Our Team
Our Team
Welcome to Australian Professional Education Institute Pty Ltd trading as Sydney Institute of Interpreting and Translating (hereby referred to as SIIT), an Australian registered training organisation (RTO No:91490).
It gives me great pleasure to know that you have chosen to study with us and benefit from the quality training programs at SIIT. Full of enthusiasm and confidence, SIIT will work with you and help you fulfill your goals.
The academic programs offered at SIIT are built around the needs of the students. The growing “ever-smaller” global village, where exchanges of information across languages and cultures now occur across all spheres of human society, leads to an increasing demand for the services of professional interpreters and translators, supervisors, coordinators, and teachers, etc.
I understand that your decision to study with SIIT is a very important step, either to build a successful career as a professional; working in the professional area of your choosing, or as a step to further academic achievement. SIIT is committed to providing you with high-quality education and support services to ensure that you meet your expectations.
Andrew joined SIIT in May 2023 to advise on compliance and program funding under the NSW Government Smart and Skilled Program. Andrew was previously the CEO/Principal of BCCI running courses in early childhood education and care, business, accounting, leadership & management. He has qualifications in training, industrial relations, economics, and considerable experience in governance and corporate change. A versatile manager with a wide array of experience, he is able to work through solutions to almost any issue arising.
Andrew Lillicrap
Bachelor of Arts (Industrial Relations & Economics)
Diploma of Education
Formerly CEO/Principal of BCCI
Formerly Assistant Secretary of Health Services Union NSW.
Ting (Tracy) Qiu
Marketing Manager
Ting (Tracy) Qiu is a Marketing Manager with extensive experience in the education sector, specialising in international student recruitment, strategic marketing, and stakeholder engagement. With a proven track record across Australia and Asia, she has successfully led data-driven campaigns, built strong global agent networks, and delivered measurable growth in student enrolments and brand visibility.
Melody graduated from Beijing University of Technology with a master’s degree in engineering and began her career at PwC as a consultant. She has since advanced to senior finance management positions at prestigious international companies. In addition, she took on the role of internal trainer, delivering industry-related training sessions to over 1,000 employees. Melody is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) accredited in China, Australia, and the USA, and she achieved an IELTS score of 8.0.
After immigrating to Sydney, she transitioned into the Translation and Interpreting (T&I) industry, where she specialises in finance, business, and education. Melody has provided translation and interpreting services to a diverse clientele, including tertiary education institutions, international corporations, private wealth management firms, major law firms, and individual investors.
In 2023, Melody joined SIIT. As Academic Coordinator, she oversees course offerings, optimises training resources, and supports students across a range of academic matters. She coordinates course offerings, upgrades training packages, and monitors students’ progress to provide timely guidance and support. Melody also delivers ADT & DI training and offers personalised pre-test preparation for the NAATI translation and provisional interpreting tests. Her teaching approach emphasises industry relevance, practicality, efficiency, and engagement, ensuring students are well-prepared for real-world challenges. In addition, she liaises with faculty and administration to maintain academic quality, organises workshops and learning activities, and contributes to the continuous improvement of SIIT’s programs.
Melody Qu
Academic Coordinator & Trainer at SIIT
NAATI Certified Translator (English to Chinese)
NAATI Certified Provisional Interpreter (English and Mandarin）
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
9 years of T&I industry experience in Australia
RYAN GUO
NAATI Certified Translator (English to Chinese, Chinese to English)
NAATI Certified Interpreter (Mandarin and English)
12 Years of industry experience in Australia
12 Years of teaching experience in ADI
Ryan graduated from the University of UNSW and joined the T&I industry in 2012. Ryan has extensive experience providing interpreting services across various fields, including community service, healthcare, finance, and legal settings. He also works at various business conferences, government events and international seminars as simultaneous interpreter.
Ryan joined SIIT as a trainer in 2012, specializing in the Advanced Diploma of Interpreting (Mandarin). With a solid background in IELTS and English language training, he has a deep understanding of adult education and learning patterns. Ryan tailors his training to meet learners' needs and integrates his practical work experience to equip students with skills for handling complex situations in their upcoming interpreting careers.
Graduated from Western Sydney University with a Master of Interpreting and Translation, Shuang became a freelance interpreter and translator in 2016. Her expertise spans legal, medical and business settings, serving diverse clients from individual to governmental levels.
In 2023, Shuang joined SIIT as a trainer. She currently trains students studying Diploma of Interpreting (Mandarin) and Advanced Diploma of Translating.
Shuang's teaching style is characterised by her practical approach, drawing from her extensive field experience. Her background in secondary education, supported by a Master of Teaching from the University of Sydney, enhances her ability to effectively communicate complex concepts to students. Her experience as an IELTS trainer in China adds an international dimension to her teaching, allowing her to understand and address the unique challenges faced by aspiring interpreters and translators.
Shuang (Bethany) Chen
NAATI Certified Translator (English to Chinese, Chinese to English)
NAATI Certified Interpreter (Mandarin and English)
9 years of T&I industry experience in Australia
3 years of teaching experience in DI and ADT
James Yu
Head Trainer at SIIT Brisbane Campus
NAATI Certified Interpreter (Mandarin and English)
8 Years T&I industry experience
Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Chinese English Interpreting and Translating, James Yu has developed a strong foundation in linguistic and cultural mediation.
With 8 years of experience in professional interpreting, James has worked across legal, medical, and business settings, providing accurate and culturally sensitive communication solutions for diverse clients, including individuals and government agencies.
In addition to his interpreting work, James has been a trainer for the Diploma of Interpreting (DI) program for 4 years. Since 2019, he has also taught the Community Credential Language (CCL) test, helping students develop the skills and techniques required to successfully pass the NAATI CCL exam.
James’s expertise, combined with his commitment to professional development, equips him to effectively mentor aspiring interpreters and prepare them for the challenges of the industry.
Graduated from the University of Melbourne, Ying joined the T&I industry in 2012. She has provided translation and interpreting services to all levels of clients, from individual clients to community centres, international corporations to major law firms, Australian courts to the Victorian State Government and the Australian Federal Government.
In 2017, Ying joined SllT and became a trainer. She has taught Advanced Diploma of Translating and is currently training students who are studying Advanced Diploma of Interpreting (Mandarin) and Diploma of interpreting (Mandarin).
The highlights of her teaching style are being practical, efficient and flexible. She has taught hundreds of students in the past 6 years, many of whom have followed her footsteps and gone on to have a successful career in the T&I industry in both Australia and China.
Ying WANG
NAATI Certified Translator (English to Chinese, Chinese to English)
NAATI Certified Interpreter (Mandarin and English)
12 years of T&I industry experience in Australia
6 years of teaching experience in ADT, DT, ADI and DI
Ching Lam (Allison) CHO
NAATI Certified Interpreter (Cantonese and English)
NAATI Certified Translator (Chinese to English)
3 years of T&I industry experience in Australia
2 years of teaching experience in DI and ADT
Allison is a NAATI Certified Interpreter and Translator with over three years of experience in the Translation & Interpreting (T&I) industry in Australia, along with two years of teaching experience in the Diploma of Interpreting (DI) and Advanced Diploma of Translating (ADT) programs.
After completing her undergraduate degree in 2018, Allison began working as a freelance translator, collaborating with clients worldwide on a variety of projects. She later graduated from the University of Queensland with a Master of Chinese Translation and Interpreting and expanded her career to include freelance interpreting, serving the Cantonese-speaking community in Queensland.
In 2023, Allison joined SIIT as a trainer, where she currently teaches students pursuing the Diploma of Interpreting and Advanced Diploma of Translating in Brisbane. Although her primary language pair is Cantonese and English, her proficiency in Mandarin allows her to cater to students from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
Drawing on her recent certification experience and deep understanding of NAATI exam requirements, Allison equips her students with the knowledge and strategies they need to succeed. Her teaching style is practical, friendly, and individualized, fostering a supportive learning environment where students feel encouraged to actively participate, explore, and develop their own understanding beyond memorization and glossaries. More like a guide than a lecturer, she strives to inspire students to take ownership of their learning journey, helping them grow into confident professionals with the critical thinking skills needed for success in the T&I industry.
Tong Tong started to provide interpreting service to Mandarin and Cantonese speaking clients since 2014, with expertise in medical, legal, and business interpreting settings.
Tong Tong joined SIIT in 2017 as DI and CCL course trainer in both Mandarin and Cantonese. Through the years, she has been working with students from diverse backgrounds. For those who passionate about a career in interpreting, or international students who need to prepare for the language test for immigration purpose, she has a variety of approaches of teaching to help them achieving the goals.
Tong Tong focuses on practicing in class, she believes that practicing is the key for passing the test. Her experience in interpreting in different sectors enhances her ability to effectively communicate complex concepts to students.
Tong Tong
NAATI Certified Interpreter (Mandarin and English)
NAATI Provisional Certified Interpreter (Cantonese and English)
10 years of T&I industry experience in Australia
7 years of teaching experience in DI and CCL
Blake Zhong
Academic Staff & Trainer at SIIT
NAATI Certified Provisional Interpreter (Mandarin and English)
PTE Academic Perfect Score
Blake has a Bachelor of Communication from Boston University and a Master of Management from Duke University. She has worked in marketing, communications, early childhood education, business and accounting, and uses that broad experience to give practical and useful training.
Blake graduated from SIIT’s Diploma of Interpreting in 2023 with distinction and then joined SIIT as a trainer. Before focusing on interpreting, she taught General English at Pollard English, where she gained experiences on how to engage students with different backgrounds.
She specialises in interpreting for Education, Communication and Business. As an academic trainer and assessor, Blake offers one-on-one mentoring, structured pre-test preparation and NAATI style mock tests. Her sessions focus on improving accuracy, language proficiency, building confidence and refining exam techniques.
Blake’s teaching mixes assessment with rich practice. She uses error-aware exercises, detailed feedback and tailored simulated interpreting tasks, thus students not only meet the NAATI standard but also are ready for real interpreting work. She provides brief and focused pre-test coaching or longer-term mentoring with tailoring programs to each student’s goals.
