Karen Stawicki
CEO, Compass Financial
Born in the Northeast, Karen Stawicki originally had dreams of becoming a ski professional. But at 19, those plans took a detour...specifically to Florida. With $150 and her life’s possessions loaded into a Ford Mustang, Karen embarked on what would become a lifelong journey in the world of finance.
A dedicated worker and devoted learner, Karen quickly achieved the title of Associate Vice President during her first year with Dean Witter (now Morgan Stanley). After four years in Florida, Karen and her husband moved to California, where she spent nearly three decades working with American Savings Bank and New York Life.
By going above and beyond for her clients and providing them with solutions that often exceeded expectations, Karen earned a consistent spot as a Top Ten Producer at American Savings Bank ( 1990-1997) and a Cabinet Level (Top 50) agent with New York Life (1998-2001).
Recognized for doing the right things for the right reasons, Karen also received the prestigious award of being the 2011 Business Woman of the Year in Sacramento.
Called by the Charleston lifestyle and her daughter Samantha’s convincing pitch to move east, Karen and her husband came to the Low Country in 2013. Once in Charleston, she continued to be recognized as an industry leader. She is a Lifetime Member of the Million Dollar Round Table.
As CEO of Compass Financial, Karen views herself as an advocate for her team and clients. A passionate believer in “being the best version of yourself,” Karen’s work centers on education, relationship-building, and sharing more than 40 years of industry knowledge to help each client achieve their own unique goals.
This encouraging spirit extends beyond her work and into community service. An avid volunteer, Karen served as Chair for the American Heart Association’s Circle of Red in both Sacramento and Charleston and for the Go Red for Women Luncheon for multiple years. In addition to organizing fundraisers, she’s a skilled party planner and a dedicated host of Sunday family dinners.
Although most folks bend her ear for help with advice for the future, Karen finds joy through golf, Bible study, and quality time with her family.
Samantha Irish
President, Compass Financial
After countless dinner conversations filled with financial buzzwords, 11-year-old Samantha proudly promised her mom she would join her in the industry one day. It took a cross-country move from California to Charleston (with a slight detour through Alabama) to bring that promise to fruition, and Samantha and Karen have been successful business partners at Compass Financial since 2014.
Samantha spent several years working in Greek Life at the University of Alabama before deciding to venture to Charleston for a year. Six months into her Low Country experiment, she realized this would soon be home.
With new roots in place, she finally made the leap into her career in finance. After three short years in the business, Samantha quickly qualified for the Million Dollar Round Table (2017, 2018). Through surrounding herself with senior financial professionals with years of experience and continued mentorship, Samantha has consistently been at the top of her field.
As President of Compass Financial, Samantha is passionate about building strong relationships with her clients, ensuring that they feel comfortable and engaged in every decision. A people-person, idea-generator, and incredible listener, she loves learning about her client’s lives and helping them prepare for things they may not have considered.
Samantha will never forget the feeling of joy she felt and the look of pure, unbridled happiness on the face of the first person she helped confidently retire. As a result, she is constantly motivated to help others experience that same feeling. In the world of finance, clients often wonder, “will you be here for the long haul?” As her mom’s continuation strategy, Samantha is confident her clients know the answer is “yes.”
An active community member, she served on the Leadership Team for the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Campaign for two years and as the Circle of Red Giving Chair in 2017. Inspired by her mother’s dedication to personal development, Samantha can often be found listening to entrepreneurial podcasts and reading daily devotionals to gain new perspectives for her life and business.
Outside of the office, you’ll often find Samantha plotting her next adventure with her husband, Jared, enjoying a run along one of Charleston’s beaches, or perfecting her impressive carry-on packing skills, always finding enough room for heels and running shoes.
Alexandra (Allee) Supina
Operations & Client Relationship Manager
Originally from the small town of Ashford, Connecticut, Allee was determined to live in a thriving city near the water. She entertained the idea of moving to Nashville, Dallas, Tampa and Boston, but a job offer from our team lured her to the Lowcountry in 2018.
You could say she’s traded in her winter coats for flip flops, as Allee has no intention of ever leaving her adoptive hometown of Charleston.
Before joining Compass Financial, Allee served as an Events Coordinator for her alma mater, the University of Connecticut. A seemingly endless source of energy and enthusiasm (seriously, we’d like to bottle her energy), she also worked for many years as a dance teacher and CrossFit instructor in the Storrs, Connecticut area.
In her role as Operations & Client Relationship Manager, Allee leverages that same impressive drive and positive spirit to streamline Compass Financial’s operations, manage client relationships, and coordinate our social media outreach so our clients feel welcomed and well cared for from the very first call.
A Political Science and Human Rights major in college, Allee is an avid learner and charitable advocate; you’ll often find her soaking up knowledge from history podcasts or finding ways to support her community, as she did when she served as Secretary for Autism Speaks U in Connecticut.
Allee lives on Daniel Island with her husband (and high school sweetheart), Griffin, and their rescue Border Collie, Colt. When the pair isn’t chasing an endorphin rush at CrossFit Wando, where Griffin coaches, they love experimenting with new recipes, taking in the sunsets on Sullivan’s Island, and exploring all that their new city has to offer.