As First Lady, she stands for the mental health and well-being of children and young people. Sirje Karis is a patron of the SOS Children’s Village, the University of Tartu foundation, the Maternity Hospital Fund and the development of children and young talent.
She graduated as a historian from the University of Tartu and attended the master's program in cultural organization. From 2006 to 2018, Sirje Karis was the director of the Estonian History Museum and from 2018 to 2022, the director of the Tartu City Museum. Sirje Karis is the chairperson of the council of the Estonian National Museum and a member of the Estonian Museum Association and the Estonian National Committee of ICOM (the International Council of Museums).