Joly Center Staff
Christina
(SHe/her)
Executive Director
After studying in London and Montpellier, Christina spent nearly 9 years in Marseille, working as an English teacher and program coordinator in lycées and universities as well as several private institutions. Upon her return to Minnesota in 2007, she joined the Alliance Française de Minneapolis/St. Paul where she became the executive director in 2008. Christina was appointed Honorary Consul of France in Minnesota in 2014, was named Chevalier de l’Ordre de Palmes Académiques in 2015, and was named Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite in 2024.
Alix
(She/her)
Hubert and Hortense Joly Education Director of the Alliance Française of Mpls/St Paul
Alix is the Education Director at AFMSP. She manages educational programs and staff. She has a BA from St Olaf College with a major in French and History and an MA from the Institute of French Studies at New York University. She also completed a degree in FLE (Français Langue Etrangère). She enjoys spending time with her family, running and biking and she also loves the visual arts.
Garance
(She/her)
Cultural Programming Coordinator
Garance has a Bachelor’s in History and English and a Master’s Degree in Museums studies. She met a lot of international students during her time in Southern France, and loved sharing her culture with them and learning about their culture! She is a history nerd who also loves singing, hiking, arts, learning about everything and nothing, and who can quote both Astérix Mission Cléopâtre and Brooklyn 99 by heart.
Rachel
(She/Her)
Development Director
Rachel (she/her) began learning French as part of an elementary magnet school language program. In her role as Development Director, she manages the Annual Fund and Capacity-Building Campaign, grant writing and sponsorships, and organizes all fundraisers, including the Annual Gala. Rachel has a Ph.D. in French from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, where she specialized in Medieval French and Italian literature and researched in Montpellier, Paris, and Venice. She lives in Saint Paul with her husband and son (and two cats).
Juni
(she/her)
Youth Programs Coordinator
Juni has a B.A. in French and Linguistics from the University of Minnesota and spent her junior year in Montpellier, France. She conducted a French Linguistics research project on the Southern French accent for her senior thesis. She first joined the AF team as a Cultural Programs Intern, and then continued on as the Youth Programs Coordinator. She enjoys introducing the youth to French and French culture, and hopes to inspire in them the same passion that she had as a young French student!
Brenna
(she/her)
Office Manager
Brenna is a dancer. She studied dance for three years in London and then three years in France. She currently dances with ARENA Dances and Threads Dance Project, as well as running her own company, Brenna Mosser Dance Works. Brenna loves working at the Alliance! In her role she oversees AF’s gift shop La Boutique and especially its French Corner Bookstore. Outside of dancing and French, Brenna enjoys spending her free time on prairie restoration projects, reading sci-fi novels, and camping.
Damien
(he/him)
Education and Technology Advisor/Instructor
Bonjour from Damien! He has taught French at the Alliance since 2011 and studied history and literature in Nantes. In a previous life, he was a sailing instructor in Western France. When he’s not teaching, Damien plays guitar, cooks (he is a trained crêpier!) and he loves to fish and garden. He has a passion for language and culture, and absolutely loves grammar :D A bientôt!
Karine
(she/her)
Adult Education Coordinator/Instructor
After studying at the Université de Nantes, Karine came to Minnesota to teach French. She started at Alliance Française in 1992 and has continued to be a key component of our teaching staff ever since. Her love of language and her desire to foster an appreciation and understanding of French culture is apparent in each of her classes.
Nina
(She/her)
Administrative Coordinator
Nina attended an AEFE-accredited French school until age 14. She continued her French studies through high school and college. In 2023, she graduated from Reed College in Portland, OR with a major in Linguistics and a minor in Russian. Nina enjoys French cinema, particularly the films of Éric Rohmer. In her free time, she likes to cook, do yoga, see live music, and read.
Valérie
(she/her)
Cultural Programs Assistant
Valérie is a creative person who majored in French at UW-Madison and studied in Aix-en-Provence. The area around Mont Sainte-Victoire is where her family is from and is the part of France closest to her heart. With a background in graphic design and previous career in legal and adult education, she is excited to create cultural programs that bring France a little closer to us in Minnesota!
Elise
(She/her)
Cultural Ambassador
Throughout her schooling, Elise’s favorite subject was English. After high school, she pursued studies in political science and international relations across several cities: Angers, Lyon, Strasbourg, and spent a year in Portland, Oregon. That exchange experience was a turning point, confirming her desire to deepen her interest in intercultural exchange, and share Breton and French culture. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the Twin Cities and all they have to offer, and she loves painting by numbers.
THOMAS
(HE/HIM)
Educational Ambassador
Thomas studied at the Université de Bordeaux, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in foreign languages and cultures and a Master’s Degree in religious studies. After completing his studies, he moved to Saint Paul to teach French at Central High School. In July 2025, he began teaching at Alliance Française to continue pursuing his interest for education. In addition to his interests in interculturality, history, politics, and football, you can find him enjoying life through traveling, exploring the Twin Cities, playing sports, or making food.
Marguerite
(she/her)
Tutoring Coordinator
Marguerite is passionate about helping students build confidence and fluency in the French language through engaging and culturally rich instruction. Her international background and academic journey allow her to bring both structure and warmth into her teaching and coordination work. In her free time, Marguerite enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her loved ones.
Mbayang
(She/Her)
Part-Time Receptionist
Mbayang brings a warm and welcoming presence to the Alliance Française front desk. She holds an BBA from Côte d’Ivoire and a Master’s in Business Analytics from the University of St. Thomas. Bilingual in French and English, she enjoys connecting with members from diverse backgrounds. Outside of work, Mbayang loves spending quality time with her family and cooking especially “thieboudienne,” Senegal’s beloved national dish.
JON
(he/him)
Part-Time Receptionist
Jon studied in Montpellier, France and attended Université Paul Valéry. Later, he attended the Professional French Master’s Program at the University of Wisconsin Madison, and interned at a marketing research company in Reims. He has travelled extensively in France and Switzerland and can't wait to retire to the South of France. In his spare time, Jon enjoys baseball, football and hanging out with friends at home.
Ella
(she/her)
Part-Time Receptionist
Ella studied at the University of Minnesota. While fulfilling a language requirement for her dance degree, she discovered the French language and (fueled by her love for the Disney film Ratatouille) decided to add a major in French as well. She had a wonderful time studying abroad in Montpellier, France. She loves tarantulas, cooking vegetarian food, studying French Medieval Literature, and knitting. Her favorite French word is 'coucou !'
Gretchen
(she/her)
Part-Time Receptionist
Gretchen is a senior at the University of Minnesota studying international business, finance, and French. She had an amazing experience studying abroad in Montpellier, France, during the Spring of 2025, and would love to find her way back to France in the future. Apart from her love of traveling, she enjoys going to concerts, binge watching Friends, and trying out new coffee shops!
Our French Instructors
MERIEM
Instructor
Meriem loves the French language and Francophone cultures, and has taught French to preschoolers and college students. She holds a certificate in teaching French as a foreign language (FLE). After moving to the Twin Cities in 2011, she started as a volunteer before joining the AFMSP teaching team. She is passionate about keeping her roots alive, volunteering, and learning.
SARAH
Instructor
Sarah has a PhD in French literature from the University of Toronto and has been teaching this fascinating language since 2001. She recently moved to St Paul from Montreal, where she was working at the French Language Centre at McGill University. She loves to share a good meal and laughter with family and friends, travel, dance and, of course, teach French !
Sarah
Instructor
Sarah fell in love with French language in her middle school class. She continued her studies at Washington University, where she studied French, Chinese and the Humanities. She followed the call of her love of French to pursue a teaching license and Masters in Education at the U of M, specializing in Second Language Education. After four years teaching high school French, Sarah is excited to continue to grow her teaching skills with the Alliance. When not teaching, Sarah enjoys spending time with her daughter and husband, discovering new books, spending time outdoors, and swing dancing!
Joëlle
Instructor
Joëlle holds a Master’s degree in Communication. She is passionate about sharing the diverse cultures of the Francophone world and helping her students communicate with confidence. In her free time, she enjoys reading, dancing, and spending time with her family.
Abdel
Instructor
Abdel joined the Alliance Française team in April 2018, and feels fortunate to work as the host of Alliance Française’s Ciné Club as well as a part of a wonderful team of teachers. He is passionate about education, creative writing and cinema.
Marie-Jeanne
Instructor
After Marie-Jeanne received a degree in Elementary Education, she moved to Bogata, Colombia, where she taught French in a Swiss school. She arrived in Minneapolis in 1982 and has taught at AFMSP since 1983. Throughout the years, teaching French to children continues to be one of her many passions, as is evidenced by her work as a founder of the Normandale French Immersion Elementary School, and by her dedication to enriching the children’s programming at AFMSP.
Joseph
Instructor
Joseph holds a bachelor's degree in Philosophy, a Bachelor's Degree in Administration, and a Master's Degree in Management. He speaks French, Spanish, and Creole. He has worked as a French teacher at the Alliance Française in Ecuador, at the Jean-Jacques Rousseau School in Ecuador, as a French teacher and Academic Director at Princeton International Academy in Ecuador, and as a World Languages teacher in Minneapolis Public Schools.
victoria
Instructor
Victoria grew up visiting la Corse every school break; meaning she speaks with a mix of Southern French accents! Victoria went to university in Lyon & Ohio, where she earned her undergraduate diploma. She went back to studying in Lyon, where she received her Master’s Degree. Victoria is passionate about teaching French to all, she creates and teaches classes for kids and adults!
Sandra
Instructor
Sandra has been a French teacher for about twenty years. She moved to Minnesota in 2001 and has been part of the Alliance Française community for a decade, teaching adults and children. In her free time, Sandra loves to travel, hike, read and write.
Mabel
Instructor
Mabel moved with her family to Belgium, where she studied French, led a conversation group at a nursing home and volunteered for American Field Service (AFS). In her desire to continue sharing her love for the French language and culture, particularly Belgian culture, she found AFMSP.
Alain
Instructor
Alain has been a French instructor at Alliance Française Mpls/St Paul since 2015. A licensed educator in Minnesota and trilingual in Spanish, French, and English, he has extensive experience teaching adult learners. He holds a Master’s Degree in Spanish Linguistics and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the same field. His teaching is rooted in a rigorous, communicative, and intercultural approach.
Francine
Instructor
Teaching the French language and francophone cultures has always been very close to Francine’s heart. She spent more than 20 years working with children and was a Montessori school director and also worked with French immersion programs here in the Twin Cities. She joined Alliance Française in January 2011 and has loved every minute of it. She loves music and sings professionally in the Twin Cities.
DELPHINE
Instructor
Delphine attended international schools her whole life, including 4 years in Paris, where she obtained her International Baccalaureate. She currently lives in downtown Minneapolis with her three small dogs. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her dogs, reading, shopping and traveling.
Audrey
(She/her)
Youth Instructor
Audrey completed her Baccalauréat in Cessy, France while also passing her A-Levels through the British School of Geneva, Switzerland. She still visits France frequently as her father and sister live near the French-Swiss border. In her free time, she enjoys travelling, photography and the outdoors.
Patricia
Instructor
Patricia has been teaching French language and literature for over twenty-five years from middle school to college students and adults. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing pickleball, hiking, gardening, travel, and reading.
Claire
Instructor
Claire Chamberlin (she/elle) earned her Bachelor’s Degree in French and Global Studies from Lawrence University in 2023 and joined Alliance Française in 2024. She has lived in Dakar, Senegal and Montélimar, France. She loves working with students who, like her, are neurodivergent. In her free time, she writes, reads, and teaches herself more languages.
AMANI
Instructor
Amani is a graduate in economics and holds a bachelor’s degree in financial management from the Catholic University of Bukavu. With more than four years of experience in the education sector as a dean of studies and teacher at the MAMA GLORIA school complex in Bujumbura, Burundi, he joined AFMSP in September 2025 as a FLE instructor. Outside of teaching, he has a strong interest in entrepreneurship and the promotion of human rights.