Our Team

MEET OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR


ZOÉ HESS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR


 Zoé arrived in the United States in March 2010.  She first lived in Kansas City, MO and moved to Denver in May 2017.  In September 2017, she was hired as a Beginner/Intermediate teacher at the Alliance Française de Denver, and was promoted to the Learning Programs Coordinator one year later.  In September 2019 she succeded Martin Lafitte as the new Executive Director of the Alliance Française de Denver. 

I have always been passionate about the French language and culture.  After I moved to the US, I was a Beginner/Intermediate Instructor at the Alliance Française in Kansas City, MO, a French & Piano Instructor at the Global Montessori Academy and an official English to French translator for several businesses in the area.  While in Kansas City, I founded the French & Music House, LLC.  When I moved to Denver, it was natural for me to join the Alliance Française again, and I am so glad I did!  Colorado is a beautiful state and a great place to raise my son Jack.  I am so excited to see there are so many francophiles here in Denver!
--Zoé





BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Alliance Française de Denver is grateful to our dedicated supporters and advisors from the local business, academic and cultural community. Our Board of Trustees consists of both French and American members who are actively involved in AFD's growth. We thank you for your vision and your support!
Don't hesitate to contactthe AFD's Board of Directors for questions regarding our organization: afd-board@afdenver.org


Christophe Poulet, President
Michelle Bennewitz, Vice President
Juliet Mann, Vice President
Reynald Bodeux, Treasurer
Fritz Bart, Secretary

Emma Glass, Marketing Committee Chair
Christian Roche, Cultural Outreach Committee Chair, L'Alliance & Co
Linette Hayat, Board Member
 Melissa Young, Board Member
Koren Washington, Board Member

Danielle Badler, Board Member
Susan Fedel, Board Member
Catherine Bedard, Board Member
Liz Ward, Board Member
Catherine Potter, Board Member
Jeff Richards, Honorary Board Member


Our Staff


MAGALI ECHENNE  Office Coordinator
France
Magali was born in the South of France. After completing an Associate Degree in secretarial work and a Bachelor Degree in English Studies, she studied two years in Nice and one year in Oslo Norway. After having met her American husband she moved to Denver in 2018.

EMMANUELLE POURROY Education Coordinator and Teacher
France
Emmanuelle has taught French and humanities for over twenty years at universities east of the Mississippi, including Washington University, MO.
From the Lyon area in France, she has lived in Denver since 2015.


CHRISTINE POWERS Administrative Assistant
USA
Christine grew up surrounded by art, culture and language. She lived in Paris for 9 years studying at La Sorbonne and the American University of Paris where she received a BA in Art History with a minor in French Studies. On returning to New York City she spent several years working and collaborating with artists and photographers. In 2003 she met her husband and moved to Denver.


Our Teachers


ANNE TIMMERMAN Teacher
France
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.
ANTOINE ALAWOE Teacher
Togo
He has taught French at the AFD for 6 years and enjoys helping those achieve literacy. Before the AFD, he lived in Paris teaching high school science and mathematics.
JEAN-CLAUDE HOUNOU Teacher
Togo
Jean-Claude likes going to the movies, traveling and watching soccer. He has been teaching French for 27 years (12 years at the AFD) and truly enjoys sharing Francophonie with others.
BLANDINE MACLEAN Teacher
France
Blandine graduated in sciences in London (UK) where she also trained to become a French teacher. She says: “More than anything else, what I am trying to convey in my classes is the love of learning.
CÉLINE GOSSELIN Teacher

Céline’s passion is teaching French, which she has been doing for 15 years. She values a good rapport with her students and listening to their needs.

CHRISTIAN DALLET Teacher
France
Christian has taught science and French to junior high school students. He enjoys teaching French at the Alliance Française de Denver.

CLAUDIA LEWIS Teacher (Centennial)
Colombia
Claudia’s professional focus has been in the field of environmental education. She has taught French and Spanish for many years. She teaches adult classes in Centennial.
BETHANY KAZAKEVICIUS Teacher
USA
Bethany studied in Brussels and worked in Europe as an English assistant. She received a bilingual MA in diplomacy and conflict resolution from the U. Catholique de Louvain, Belgium.
FRANÇOISE BRES-GUDE Teacher
France
Françoise has taught French in Paris to business students and foreigners from all over the world. She also leads group tours in France for American artists every summer.
HÉLÈNE NORTH Teacher (Evergreen)
France
Hélène has taught French and English in France, Great Britain, the U.S., and China. She was the head of Denver Int’l School and taught at the Evergreen Montessori Middle School for 15 years.
LISE ROUSSIN Private Teacher (Boulder)
Canada
Lise has taught French at the Alliance Française de Denver since 1998. She now only teaches private classes in the Boulder area and loves what she does.
LUIGINA CERRI Teacher (Boulder)

Italy
Luigina holds a Master’s degree and has been teaching both French & Italian in various schools & universities across the Front Range including CSU, UNC, and the University of Denver. She has also studied in Bordeaux, Avignon, and Carcassonne, France.

JULIE WHITNEY Teacher
Belgium

Julie holds a Master's degree in European History with an emphasis in Classical Antiquity from the UCLouvain, Belgium. She has taught French both in Belgium and in the United States . She moved in Denver in 2011, after spending four beautiful years in Paris.

             
STÉPHANIE TURNER Private Teacher only
USA
Stephanie teaches French and English. She spent two fabulous years living in Nice and Dijon. When not teaching French, she plays with her poodle Mac and teaches yoga.




EDWIGE WAGNER Teacher (Boulder)
France

Edwige has an Applied Foreign Languages degree in English and Spanish from The Sorbonne Nouvelle de Paris and a Business degree from the Paris European Business School. She has been teaching at AFD since 2013.




MURIEL BORTELS Teacher (Evergreen)
Belgium

Muriel  has been in contact with languages from a young age, as a daughter of a teacher. She acquired a Master in Social Communication at IHECS in Brussels, is fluent in Dutch and English and speaks some German. She arrived in Colorado in 2012 and has been with the AFD since 2016.




WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE SAYING

Stephen G.

"Alliance Française de Denver created a wonderful virtual environment where I spent my Summer vacation; visiting the winemaking area of Bouzy; celebrating Bastille Day; learning how to cook with flowers; touring historic châteaux and beautiful villages; all in the safety and comfort of my home. A real treat for any Francophone person; especially having a daily place for French chat to try out and maintain colloquial skills."


Stephen G.

Sue T.

“Anne is fantastic! The material is fast paced for this ‘old dog’ to learn new tricks, but we couldn’t go slower. It’s been very helpful to prepare me for my trip to France.”


Sue T.

Cristina G.

“A great place to learn and practice French while getting acquainted with French culture and interesting people. I definitely recommend AFD and their events. Je parle français! Et vous?”


Cristina G.

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DENVER MAIN OFFICE

Alliance Française de Denver
571 Galapago Street
Denver, CO 80204

BOULDER CLASSES

Galvanize Boulder
1023 Walnut Street
Boulder, Colorado  80302 

EVERGREEN CLASSES

Center for the Arts Evergreen
31880 Rocky Village Dr.
Evergreen, CO 80469

CENTENNIAL CLASSES

Hamsher Wealth Management
6950 E Belleview  Ave Suite 103
Greenwood Village, CO 80111


PARKER CLASSES

Center of the Arts PACE
20000 E. Pikes Peak Ave.
Parker, CO 80138

SOUTHGLENN LIBRARY

6972 S Vine Street
Centennial, CO 80122

GOLDEN CLASSES
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    reception@afdenver.org

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