Jackie Chapman

Australia Country Director 

Email: jackie@cisaustralia.com.au

Jackie was born on the Central Coast, NSW (on the coast half way between Newcastle and Sydney), and now lives on the Gold Coast in Queensland. Jackie holds a Masters in Corporate Communication from Bond University, QLD, and a Bachelor of Social Science (Recreation and Tourism) from Newcastle University, NSW. She has a passion for travel and education having worked, lived and studied overseas.

As an undergraduate student, Jackie studied abroad at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Upon her return from the US, Jackie kicked off her career in international education, working in student support and admissions at the International Office at University of Newcastle. She later relocated to Denver, CO, where she lived and worked in the international education sector for two years. During her time in CO, Jackie enjoyed weekends snowboarding and hiking in the Rockies – simply incomparable to the ‘mountains’ in Australia! Upon returning home she took a support role for US students studying in Australia and New Zealand before moving into various marketing and management roles focused primarily on project management, business analysis, large-scale events and strategic planning.

Favourite destinations: Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Nepal, New Zealand, USA, Finland and Malaysia.

Interests: Yoga, jogging, the beach, hiking, family adventures, thinking she can still snowboard and of course – travel.

What makes Australia so special, in Jackie’s words: “We are a diverse and multi-cultural country; we consider ourselves pretty laid back and friendly; we enjoy the outdoors and love our sports; and yes, we have sharks, crocodiles, snakes and some decent sized-spiders – but most of us never see them. We have cute koalas, too, and I even have kangaroos jump past my house. Australia has something for everyone – from the spectacular Great Barrier Reef, the amazing red centre, thousands of miles of beautiful beaches, remarkable wine regions, the eclectic Byron Bay, stunning Fraser Island, breathtaking Blue Mountains and plenty of national parks to explore. You can swim with dolphins, trek the rugged Grampians, drive the famous ocean road, take a camel trek through the Simpson Desert, chill out in trendy city cafes, learn to surf – or simply come over and see what you discover as ‘your’ Australia.

I enjoy meeting students and love the fact that you have chosen Australia as your study abroad destination – I think our country is pretty amazing and can’t wait to share it with you – travel safe and hope to see you soon.”

In addition to our Country Director, Jackie, you will have additional onsite staff to support you throughout your time in Australia.

These people will help you navigate the day-to-day of living in Sydney and will be with you on many of the cultural activities and excursions. However, Jackie is always available should anything arise, such as emergencies, group issues, or just for check-ins. Don’t hesitate to contact any of them!