Wendi Aylward is the managing director of AIFS (Australia) and has served as the Cultural Au Pair Association of Australia (CAPAA) President for the last 5 years. Over the past 5 years Wendi has represented the Au Pair industry in ministerial level discussions, and wrote CAPAA’s submission that resulted in the Australian government extending the visa to accommodate longer placements. In 2017 Wendi wrote a White Paper on behalf of CAPAA calling for the introduction of a dedicated au pair visa. This proposal is currently included as part of broader review of the Australian visa scheme.

Wendi has worked in senior management roles with DFAT and cultural exchange provider, CIEE, and has lived and worked in Boston, London and Tokyo. Since 2005 Wendi has had been the Managing Director of AIFS, serves on the BYTAP panel (the youth and backpacking panel under the Australian Tourism Export Council – ATEC) and was a founding member of CAPAA and the Australian Internship Industry Association (AIIA).