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Meet our admin team!
Julie Ripoll
Executive Director
Julie Ripoll moved to California, with her family, in 2012 after living in Austin, Texas. Julie Ripoll holds a Master of Law, Economics and Management from the University of Paris Sorbonne, and an MBA from the Paris Institute of Business Administration (IAE - Sorbonne Business School).
She went to UCSD to learn more about fundraising and development while volunteering in various organizations related to education or social justice. She worked at San Diego French American School, then opened her company “San Diego, c’est beau!” which helped newcomers settle in the Finest City of America (relocation) and showed tours with historical and architectural sights.
While in France, she worked as a computer scientist at the Marine Nationale, as a geographical information analyst at the Town Hall of Mougins, and was elected in the city of Pegomas as a councilwoman.
She enjoys going on a walk or watching a movie with her family, and making her own sourdough bread or baguettes in her free time.
Estela has lived in France and Portugal with her family, where she studied modern Languages and Literature. She loves everything related to languages and aspires to be a polyglot.
Her life has been dedicated to Education, particularly in the French language. For 20 years she worked as a French teacher in Portuguese schools. Even after moving to the United States, she continues her mission as a French teacher in the Alliances françaises in San Diego and New York.
In Portugal, Estela also served as the Educational Director of an Adult Education Program for five years - a challenge she accepted and successfully achieved as part of a group effort.
Beyond her professional life, Estela enjoys reading, watching movies and series, and traveling. As someone raised in both French and Portuguese cultures, she has a deep appreciation for good food and fine wine!
Estela Baptista
Educational Director
Laurence has been living in the USA since 2013. She moved to San Diego after 8 years on the East coast. She holds a Master of Economics & Management from the University of Paris Dauphine, and an Master in Marketing from the Aix Institute of Business Administration (IAE). Alongside her training and career in marketing, she is a professional artist, passionate about art history and culture.
Laurence is in charge of the communication, and the events of the AFSD alongside teaching art classes.
She gives art lectures and writes for art publications. She is a wikipedia contributor on a mission to enrich biographies of women artists.​
Laurence Vaurie
Director of Cultural Affairs
Perrine Dellicour
Certificate Coordinator
Perrine moved to San Diego in January 2023, bringing with her a wealth of international teaching experience and a strong commitment to language education.
After earning a Master’s degree in French as a Foreign Language (FLE) from the University of Brussels, she began her career at the French Institute – Alliance Française of New York City (FIAF). She then continued teaching in Paris and Belgium, working with learners of all ages and proficiency levels in both academic and corporate settings.
Between 2019 and 2022, Perrine earned all DELF, DALF, and TCF certifications in collaboration with the Alliance Française of Brussels-Europe, further strengthening her expertise in exam preparation and assessment.
Now based in California, Perrine teaches French at the Alliance Française of San Diego, where she also oversees the Certifications department.
Véronique graduated from Paris University with a degree in social and economic administration. She spent a decade working in various Human Resources roles at Manpower and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris while residing in the suburbs of Paris. In 2009, she relocated to San Francisco, where she took on part-time positions at Google and Palo Alto Networks.
After five years in the Bay Area, she and her family moved to San Diego, often referred to as America's finest city. She feels fortunate to live there, enjoys hiking with friends, and loves exploring the natural beauty and lifestyle of Southern California.