Stephanie Smith Christiano is the Senior Resident Director at Merrill, where she has built a career spanning over 28 years. She began her journey with the firm through a college internship and joined full-time in 1998. Stephanie focuses on working with families to help them define and achieve their financial goals through regular meetings to assess progress and adjust plans as needed. Her approach emphasizes building strong relationships with clients and professional partners to simplify financial decision-making.
Stephanie holds a Master's degree from Wilmington College and a Bachelor's degree from Wesley College. She has earned several professional designations, including CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP), CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Accredited Financial Advisor (RAFA). Her areas of expertise include college education planning, personal retirement planning, employee financial health, women and wealth, tax minimization, and retirement income.
In addition to her professional work, Stephanie is involved in her community as a board member of First State Ballet and a trustee of Delaware Hospice. She also volunteers with the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware. Residing in Delaware with her husband, a teacher, and their daughter, Stephanie balances her professional responsibilities with spending time with her family, cooking, and traveling.