WYSE Travel Confederation Team
David Chapman (British)
Director General
David Chapman joined WYSE Travel Confederation as a Director General after years of experience in the Hotel and Hospitality Industry. With a background in management, David has been Treasurer and Board member of STAY WYSE since 2009 and the Chair of WYSETC Executive Board in 2012. His expertise and leadership skills are a great asset for WYSE Travel Confederation, allowing it to maintain its leading role in the youth travel industry.
Laura Daly (Irish-English)
Special Advisor to Director General
After her MA in Global Political Economy at the University of Sussex, Laura worked for Merrill Lynch in the City of London before heading to Ghana where she lived for three years running her own volunteer and internship organisation. Laura joined the Confederation in 2010 as STAY WYSE and IAPA Association Manager. Today Laura is responsible for the WYSE Travel Confederation research programme, partnerships, representation of WYSE Travel Confederation at key events and the management of the accommodation sector, STAY WYSE.
Peter Jordan (British)
International Relations Officer
Peter joins WYSE Travel Confederation from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) where he managed Affiliate Member relations. Peter has already clocked up ten years of work in the tourism industry having worked at his city’s tourism board in Canterbury UK, leading US students around Europe on educational tours and building experience in an event management company in Valencia, Spain. During his four years at UNWTO in Madrid, Peter worked extensively on helping destinations around the world to understand the importance of emerging market segments, including youth tourism. A fluent French and Spanish speaker, he is responsible for WYSE Travel Confederation’s political work and outreach to national tourism agencies.
James Clarke (English-Scottish)
IASIS Association Manager
James’ international background includes journalism and teaching (Japan), football coaching (USA), advertising (UK) and volunteer work (Israel). Following his MSc at the London School of Economics, James became a financial professional in the City of London before joining the Confederation in early 2009. As IASIS Manager, James is responsible for creating discounted group insurance deals for Confederation Members and also for looking after the needs of IASIS members worldwide. He also runs the WYSE Webinar Programme and is the originator and impresario of the WYSTC Awards Ceremony.
Simona Dallera (Italian)
IAPA Associaton Manager
Simona studied for one year in Spain and moved to the Netherlands 3 years ago just before completing her master in Communication for Companies and Institutions.
Simona achieved a European certificate as a professional trainer and team coach and worked in Amsterdam as Quality Assurance Specialist.
Simona joined the Confederation one year ago as IAPA Association Manager.
Carla Vaz (Portuguese)
Research & Membership Coordinator
Carla first started her work in WYSE Travel Confederation as an intern, by assisting Laura Daly with STAY WYSE Association and WYSE Travel Confederation Research Programme. She has a double degree in Management and Economics from Universidade Portucalense in Porto, and is now working as a Research & Membership Coordinator.
Astrid Wargenau (German)
WYSE Work Abroad
Astrid’s personal experience connects her closely to many of the programmes the WYSE Travel Confederation stands for: a high school year on exchange in Ohio, an internship in Paris, followed by studying abroad in Michigan. Her volunteering and working abroad has taken her to her native Germany, Singapore and now the Netherlands.
Events Team
Laura Garratt (British)
Events Manager
Laura Garratt, Events Manager at WYSE Travel Confederation, the world’s most powerful network of youth and student travel professionals. She has worked at the World Youth & Student Educational Travel Confederation (WYSETC) since 2009 and is responsible for all events organised by WYSEevents and more prominently, the annual World Youth Student Travel Conference (WYSTC), a global networking event that just celebrated its 21st year. Laura knows first-hand the power of youth travel as a means to promote intercultural understanding, as well as the adventure of seeing new places. Laura is originally from Nottingham, where she worked in operations management for a bio- and nanotechnology company at the University of Nottingham. She currently lives in Amsterdam.
Jessica Quinlan (Australian)
Events Coordinator
Hailing from the sunny beaches of the South of Sydney, Jessica has just completed her Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in Tourism Management). 
Jessica has a background in tourism and events, having worked to develop the backpacker market in Australia. Jess thoroughly enjoys travelling around Europe. She currently works in the events team with Laura Garratt and James Cavell.
Simon Andrew (Australian)
Marketing Associate
Simon started with WYSE Travel Confederation in May 2012 as Marketing Associate. He is Australian born and bred, and he settled in Amsterdam end of 2011 following a 10 month volunteer journey around the Indian Ocean. From the slums in India, the outback of Australia and the stunning coast of Mozambique, Simon carries with him the memories of helping others, global travel and the world as whole to his new position.
Simon originally comes from a logistics background, though since the last six years working in Brussels, we has discovered the world of events and travel and sees that bringing the two together is one great opportunity. And he gets to work with it!