ISS Australia has announced its new ambassador program and introduced our three ambassadors: Professor Felicity Gerry QC, international barrister and academic; Ra Chapman, actress, playwright and intercountry adoptee advocate; and Dr Sue Packer AM, Senior Australian of the Year and child protection advocate.

Professor Felicity Gerry QC is a highly respected international QC with chambers in London and Melbourne. Felicity mostly defends in serious and complex criminal trials and appeals, often with an international element. Felicity is also Professor of Legal Practice at Deakin University. “ISS Australia provides critical legal assistance to families dealing with international parental child abduction. Consistent with my work, ISS also advocates for children and families separated by international borders,” said Professor Gerry.

Ra Chapman is an Australian film, television, theatre actress and playwright and appears in the popular Australian television series Wentworth as Kim Chang. Ms Chapman was born in South Korea and was adopted by Australian parents in 1985. Outside of her successful professional career, she is a passionate and dedicated advocate for the rights of intercountry adoptees. “ISS Australia has strongly supported our Australian intercountry adoptee community and has assisted many intercountry adoptees through their complex journeys of identity and belonging. I am pleased to be associated with and to support their work”, said Ms Chapman.

Dr Sue Packer AM is 2019 Senior Australian of the Year and child protection advocate. The three plan to use their ambassador status to improve ISS Australia’s services and advocacy for children and families separated by borders. Dr Sue Packer AM started her career as a paediatrician in 1972. Since then Dr Packer has been a tireless and passionate advocate for the rights of children, both in health settings and in the broader community. In 2013 Dr Packer was named Canberran of the Year and she was named as the Senior Australian of the Year in 2019. “I learned of ISS when I worked with their organisation when I was involved in the committee of Defence for Children International in Australia. I am now most pleased to further support ISS Australia and their work protecting vulnerable children and families separated by international borders,” said Dr Packer.

ISS Australia looks forward to working with our ambassadors to help us support, protect and reunite children and families separated by borders.

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