 20k, 30k, 50k, or 80k a year, we are really just floating our own boat. I believe I can float a fleet, so that is what I spend my time trying to do.”

Carissa calls Costa Rica, Utah, and New York home, spending about a third of her time in each destination.  If you ask her how she manages to do that, she will always say “amazing, supportive people.” “I wouldn’t be who I am, or where I am, without the support from the individuals around me. Whether it’s friends, colleagues, employers, or family, I am truly blessed. There is a whole team of folks behind the scenes that help bring my dreams to life, and I am committed and inspired daily to be that same support where I am needed, where ever I go.”