AICHOUR, Houaria

Native of Paris, Miss Houaria Aichour has been in New York since 2003. She holds a degree in applied languages and translation from la Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris and has previously worked as a translator and simultaneous interpreter in French/English and Italian. She also holds a master’s degree in French literature. She has won many scholarships and abroad assistantships and gained experience teaching French in England, Italy and New York at different levels and ages. She is also a high school teacher through a French Embassy program teaching French as a heritage language.

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AIT-JAFOUR, Samira

Madame Ait-Jafour came to the US in 2000, and has been teaching at FIAF for 4 years. She holds a degree in teaching from the Ecole Normale Supérieure, and has extensive experience in teaching French as a second language. She has been responsible for a wide range of activities at FIAF, notably the “French Start” program for elementary students in four New York City public schools, teacher training sessions and pedagogical counselling. She was also responsible for the specialized French language program for the Royal Navy of Morocco.

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ALLAMAR BONSIGNOUR, Ouarda

Ouarda Allamar Bonsignour arrived in New York in March 2007 and joined FIAF in February 2008. She lived previously in Paris, where she was a publisher for ten years in 2 well-known French education publishing houses. Ouarda holds a Bachelor's Degree in French spoken literature and a Master's Degree in French literature and language from the University Paris XIII.

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ANDERSON, Julia

FIAF is pleased to welcome this Parisian native to our teaching staff. Ms. Anderson comes to us from the Alliance Française of Chicago, where she has an extensive experience in the teaching of French as a foreign language at all levels. Read her answers to Le questionnaire de Proust.

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BEER, Muriel

Muriel, who has been on the FIAF teaching staff since 1990, has also taught at Fordham University. She holds a Master in English and a degree of teaching of French as a second language from l’Université des Sciences Humaines de Strastbourg, France. She has also participated in an English Language Teaching program at the British European Center in Oxford, England. Muriel is also an official examiner for the Business French exams. In addition to teaching, Muriel has studied acting and has performed in many plays at the Studio Dramatique in New York. Read her answers to Le questionnaire de Proust.

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BELNEAU, Michelle

Born in Haiti, Michelle Belneau has been working in the field of French as a foreign language for a long time, as a teacher of French at the Instituto angloamericano in Mexico for more than ten years and as a representative for Hachette Livres for 14 years. She holds a diploma in teaching French as a foreign language from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and has been trained also at the CAVILAM in Vichy, France.

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BIDAULT DE L'ISLE, Thierry

Mr. Bidault de l'Isle holds a doctorate in international politics from the Université des Sciences Politiques in Paris, and a diploma in classical French literature from the Sorbonne. He has extensive business experience in the private sector, having worked for various communications and publications firms. He has taught French in Paris and at the Alliance Française de Neuilly-sur-Seine. He is also the author of a guide book to France in English, entitled “Secrets of France". Read his answers to Le questionnaire de Proust.

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BRABANT, Marie-Hélène

Marie-Hélène Brabant is not only a first rate actress, she is a passionately dedicated theater artist with high standard of professionalism. Native of Picardie in France, she moved to Paris where she studied ballet and theater with some of the most inspiring teachers: M.Grimault, R.Franchetti (ballet) and R.Cordier, J.F.Calas (theater). For the past 15 years, M.H Brabant has been teaching theater games and acting techniques in Paris and New York. She developed a method, “Acting Outside The Box”, based on the simple mechanics of theater games and on a physical approach of the text. Marie-Hélène Brabant is a member of the Company In Parentheses, in New York, since 1999. Read her answers to Le questionnaire de Proust.

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CAMBIER-WEINSTEIN, Peggy

Ms. Cambier has worked as a translator and interpretor for a wide range of firms in France. She has taught at several schools in France, notably the Akodomia Private College Prep School.

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CARALP, Stéphanie

Ms Caralp lives in New York since February 2006 and has been teaching at the FIAF since June 2006. She holds a degree of teaching from the French State. She also has a master’s degree of comparative literature and a degree in the teaching of French as a second language from the University of La Sorbonne, Paris. She has taught grammar, literature and French as a first as well as a second language in several high schools in France.

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CASEY, Françoise

A native of Strasbourg, France, Madame Casey has studied languages and teaching in France, Germany and England. She has been teaching at FIAF for over 10 years, as well as having served as head of the FIAF children’s program for many years.

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CASSEUS, Marie-Thérèse

Madame Casseus holds a Master’s degree in French Literature and Romance languages from Columbia University, and taught there before coming to FIAF in 2000.

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CHAPOTEAU, Méroudji

Méroudji Chapoteau has lived in New York since July 2006. She holds a teaching degree from the Institut Supérieur de Pédagogie Galilée in Belgium and has experience teaching there and in Haïti before joining FIAF.

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CHIBANE, Selma

Madame Chibane came to FIAF in 2002. She was born in Algiers and holds a doctorate in veterinary medecine. She has a long experience in the teaching of French as a second language and was actively involved in FIAF’s “French Start” Program for the New York City Board of Education.

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COADOU, Gaëlle

This native of Nantes in the Atlantic region of France has become a true citizen of the world. She has taught French in Wales, Kenya, London and Paris before coming to New York last year. She has also served as an interpreter for the United Nations in Zagreb, as well as working there for the European Community Monitor Mission. She holds a Master’s degree in English from the Université de Nantes and a degree in in Teaching French as a second language from the Université of Grenoble. Read her answers to Le questionnaire de Proust.

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CONTRAIRE, Charlotte

Charlotte Foucaud-Contraire, native of Paris, holds a Master’s degree in French literature and cultural development, as well as in the teaching French as a second language. Before coming to FIAF in January 2008, she taught French to children and adults, and French theater at La Sorbonne.

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COUTURE, Charles

A teacher of literature, Charles Couture studied at la Sorbonne and one year in London where he received a Master’s degree. After passing the French Agrégation in 2002, he taught in Parisian high schools, and also taught a French Literature in Translation class at Delaware University in Paris (Reid Hall). He came to New York in September 2007 and is currently preparing a PhD in French literature. Charles has been teaching at FIAF since April 2008.

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DORGANS, Laetitia

An outstanding teacher, Madame Dorgans has been a member of the FIAF staff since 1968. Born in Bernac, France, she holds a degree in law and political science from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Toulouse.

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DOUIOU, Fatima

Mademoiselle Douiou has degrees in education and French from the Université Blaise Pascal de Clermont-Ferrand. She has over 18 years of teaching experience, and joined the FIAF staff in 2002. Madamemoiselle Douiou is also a guidance counselor for international students at the New Immigrants Program of the New York YMCA.

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DU SORDET, Blandine

Blandine du Sordet, native of Paris, decided to become a teacher after studying English and Law. She holds a Master’s degree in elementary education from the French Ministry of Education. She taught in many schools in Paris before coming to New York in January 2007. She joined FIAF in February 2008.

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DUTHU, Bernadette

Madame Duthu hails from Dijon, the heart of the Burgundy region of France. She holds a degree in art and archaeology from the Université of Dijon, and has been teaching at FIAF since 1991. A devoted and experienced yogi, Madame Duthu teaches yoga in various centers throughout Manhattan.

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FOUCHER, Philippe

Prior to coming to FIAF in 1999, Monsieur Foucher taught at Harvard University and at the University of North London. He was also on the teaching staff of the Alliance Française in London for over 10 years. A native of Tours, France, he holds a Master’s degree in the teaching of French as a second language from the Université F. Rabelais de Tours.

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FORST, Sophie

Sophie Forst is a native of Paris. She lived in Switzerland, Algeria and has been living in the United States for 14 years. She has been teaching French since 1996. She has worked as a cross-cultural consultant since 1998 and as a translator specializes in Arts, Law and Finance.

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GEOFFRION, Françoise

One of FIAF’s most experienced and beloved of teachers, Madame Geoffrion has been teaching at FIAF since 1962. Born in Paris, she has studied in Britain and taught in Germany prior to moving the United States. Before coming to FIAF, she worked as a translator/interpreter at the United Nations. She teaches a wide variety of reading and discussion classes, helping students discover the rich world of French and Francophone literature.

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HEMINWAY, Annie

Annie Heminway has been teaching grammar, creative writing, translation, classic and francophone literature at FIAF over the past twenty-five years. Ms. Heminway is the creator and moderator of the "Writing and Literary Workshops" program at FIAF. She is also the Director of the "Travel and Speak French" program, leading cultural tours in French to French-speaking countries around the world. In addition to her teaching activities, she is a professional translator and TV and film subtitler, as well as the author of over ten French language instruction books. She has also worked on numerous documentaries.

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HUDSON, Chantal

Chantal started teaching French in 2003. Since then, she has given group and private classes, has worked as a translator and has corrected papers for American, Italian and Swedish students studying French literature. She holds a degree in Linguistics and Anthropology with a concentration in first and second language acquisition, from the Université de Montréal. Her experiences living in Acadia (Canada), Quebec and Grenoble (France) have lead her to an interest in French dialects and accents, a topic on which she has copublished an article presented in Avignon in 2004, and on which she is still doing research with Professor Chevalier, from the Université de Moncton. She moved to New York in January 2007, when she first started working at FIAF.

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JURAN, Anne

Ms. Juran brings a varied and rich teaching experience to FIAF. With over 10 years of practice in the educational field, she has developed international educational projects for the development for community integration and the teaching of French as a second language. She has taught at high schools in France, Israel and New York, as well as at Louisiana State University and the Polytechnic University of Brooklyn.

She holds a master’s degree in Education with a specialization in French as a second language from the University of Louisiana in Baton Rouge, and a masters in Linguistics from the University of Paris, where her thesis covered the teaching of French to Anglo-Saxon children.

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KOZICKA, Joel

Mister K. first came to the USA to work, as an audio-visual specialist, with the French Cultural Services in NYC and FIAF, where he taught audio-visual and film courses at all levels from 1973 to 1981. Prior to that, he served as a teaching assistant in colleges in the U.K., Germany and Canada. He holds advanced degrees in English and Linguistics from the Université de Lille and graduated as a teacher of French as a second language from the CREDIF at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Saint-Cloud/Paris. He is also a Certified (English) Secondary School Teacher in France. He has now rejoined the FIAF faculty since 2002 with the same expertise and enthusiasm. In the interim, he served as a private consultant to French-American companies as well as to UNDP, a private tutor for UN diplomats and US corporate officers, an editorial consultant for French language textbooks and methods, as well as a movie dubber and sub-titler. He also is the past President of “France Invest” and a former Representative of Europ’Assistance.

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LARKEM, Nasser

Born in Villeneuve d’Ascq in the north of France, Mr. Larkem has travelled far and wide to share his enthusiasm for the teaching of French, with appointments in France, Spain, Texas, New Mexico, and the Middle East. He has recently arrived in New York from a teaching position in the Centre Franco-Saoudien in Dammam, Saudia Arabia. He has also served as an interpreter of French, Spanish and English for the French national soccer team for the World Cup championships. He holds a masters degree in History from New Mexico State University, and a degree in applied foreign languages from the University of Charles-de-Gaulle in Lille, France.

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LUCILE, Sylvie

Born in Paris, Sylvie Lucile arrived in New York July 2006 to work at the Lycée Français de New York. She is an accredited Spanish teacher by the French government and has a master’s degree in Spanish from the University of La Sorbonne, Paris. She taught French as a second language in the University of Valencia in Spain. She has a long teaching experience. She also served as a private tutor of Spanish and French for college students and professionals of nonprofit organizations. Sylvie joined FIAF in July 2007 and continues her work at the Lycée Français.

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MARTINHO, Melanie

Madame Martinho, a native of Dugny near Paris, holds a Master’s degree in European Law from the Sorbonne in Paris. Prior to coming to FIAF in 2002, she had a wide teaching experience, having been a French instructor at Pace University, Queens College and Baruch College. She is a bilingual speaker of Portuguese.

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MARTINS, Cyrille

Cyrille Martins received a Masters in Finance and a diploma in financial engineering at the University of Cergy-Pontoise, before completing an education to become a teacher in elementary school at I.U.F.M (teaching college) of Beauvais in France. He taught French as a second language in two elementary school in New York city for two years: at "Kew Forest School" and "St Saviour". He started teaching at Fiaf in September 06.

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MAY, Denise

Madame May, a native of Paris, has been teaching French as a Foreign Language at the French Institute Alliance Française for many years now, much to the pleasure of her students. She holds a Master’s Degree in French Literature from La Sorbonne. In the past, she has taught high school students in France, Canada and United States and has worked as a Language Consultant for Executives.

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MESNARD, Pierre

Pierre Mesnard is a Paris native who started teaching at the Alliance Francaise in September 2006. In France, he studied psychology and literature. Pierre also holds a French teaching diploma from Alliance Française de Paris. He worked as a journalist and copy-editor for several publications in Paris. He is also a fiction writer.

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MUKENI, Marie-Rose

Madame Mukeni was born in Kipushi, Congo. She holds a doctorate in psychology from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. Prior to coming to FIAF in 2003, she was a professor at the Université de Lubumbashi and the University of Kinshasa in the Congo. A well-recognized specialist in learning psychology, Dr. Mukeni has published numerous articles in the academic press and has presented papers at leading professional seminars and congresses. She also served as a consultant to the World Bank.

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NAPOLEON, Delcamise

Madame Napoleon has a long experience as a French teacher at the Alliance Françaises in the Dominican Republic and Mexico. A jurist by profession, she has also worked in the non-profit and governmental section in Mexico, Chile and the Dominican Republic.

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NOIRE, Marie-France

Madame Noiré is a native of Nancy in the Lorraine region of France, and holds a Master’s Degree in French Literature from the Université de Nancy, France. She has extensive teaching experience in high schools and colleges in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. A devoted yogi, she is the co-founder of the Kripalu Yoga Teacher’s Training Program. She actively promotes yoga through teaching and writing. She is the co-author of two books on personal and spirtitual growth, L’art de s’Ouvrir à la Vie and Vivre Consciemment au Quotidien.

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OLDENBURG, Chantal

Madame Oldenburg holds a Master’s Degree in Modern Literature from the Université de Paris III Sorbonne Nouvelle. She has taught French as a second language for more than 15 years, and has also given courses in Business French and French literature. In addition to her courses at FIAF, Madame Oldenburg teaches at the New York University School of Continuing Education and at the New School.

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PALUEL-MARMONT, Aurélia

Aurélia Paluel-Marmont was born in London and raised in Paris. In Paris, she studied French literature as well as history, geography and law, while teaching French literature and grammar to teenagers. She holds a Master's Degree in both medieval history and corporate law from the University of Paris X Nanterre. After studying law in Paris and London, Aurélia was admitted to the Paris bar in 1998 and practiced as an attorney in Paris before moving to NYC in 2001 where she is raising her four children. During all these years, Aurélia has always enjoyed instructing French as a first and second language to private students and small groups.

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PIERRARD, Dorothée

Dorothée Pierrard, native of Paris, studied child development for 3 years and has a French degree as a psychomotor educator. Dorothée joined FIAF in January 2008.

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PROST, Anna Caroline

Anna Caroline Prost comes from the golden island of Porquerolles, in the Mediterranean Sea. Raised in Provence, she studied American Literature and Civilization at the University of Nice, before undertaking a PhD in African American Art with the University of Toulon, in Provence. She is also pursuing a Masters in French Taught As A Foreign Language with the University of Grenoble. She has previously taught in London, where she was conducting her research. She has lived in New York since September 2006 and has been working at FIAF since October 2006. Read her answers to Le questionnaire de Proust.

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PUJA, Béatrice

Beatrice Puja holds a Baccalaureat en Mathematiques Elementaires from the Lycee Francais de Lima, Peru, a Bachelor of Sciences in Biology from the Gayetano Heredia School of Medicine in Lima, Peru, a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Comparative Religions from Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana, and a Masters of Sciences in Socio-Political and Economical Studies with major in Linguistics from the London International School of Linguists, Dublin Center, Ireland, in Spanish, French, Italian and English. She taught English and French at the School of Tourism of Madrid, Spain, French and Italian at Limerick School of Commerce, Ireland and at Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, and has been teaching at Fiaf since 2003. Read her answers to Le questionnaire de Proust.

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RAINEAU, Fanny

Fanny Raineau, born in Nantes (France), taught French in Barcelona, Catalonia for seven years, before coming to New York. She holds a BA in Philosophy from the Université de Nantes, a Master’s degree in Teaching of French as a Foreign Language from the Université Stendhal de Grenoble, and a Master’s degree in Education Sciences from the University of Barcelona, where she studied with Corinne Royer, one of the creators of Rond Point. Her previous professional experience includes the status of Professor at the Technological University of Catalonia, along with teaching French to a wide range of ages and in various professional environments.

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REICH, Ginette

Madame Reich, opera passionata, has been teaching at FIAF since 1982. A native of Clairvivre in the Dordogne region in France, she lived for many years in Israel where she taught French at the French Embassy of Tel Aviv, as well as Hebrew to American students in Netanya. She holds a Master’s degree in the teaching of French as a second language from New York University.

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RICOUARD, Isabelle

Isabelle Ricouard was born and raised in Picardie, France. She holds a Master’s degree and worked in a French Junior High School. For 3 years, she has been teaching French as a foreign language for all levels and publics at the Alliance Française de Chicago.
Read her answers to Le questionnaire de Proust.

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RIPOLL, Sophie

A native of Provence and "adopted" Parisian, Sophie completed her Associate's Degree in English-American Studies in 2000, after which she began teaching English as a Foreign Language to French children and teenagers in Paris. She graduated from La Sorbonne Nouvelle in 2004 where she completed a Bachelor's degree in teaching French as a Foreign Language. She then went on to teach French to foreign professionals and English to elementary school children. Sophie arrived in New York City in 2006 to pursue a Master's Degree in Bilingual Education; she also taught French at the United Nations International School before graduating in May 2007. She has been teaching at FIAF since July 2007.

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RODAS, Soledad

A native of Lyon, France, Madame Rodas has been teaching at FIAF since 1999. She has an advanced degree in Education from the Université de Lyon, and has studied Spanish at the Université de Santander in Barcelona. She has a long experience in primary-age education in schools in both France and Spain, and has done volunteer work as an educational coordinator in Equator. Read her answers to Le questionnaire de Proust.

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ROUSTAÏ, Guitty

Mrs. Roustai holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Development from the French Ministry of Education and has worldwide experience teaching young children. In New York, Mrs. Roustai has taught at Lyceum Kennedy, the Fleming School, and the Dalton School. Mrs. Roustai is the founder of La Croisette French Language Center, which for the past 14 years has provided an afterschool French program for toddlers, consultant services for establishing French programs in public and private schools, and a teacher training program.
Read her answers to Le questionnaire de Proust.

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ROWLAND, Caroline

Madame Rowland is truly an international teacher, having taught French in Turkey, South Africa, Spain, England, Germany, Martinique and the United States (Oregon, Wyoming, and Miami). She has been teaching at FIAF since 2001. She holds an advanced degree in the teaching of French as a second language from the Université de Haute-Bretagne in Rennes.

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SIEGEL, Stéfanie

Madame Siegel has been teaching at FIAF since 2000. She was educated in France and holds a Master’s degree in Education from Hunter College and an advanced degree in Economics and Political Science from the Université de Paris. She has been a consultant for various international companies, and has taught French in St. Germain-en-Laye in France and in New York at the Lycée Français, Hunter College High School and the Dalton School.

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SIU, Jennifer

Jennifer Siu was born in Paris and lived in Lausanne, Switzerland where she obtained a certificate in Business and taught private classes in German and French. She arrived in the U.S. in 1993 and studied at the University of Stony Brook. She holds a Bachelor in Education and a Master in French Literature. She has taught French at Long Beach middle and high schools at Hofstra University. Jennifer has been teaching French at FIAF since June 2007.

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TENNENBAUM, Isabelle

Isabelle Tennenbaum, native of Paris, holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Spanish from the Sorbonne and a Master’s in Communication from the New School in New York. She has 15 years experience in teaching and tutoring French at different levels. Isabelle started teaching at FIAF in January 2008.

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TRODEL, Yvette

Yvette is a Parisian native who is delighted to return to New York City and rejoin the FIAF faculty. She studied in France and England, where she attended the Middlesex Polytechnic (now Middlesex University), studying French and History. She has received a Teacher’s Certificate from the London Polytechnic. During her extensive travels, she has taught all levels of French in various schools. While living in Hong Kong, she taught high school at the Hong Kong International School. In London she taught in the Adult Education system of the London Board of Education as well as at the Canadian High Commission, teaching Embassy staff. In New York, Yvette was the Canadian Consulate teacher and also worked at the Alliance Francaise for 17 years. Before leaving New York, she taught full time in a high school, from eighth to twelth grades (AP French, Advance Placement Literature). While living in London, she joined a theatrical group and performed in many classical and modern French Plays, the theater being one of her passions. She holds a certificate of "Membres a vie des Professeurs de francais de Londres", Life membership of London’s French teachers.

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VAN PARYS, Julie

A native of Clermont-Ferrand in central France, Madame Van Parys joined the FIAF staff in 2004 and is currently teaching at Fordham University. She holds a master's degree in European Renaissance Reformation and Counter Reformation Studies from the Université Blaise Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand and a master's degree in teaching French as Foreign Language from the Université Stendhal in Grenoble. She has a wide range of teaching experience in high schools and professional organizations in France.

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WINKLER, Edith

A professional actress in Switzerland, Austria and France for over 15 years prior to coming to FIAF in 2001, Madame Winkler brings her wide experience in the theater arts to the benefit of her classroom. She holds a degree in Drama from the Ecole Supérieure d’Art Dramatique de Strasbourg, and dual degrees in the teaching of French as a second language and German literature from the Sorbonne. She has taught language and theater in both France and the United States. In addition to her performances on television, stage and screen, she is an accomplished singer, songwriter and published poet. She has recently completed a CD recording of her songs. She is also an active translator of German theater works and plays into French.

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YONOSSI, Zarina

Teacher since 1991 in various levels including French literature at FIAF, Madame Yonossi holds a diploma in the teaching of French as a second language from the Université Paul Valery (Montpelier, France), a doctorate in French literature from the Université de Paris-X Nanterre (“Le cycle de l’eau et du feu dans Salammbô de Flaubert”) and also a degree in political science from the Institute d’Etudes Politiques d’Aix-en-Provence, France.

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ZABOROWSKI, Stéphane

A member of the FIAF faculty since 1997, Mr. Zaborowski is also a French teacher at the Collegiate Packer Institute in Brooklyn. A native of Saint-Maur des Fossés outside of Paris, he holds a degree in archeology and art history from the Ecole du Louvre in Paris. Prior to coming to FIAF, he was a lecturer and tour leader at the Musée des Antiquités nationales de St. Germain-en-Laye, France.

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