Meet our expert teachers

Alexandra has over a decade of experience teaching French to children and adults. She has taught learners from age 2 and up, as well as advanced French literature and intermediate and elementary French at the university and business-school level. In 2021, she also took on the role of Director of Admissions at the French International School of Raleigh, where she had taught for ten years.

She holds a Master’s degree in Law from the Catholic University of Louvain and previously practiced as an attorney at the Bar of Tournai. Her diverse professional background brings a broad perspective to her teaching and a strong appreciation for language, communication, and education.

In 2024, Alexandra relocated to San Diego and is excited to continue sharing her love of the French language and culture with a new community.

Outside the classroom, she enjoys exploring California with her children, reading, and practicing yoga.

Anastasia is a certified French teacher with a passion for language, culture, and education. Since 2015, she has taught French to both children and adults, developing a student-centered approach that encourages confidence, curiosity, and a genuine enjoyment of learning.

With experience teaching learners of different ages and levels, Anastasia particularly enjoys helping her students build their skills and gain confidence. For her, one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching is seeing students make progress and discover the pleasure of communicating in French.

Outside the classroom, Anastasia has a deep appreciation for the arts and a particular love of Impressionism. She also enjoys practicing yoga and traveling, discovering new places and cultures along the way.

Bénédicte is a passionate educator and artist who has been teaching at AFSD since 2009. She teaches both French and art to children, teens, and adults, in person and online, combining her love of language, culture, and creativity in the classroom.
Her educational background includes 12 units in Early Childhood Development from San Diego City College, professional training with CAVILAM Vichy, and certification as a TEF oral examiner. She also studied art through the San Diego Community College District and brings her experience as an artist into her teaching.
Bénédicte is passionate about helping students develop their skills while encouraging curiosity and self-expression. Outside the classroom, she nurtures her own creativity through drawing and painting and enjoys visiting art museums around the world.

Christelle holds a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages from Paris Sorbonne Nouvelle, with a focus on International Business. She also earned the DAEFLE and is a certified DELF, DALF, and TCF examiner-corrector. With over 15 years of experience, she has developed a wide range of teaching expertise across diverse educational and cross-cultural settings, alongside strong skills in program coordination, assessment, and communication.
She has developed strong expertise in exam procedures and candidates’ needs. As Exams and Certifications Director at AFSD, she oversees the organization and quality of official French exams while supporting candidates with a caring, human-centered approach.

After earning her diploma as a teacher of French, Daria spent two years in Tours, where she taught and immersed herself in the language and culture of the Loire Valley. She later moved to the U.S. to continue her studies in French literature, earning an MA from Notre Dame and a Ph.D. from Stanford. Daria is a certified DELF, DALF, and TCF examiner-corrector.

Based in San Diego since 2008, Daria shares her deep appreciation for French language, culture, and literature with students and the wider community. As AFSD’s Book Club Coordinator, she brings her passion for French literature to readers and leads engaging conversations around French books, authors, and ideas.
Outside the classroom, Daria enjoys cooking, particularly exploring the recipes and techniques of renowned French chef Paul Bocuse, as well as sharing her enthusiasm for French culture and literature with others.

Elisabeth holds diplomas in French Studies, Linguistics, and Translation, as well as DELF-DALF certification from A1 to C2 through the International Center of Pedagogical Studies (CIEP) in Sèvres, France. She is also a certified eTEF oral examiner for the Paris Île-de-France Chamber of Commerce.
Elisabeth has taught French at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) and as a private tutor. She has been teaching at AFSD since 2009 and currently serves as Outreach Director, supporting AFSD alumni in their continued language learning and cultural development. She also holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
Outside of teaching, Elisabeth enjoys hiking and exploring the outdoors.

Estela has 30 years of experience teaching French to children, including children with special needs, as well as teenagers and adults. Her educational experience also includes five years as Head of an Adult Education Program and serving as a School Library Coordinator.

She studied Modern Languages and Literature, with a focus on French and German, and holds certifications in DELF and TEF. She joined the Alliance Française/French Institute in New York in 2017 before continuing her teaching career in California and joining AFSD in 2021.

Since 2024, Estela has served as AFSD’s Educational Director, overseeing and supporting the organization’s educational programs and teaching team.

Gaëlle has 20 years of experience teaching French to children and adults. She has taught across the Alliance Française network, including in Glasgow, Scotland; Princeton, New Jersey; and Berkeley, California. In the San Francisco Bay Area, she also led numerous after-school FLE and FLAM programs through Education Française Bay Area and most recently taught French to 4th through 8th graders at a private school.

She holds a DAEFLE diploma in teaching French as a second language, as well as a California Teaching Credential in French. She also holds a degree in Journalism and a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, bringing a strong background in language, communication, and education to her teaching.

Now settled in San Diego, Gaëlle is excited to continue sharing her passion for French and inspiring new students with la langue de Molière.

Garance studied Educational Sciences and Psychology in Nantes. After earning her diploma, she returned to Paris to explore her passion for Japanese and art. In 2008, she moved to Japan, where she spent several years teaching French. Since then, she has been devoted to teaching French as a foreign language—a role she finds deeply fulfilling. When she’s not in the classroom, you’ll likely find her perfecting dessert recipes or enjoying a horseback ride.

Isabelle holds a Master’s degree in Classical Literature from Paris IV Sorbonne. She grew up near Paris, where she loved exploring museums, theaters and libraries, experiences that sparked her passion for French language and culture.

Isabelle especially enjoys sharing her love of the French language—its origins, its beautiful evolution, and the culture that surrounds it— with both children and adults. Her first and most cherished students are her two bilingual French-English daughters, with whom she shares her love of reading.

Isabelle enjoys inspiring children to discover the joy of books and is actively involved in her daughters’ elementary school, where she helped organize the school’s Read-a-Thon.

Her favorite French authors include Molière, Racine, Victor Hugo, and Balzac.

Jean-Louis has taught at Berlitz Schools, the Alliance Française/French Institute in New York City, National University, the University of San Diego, and UC San Diego, where he earned his Ph.D. and served as a part-time lecturer in French literature and instructor in both the Literature and Linguistics Departments. In addition to teaching, he works as a translator and has conducted research on narrative theory and comic books. He particularly enjoys teaching adults, appreciating the enthusiasm and self-motivation of learners who have chosen to study independently. His classes are interactive, with a strong focus on role-playing and conversation designed to reflect real-life situations.

Laurence joined AFSD in 2022 after several years living on the East Coast. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics and Marketing. Passionate about art, Laurence has studied painting in depth and works with various media including watercolor, oil, and acrylic. Her art classes thoughtfully combine painting techniques with insights from art history.
Coming from a family of educators, Laurence is deeply committed to teaching and to sharing her enthusiasm for lifelong learning. At the Alliance Française, she teaches both French and art classes.

Layla has more than 25 years of experience teaching French to learners of different ages and backgrounds. Throughout her career, she has taught both children and adults, including volunteering in France to teach French to immigrants from diverse backgrounds.

She holds a Master’s degree in Economics and has continued to develop her teaching experience across different educational settings. She currently teaches at a local language center and at AFSD, while also running her own French tutoring business.

Layla is passionate about helping students build confidence in French and discover the richness of the language and its culture. She particularly values the connections that develop through learning a new language and seeing students progress on their French journey.

Nadine is an experienced educator and psychotherapist with more than 20 years of experience in both fields. She began her career as a French teacher at Collège Louise Wegmann while earning teaching certificates from the Centre Culturel Français. She later worked as a therapist at Saint-Joseph University and became a school director at MyschoolPulse, where she supported children receiving treatment in hospital. She also led Art Therapy sessions in collaboration with The Red Pencil.

Nadine holds two Master’s degrees, in Educational Psychology and Clinical and Pathological Psychology. Her background in education and psychology gives her a strong understanding of students’ individual needs and supports her compassionate and engaging approach to teaching.

Outside of teaching, Nadine enjoys traveling, reading, writing, gardening, and photography.

Olivier has more than 25 years of experience teaching French to students of all ages and backgrounds. Since 1999, he has taught in French schools in Japan, Libya, South Korea, and Florida, before moving to California in 2013. He taught at AFSD for six years, working with learners of all ages, and currently teaches 5th grade in French at the Language Academy, a public magnet school in San Diego, following four years teaching Kindergarten.

He holds Master’s degrees in Education and Biochemistry and is certified to administer the DELF-DALF examinations at levels A1 through B2. Throughout his career, Olivier has developed interactive teaching methods that encourage students to engage with both the French language and culture.

Outside the classroom, he enjoys gardening, exploring national parks, and traveling.