Our instructors have experience teaching French as a second language to students of all ages, and have completed advanced degrees in French language and literature studies. They bring native speaking capabilities to the classroom and have been fully immersed in the language while studying and working abroad in France.
Rebecca, originally from Austin, has over 9 years of experience working in France in higher education while volunteering for nonprofits on the side. As a dual citizen of France and the United States, she has a passion for all things French. She enjoys connecting people as well as learning about other languages and cultures. When she's not working, Rebecca loves running, hosting dinner parties, discovering new films, learning Spanish, and volunteering.
Beatrice is from the beautiful region of France known as Brittany. She has a bachelor's degree in Business and Administration from Rennes University. She has also lived in Connecticut, New Jersey and Florida, and recently moved to Denver after three years back in Brittany. Outside work, she enjoys time with her two daughters and their Bernese Mountain Dog. Passionate about nature, she loves hiking, skiing, the ocean, gardening, movies, music, and art.
Originally from Quebec, Canada, Sonya has lived in the United States since 2002. She earned her Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Victoria, British Columbia, in 2003 and went on to teach at the University of Wisconsin for several years. She later chose to focus on raising her two children. After several relocations, she and her family put down roots in Denver, where they’ve lived for the past 11 years. In her free time, Sonya enjoys kickboxing, cycling, gardening, playing board games, watching K-Dramas, and making art with her daughter.
Linda, a Denver native, took her first French lesson at the Alliance Française de Denver and remains passionate about French language and culture. She has lived in London, Paris, and Morocco, and spent 14 years at Denver Botanic Gardens in visitor services where she learned so much about the magic of plants. She is also a musician, potter, and gardener. She volunteers at the Temple Grandin Equine Center where she spends enriching time with horses and people. She loves raspberry macarons and strolling through Parisian gardens.
Anaïs, born in Normandy, spent her childhood in Paris before moving to San Francisco and later Montreal, where she earned a BA in Political Science from McGill University. She also holds an MA in International Relations from INALCO, Paris. After living in Seattle and Chicago, she now resides in the Denver Metropolitan Area. Anaïs enjoys skiing and backpacking in Colorado, as well as throwing pottery in her free time.
A Francophone and fully bilingual in English, Diane has gained extensive experience in the diplomatic and administrative fields, having spent over seven years at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., as Assistant to the First Secretary. After this rewarding chapter, she chose to take a six-year break from her career to focus on her family. Today, enriched by both her professional background and personal journey, she’s ready to bring her skills and expertise to new opportunities.
Fawzia Ahmad, Ph.D., is a French professor at Pikes Peak State College in Colorado, where she teaches advanced French. She has published 20 scholarly articles and a book titled A Study of Land and Milieu in the Works of Algerian-Born Writers Albert Camus, Mouloud Feraoun, and Mohammed Dib. She is an A1–B2 examiner for France Education and a language consultant for the U.S. Department of Defense in the Mountain region. She actively promotes both French and Urdu, her native language, through courses and presentations across the state.
Amadou Aw is a well known hip-hop artist and social activist who immigrated to the USA from his home country Senegal. Polyglot, he is passionate about learning and teaching languages, traveling, meeting new people and ways of life, experiencing different food and cultures. He is a writer and loves giving lectures on his African heritage, personal experiences and points of views on modern times.
Quint moved to Denver in 2022. He has been in love with French language, culture and history ever since childhood. He holds a Master’s degree in French and Francophone Studies and has been teaching French at the university level for the past 5 years. He loves reading, creating historical costumes and spending time with his niece and nephews!
Originally from Montreal, Andrea has been teaching French since 2001 and is currently the World Language Coordinator for Denver Public Schools. She holds a Masters degree in French Civilization from Middlebury College. Andrea is passionate about exploring the Francophone world through storytelling, music and art, and is the author of a zombie novel for language learners. Outside the classroom, Andrea enjoys hiking, weightlifting, cooking and gardening.
Luigina holds a master's degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and has taught French in various schools and/or universities for many years. She enjoys teaching a wide range of courses to an eclectic mix of students.
Flo was born near Paris and is passionate about French culture, history and art. She has degrees in English and German translation and as a National Tour Guide which allows her to guide visitors in French National Monuments such as Le Louvre. Teaching, traveling and drawing are her passions. She now lives in Denver with her family and enjoys discovering the American culture.
Crystal is a Montana native who has recently moved to Denver. While growing up in Montana, she was always fascinated by French Language and culture. From being the oldest child still attending French Camp every summer, to moving to Lyon to attend the Universite Jean Moulin Lyon III - Crystal has made it her life's mission to immerse herself in the French language and culture as much as possible. Crystal worked as an English teacher with French students outside of Paris during the 2020/2021 school year and learned how much she loves working with students! Now that she's back stateside, Crystal enjoys hobbies such as arts and crafts and weekly trivia nights with friends.
Christian has taught science and French to junior high school students. He enjoys teaching French at the Alliance Française de Denver.
Benoît, originally from Lower Normandy near Mont-Saint-Michel, earned a PhD in Bioprocess Engineering from the University of Nantes. He later moved to the United States to join the CU-Boulder. Between 2010 and 2020, he lived between France and the United States, including New Mexico, Texas, and Illinois, before settling permanently in Denver in 2021. Passionate about science, the circular economy, and sustainable production, Benoît works as a Bioprocess Engineer at Phaxtec in Denver, where he contributes to the development of sustainable, natural, and cost-effective biodegradable plastics. In his free time, Benoît enjoys hiking, skiing, and cooking French specialties such as Veal Normandy.
Sylvie started teaching French to English speaking students in 1993. She joined the Alliance Francaise de Denver in 2018 where she has been teaching all levels and ages. She practices yoga and meditation daily, and in her spare time she loves throwing all kinds of pots and bowls on the pottery wheel.
Fahima earned a Master's degree in Information Systems. She worked in her home country before becoming a teacher at the University of Bouira for seven years. She likes to read, to cook, travel, as well as hiking in the mountains. She is a mother of two young daughters. She is thrilled to be a part of AFD.
Teaching is a passion of Marion. She started teaching in preschools, and now teaches all ages. After moving to the US, she received a FLE certificate and then a language teaching diploma. She is dedicated to creating engaging learning environments and caring relationships for her students.
Jean-Claude was born in Brazzaville, Congo, and graduated from high school in Togo. He taught high school in Lomé for 19 years as a court-certified interpreter, translator, and Baccalaureate examiner. He holds a Master’s in Linguistics, a BA in French with a Teaching License, and a Master’s in French Literature. In Denver, he has taught all levels of French, including university and IB students, and has been an AP Reader since 2016. Fluent in Lingala, Mina, and Ewe, he is known as “Monsieur Grammaire,” passionate about La Francophonie, and enjoys movies, travel, and soccer.
Sarah holds her MA in French Language & Literature from Middlebury College, with a specialty in translation. Her MA was completed at Middlebury's school in Paris, where she lived for several years, first for her schooling and then to work as a translator, English teacher, and international educator. Sarah's full-time job is in the international education field, where she is passionate about working with universities around the U.S. to send their students abroad. In her free time, Sarah enjoys traveling the world with her husband and son, singing, playing piano, learning new languages, cooking, and working out.
Claudia, born in Colombia, has lived in Holland, France, and England, attending only French schools. A passionate teacher, she has taught French and Spanish for years, including the last eight at AFD. A polyglot, she has also worked as a translator and interpreter in the judicial system. With master's degrees in Psychology and Conservation Biology, she spent 35 years in the environmental field. In her free time, she enjoys exploring nature, reading, and discovering world music.
Anne loves the arts. She studied Art History at the School of the Louvre and worked in the movie and TV industry for Canal Plus before moving to Canada and the United States.
Anne, originally from the South of France, moved to Denver in 2016 and now works in scientific research at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Passionate about science and lifelong learning, she also teaches at the Alliance Française de Denver. She splits her heart between France’s food and lifestyle and her vibrant life in Denver. Her perfect weekend includes time with her family, pets, friends, and discovering new cultures through travel.
Catrine is a native French speaker with a background in linguistics, psychology, and visual communication. She has traveled to almost every country in Europe and has hiked the Southern Alps of New Zealand. She has been teaching French at the Alliance Française de Denver for several years.
Israel, of Colorado, started his French studies in high school when he lived in Kansas. As an Interdisciplinary Studies major at UCCS, he combined French, German, and Film studies into his program and spent time in Montréal and Berlin, then later went on to CU-Boulder as an MA student in French Literature. A proud New Mexican, Israel’s passion in life is promoting a rich, intercultural, and multilingual tapestry everywhere he goes.
