Whoarewe

Level Coordinators/Teachers

Aurélie T - Collégiens 3

Hélène - Grands Ecoliers 1

Bonjour, I’m Aurélie and I have been a part of EFGS since 2021. Originally from France, I moved to the PNW with my husband 18 years ago. We have two high school-aged children who grew up speaking three languages in our multicultural home.
As a Montessori-trained educator with a PhD in Neuroscience, I have experience teaching students from PreK to college undergraduates and I am dedicated to bringing my expertise both as the maternelles coordinator and teacher. By leveraging my scientific background, I strive to explore innovative and effective educational strategies to support each student's development while engaging them in their learning.
In addition to my professional pursuits, I am an avid traveler, continually eager to explore new countries and cultures.

My name is Hélène. I was born and raised in Montréal, Canada. I completed my Bachelor degree in Special Education with a specialty in Learning difficulties, and taught 18 years in First Grade. I have been living in this magnificent PNW region since 2004. I enjoy spending my free time with my husband, and my two grown up boys. I have been with E.F.G.S. since January 2011. This school year, I will be teaching Les Grands Écoliers 2 online and Les Grands-Écoliers 1 in person. I am as well the Program Coordinator for the Elementary Level. I enjoy spending time with my family, watching movies, reading, camping, hicking, gardening, and exploring Washington and all it has to offer. Before concluding, I would like to share this beautiful quote from Maria Montessori "The joy of learning is as essential to intelligence as breathing to the runner".

Teachers

Zoé Petits Bouts

Audrey Petits Ecoliers

I'm Zoé

Born and raised in a small village in southern France, I moved to the Paris suburbs to become a French government-certified primary school teacher. I taught in elementary schools for 11 years until our two children and I followed my husband to Seattle. My passions include pedagogy, psychology, neuroscience, and education in general. I continuously educate myself through various trainings and certifications. After becoming a Montessori-certified teacher for children aged 3 to 9, I’m now close to completing my master’s degree in Special Education. In parallel, I work as a special education teacher in a bilingual school and privately tutor students. I firmly believe that every child has the potential to learn, and I advocate for creating learning environments that foster knowledge and ignite curiosity and motivation. Outside of work, I enjoy gardening, sewing, cooking, traveling, and spending quality time with my family. Joining EFGS provided me the opportunity to teach your children, and I’m thrilled to continue this year as well!”

Cécile Ecoliers 1

Nadège Ecoliers 2

My name is Cécile Munro-Lynch. I grew up in Normandy near Evreux. I got my teaching degree in France in 2003 and my master’s degree in teaching French as a second language in 2010. I first moved to Seattle in 2006 where I met my husband. We now have two boys aged 13 and 6 and we love our life in the Pacific Northwest. When I have free time, I enjoy running, hiking or being outdoors with my family and friends. I am grateful to be working at EFGS again this year and be part of this wonderful and supportive community and I am looking forward to meet my new students.

I am Nadège Margaria is from Nice France. Right after finishing my "Maitrise d'Histoire de l'Art", at Aix-Marseilles University in Aix-en-Provence in May 2003, I moved to the States in San Diego CA. Being completely immersed in the American culture, I quickly became bilingual. San Diego is where I started my Yoga journey, I then became an instructor, and started teaching dance classes during that time as well. My passion for teaching is obvious. In 2005, I returned to Nice for 3 years where I taught dance and yoga all over the French Riviera. In 2008 I returned to the States, this time moving to Leavenworth, WA. I then kept teaching dance, yoga and fitness, and was the French tutor for 2 school girls for 4 years. I got my Fitness and Health Coach certification through NASM in 2020. Last Spring I got a full time job at the French Immersion School of WA and moved with my teenager to Issaquah, which we love!

Virginie Grands Ecoliers 2

Sonia Petits Apprentis

I was born and raised in France, in a small village near Dijon, Burgundy. After high school, I left France to go to England to learn English. This is where I discovered a passion for travel which led me to work in the travel and airline industry for more than 7 years.
I moved a lot and lived in different countries the past 24 years including 2 years in England, 2 years in Canada, 10 years in Ireland and now 11 years here in the U.S.A.
I have two daughters and together with my husband we enjoy the numerous outdoor activities the region has to offer from mountain biking, hiking to snowboarding.
I'm happy to be back and teach the same class for a third year.

Cyrille Collégiens 1 & 2

Bonjour ! Originally from the Paris area, I came to Seattle after I received my Master’s degree in English and US Social Studies. I first taught French at Highline College and then transitioned to teaching English to our population of immigrants and refugees in the Greater Seattle. I later received a post-Master’s degree from Seattle U in Education and Language Teaching. Throughout my career as an educator, I’ve developed a deep passion for cultures, languages, literacy, diversity, and inclusion. My daughter has been a student at EFGS for 10 years now. As a parent, I’ve volunteered in my child’s classrooms and also coordinated our very own library system for a few years. This school year, I will teach the Collégiens 1 in-person class alongside Lisa. I am looking forward to helping our children develop their love and mastery of our French language, and explore the many francophone cultures! When my time is not spent teaching, I love to be with friends and family, hiking, camping, reading, travelling, and always learning.

Muriel Experts

I have been a teacher at the EFGS association since 2015. I left my native country of France, and region of Franche-Comté, to live a great adventure in the USA with my husband and to build a family here. Eager to find a Francophone association to meet other people speaking French, I had the opportunity to register my two children from a young age to EFGS school. Happy with this new conjunction, I made my debut at EFGS as a volunteer in the early grades. Passionate about this profession and dedicated, I invested a lot in my first 3 years of teaching in the early childhood classes. I then had the chance to teach the older ones in elementary school. An interactive level that I love while willingly taking care of the little ones. Creative mind and attracted to visual art, I always have this desire to find new tools and ideas both visual and fun to allow the student to learn French while having fun. My first objective make the child happy to come and share good times in my class with his French-speaking friends. I free myself in my house to do crafts and artistic creations, I love to maintain my garden. My children are now 13 and 14 years old, a good age to discover new places and new activities with the family. I will end with this beautiful quote from Norbert Kalfon « Teaching a language is proposing a trip, learning it is leaving » So let's go on a trip!

Sophie Experts

Michelle Ecoliers 1

Hi, I am Sophie Vallat. I am French, from Val d’Oise, in France, and moved to the United States with my family 9 years ago. I first lived in Brooklyn for 3 years; then, we settled in the Seattle area 6 years ago. I am a Registered nurse and continue to work in a medical center. In my free time, I listen to a lot of music and have recently started piano lessons.
I also like to prepare pastries, breads, and “Viennoiseries” for my family. In addition, I believe that learning French is important, which is why I worked with the E.F.G.S. team from 2018 to 2022, and I am delighted to contribute once again to the study andpreservation of the French language.

Bonjour! I’m Michelle, and I am excited to join the EFGS team as an assistant to Cecile for “Les Ecoliers 1.” I look forward to supporting the children to have fun learning French while also pursuing the FLAM teacher certification. I have had a passion for the French language since
university where I earned my undergraduate degree in Foreign Languages from Washington State University. I had the opportunity to study at the Universidad de Las Americas in Puebla, Mexico; and the Université de Franche-Comte in Besancon, and the Université de Nice, in Nice, France.
I have worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly 20 years and reside with my family in Seattle where we enjoy the mountains, ferry rides, and traveling both locally and internationally. My husband is French, and our daughter has attended EFGS for almost 5 years (and loves it!). We are very happy to be a part of the EFGS community.

Assistants

Anabelle

Natasha

Bonjour! I’m Anabelle.

Bonjour! I’m Natasha. I was born in Brazil and moved to Montreal, Canada when I was 9 years old. That is where I learned and fell in love with the French language. I completed my bachelor’s and master’s degree in Economics in Canada and in 2009, I moved to Seattle to join my husband. This year, I have decided to explore my love for languages, join the fabulous team at EFGS, and undergo training to become a certified French teacher.
I am a mom to 3 kids who are all students at EFGS! In my free time, I enjoy reading, ice skating, baking and traveling with my family.
This year I will be assisting Nadège in the Saturday morning class Ecoliers 2.

Marco

Maya

Renn

Almira

Diana

Rohan

Lakshmi

Fred

Chiara

Directors

Lisa	Laurence C

I am very honored and pleased to be the new EFGS Program Director as well as the Lycéens teacher. I have been working at EFGS first as a volunteer then as a teacher for the past 5 years, while working fulltime at a private local school as a French, Spanish and Video Production teacher. I was born in Normandy, France, in a family of 3 children and bathed in a multicultural environment through my mother who is from Réunion island (French territory). I completed my Bachelor and my Master’s degree in Education and teaching, as well as achieving the “concours de l’Éducation Nationale” in France. I arrived in the US (in Seattle) in August 2016. I am now married to an American, and I have a 07-year-old stepdaughter.

Laurence is the Executive Director of EFGS, in charge of all the things that are not related to the academic part of the program :-).
I joined the EFGS team in September 2023. Originally from Nancy, France, I studied Foreign Languages at the University of Metz, Marketing at the University of Montpellier, and earned a Master's in International Management at ICN School in Nancy and La Salle University in Mexico. My passion for Latin America led me to live in Mexico for 19 years, working in Marketing and Customer Experience for international companies. In 2019, I moved to Seattle, where I met my Mexican husband, and we welcomed our daughter in 2022. IN parallel,I am a Yoga trainer (RYT-500) and Low Pressure Fitness Coach. I enjoy traveling, food, hiking, and learning. After teaching Les Petits Apprentis and pursued FLAM teacher certification last year, I have the honor to manage the imaging team and school.

Board of Directors

Alain President

Arnaud Vice President

A mechanical engineer by trade, Alain Durand worked successively in the construction, automotive and aerospace industries. After in financial then general management positions. He is currently the CFO of TEAGUE, a leading design firm based in Seattle. Alain moved to Seattle in 2014 with his family. His wife Roshini volunteered at EFGS for several years. He has been on EFGS board since 2015, as the treasurer for 3 years, and as it s President since January 2019.

Arnaud has an engineering background and worked for different major software companies as a sales engineer or as a partner manager. Arnaud is originally from France where he spent his time between Paris and Brittany. His parents and twin brother still live in Brittany where he loves travelling there when travels are permitted. He moved to Seattle, WA in 2017 with his lovely wife Emmanuelle and two young kids, Maxence (10 yo) and Aurel (6yo). Both kids speak French fluently and are enrolled at EFGS in Petite Section and Grand Ecolier.Arnaud values communication and acknowledges French language also as a vehicle of the French culture. He appreciates how EFGS allows his kids to also keep a strong connection with their French roots and hopes that this will help many other families to get exposed to it as well.

Céline Secretary

Ludovic Board Involvement Chair

Born in the USA from French parents, she grew up in Rouen, on the Seine river and would spend her summers in Brittany. At the end of her School of Engineering master program, she did a 6-month internship in Bellevue for a software company and fell in love with the region.
She has now lived in the Puget Sound since 2003 with her husband Scott, Scott’s son, Noah, and their two daughters, Chloé and Léa.
Céline understands deeply the challenges of bilingualism raising the girls in a bilingual family and was thrilled to find the EFGS FLAM program for them to strengthen their connection to the French language and cultures, and to value their bilingual uniqueness and cultivate it.
After volunteering regularly for the program, Céline got the opportunity to get involved in a more direct way and support the managing board by taking on the new role of Program Director in August 2016. She then transitioned to Assistant Director 2 years later when she moved to Bellingham. in 2021, after retiring from the position, she joined the EFGS board as she wished to continue to contribute to its mission.

Ludovic is originally from France and came to the United States in 2009 with his wife Sara, who is originally from Seattle. After living in New York City, they moved to San Francisco in 2010, and then to Seattle in 2013. They have 3 children, Alexandre, Margot and Elliot. Alexandre and Margot speak French fluently and are enrolled at EFGS. The youngest, Elliott, will do the same once he's old enough. Throughout his professional career, Ludovic has worked in team and project management to localize content for video game publishers. French education is an important value for his family so Ludovic is excited to contribute to expanding Francophone culture in Seattle.

Sophie Co-Founder & Communication Chair

Megan Community Chair

Originally from France, Sophie moved to the US in 2000 and to Seattle in 2008 with her family. Not long after her arrival in the PNW, she worked with a small group of francophone parents to start a French afterschool program in the area. Their vision was to offer their children a place where they could get a quality French language education and build friendships within the community. This would become EFGS in 2009. As one of the founders, she served on the Board as its President until 2017 and stays actively involved on an Honorary basis. While her background is in Business and Marketing, she is pursuing her interest in providing solutions to families facing the challenges of raising bilingual children

A native Californian, Megan studied French in school and spent a year in Rennes in Brittany going to lycée and living with a host family. She has worked as an engineer and project manager in aerospace followed by a short stint with a big tech company. She moved with her family to Seattle in 2020 and found EFGS soon after. Her children Poppy, Piper, and Félix speak French and Mandarin at home, and value both the education and the rich community ties that EFGS brings. When not volunteering with EFGS, Megan enjoys bouldering and playing classical music.

Camille Treasurer

Marie-Jo Education Chair

Camille was born in France. She started her career in finance in London and Hong Kong and first came to the US in 2014 to get her MBA. After graduating, she joined a tech company working on digital content acquisition and distribution. Camille moved back to the US and to Seattle in 2020 with her husband Frederic and their two sons, Theodore and Benjamin. The family speaks French at home and are very glad to have the EFGS support their efforts to have bilingual kids. They love to spend time in the French Landes every summer and enjoy skiing and sailing in the PNW the rest of the year.

OUR WONDERFUL TEAM

Level Coordinators/Teachers​