Jessie Harman holds a master’s degree in business administration and a doctorate in social entrepreneurship. She enjoyed two decades in higher education, beginning as a lecturer in marketing and ending as pro vice-chancellor (international and partnerships) at Federation University Australia, where she managed high-value state and federal government-funded programs and initiatives. She is now a consultant to tertiary education providers in regulatory compliance, quality assurance, and risk management for international education.
Harman first experienced Rotary in 1988 as a participant in Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kings Meadows in Tasmania. Since joining Rotary in 1999, she has served in roles that include RI Membership Committee chair and governors-elect training seminar coordinator and trainer. She also served as a member of the 2020 Honolulu Convention Committee; Rotary coordinator for Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands; training leader and seminar trainer at the International Assembly; and RI president’s representative. Harman says her first role as a Rotary leader left a lasting impression. “My proudest moment was probably taking on the reins of president in my club — my first opportunity to truly experience the positive impact of Rotary on the everyday lives of others.”
A resident of Ballarat, Victoria, she has been recognized as one of “Ballarat’s 100 most influential women” by Zonta International. She is nonexecutive director on several boards in the education, arts, and community sectors locally and throughout Australia. A long-distance walker, Harman trekked nearly 500 miles (800 km) across rural Spain on the Camino Francés.
Harman and her husband, Andrew, who is also a Rotarian, support The Rotary Foundation as Major Donors and Bequest Society members.
