Susan Staley, Founding Director
Meet Susan, Your Gap Year Consultant
Susan is a gap year consultant who designs custom gap year experiences for high school graduates, college students, and adults ready for a meaningful break. Drawing on nearly two decades in international education, including her current role as an International Health, Safety, and Security Duty Officer for the University of Virginia, she helps clients turn a gap year into a foundational experience — one that builds real-world skills, confidence, and a deeper understanding of the world.
How Susan Became a Gap Year Consultant
Susan's own gap year — spent as a Rotary exchange student in Chile — sparked a lifelong passion for cultural immersion and experiential learning. As an undergraduate, she conducted independent research in Brazil as a Center for Global Health Scholar and studied at Peking University in Beijing, earning a B.A. in Latin American Studies and Spanish from the University of Virginia. She later completed an M.A. in Latin American Studies at the University of New Mexico.
Before launching her consulting practice, Susan spent three years leading gap year programs across Asia and Latin America — trekking the Himalayas, snorkeling the Galápagos, and building wells in rural Cambodia alongside gap year students. She then directed a multi-country study abroad program in Europe for five years, teaching intercultural learning, developing student safety and risk management plans, and mentoring students through nine weeks of immersive travel each year. Along the way, she also took a solo three-month backpacking trip through New Zealand and Australia.
Susan's Approach to Gap Year Planning
Today, Susan works one-on-one with students and adults to design custom gap year experiences that align with each client's interests, goals, and budget. Whether you're planning a structured gap year abroad, a semester of independent travel, or a personalized mix of volunteering, work, and adventure, Susan helps clients build experiences that challenge them and set them up to thrive — in college, career, and life.
Beyond Consulting
Susan also serves as an International Health, Safety, and Security Duty Officer for the University of Virginia, supporting the safety of students and travelers abroad. She continues to travel regularly, vetting gap year programs firsthand, practicing her language skills, and exploring new and familiar destinations with her family. Based in Nashville, TN, Susan works with gap year clients around the globe.
