Meet Our 2024-2025 Team
The French American School of Denver is one of the highest ranking schools in Denver. FASD employs a highly qualified and skilled team of teachers, administrators, and supportive staff hailing from all around the globe to ensure the best learning environment possible.
FASDenver also has an active and engaged Board of Directors supporting the
well-being of our school.
Administration
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Kathy Durán, M.Ed
Interim School Director
Throughout her career, Kathy has been guided by a deep belief: that every student deserves equitable access to high-quality, engaging, and culturally responsive education. With over 30 years of experience as a dual language immersion educator and school leader—including eight years as Executive Director and Principal of the Denver Language School—Kathy brings a collaborative leadership style rooted in vision, strategy, and strong community partnerships.
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Kathy has served in a wide range of educational roles, from dual language Spanish teacher and instructional coach to Assistant Principal, Principal, and Executive Director of language immersion programs in Mandarin, Spanish, and French. Under her leadership, the Denver Language School grew from a single-campus program with 450 students to a thriving two-campus school serving over 850 students.
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Her impact extends beyond the classroom. Kathy has provided professional learning, coaching, and leadership advisement to immersion programs in French, Mandarin, Spanish, Russian, Korean, and Arabic. She has developed systems to close achievement gaps while fostering academic excellence in multilingual education, built a robust educator talent pipeline through international and university partnerships, and created structures that elevated the mission and vision of public charter schools in both Denver Public Schools and Aurora.
Kathy’s work has earned top state and district recognition, including the John Irwin Award and the Governor’s Distinguished Improvement Award.
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As she steps into her next chapter with the FASD community, Kathy is eager to listen, learn, and collaborate. She is committed to transparent, student-centered leadership that uplifts all voices and advances opportunity for every learner.
Sara Taylor
Leaderscript, Education and Instructional Partner
Sara brings nearly two decades of experience in public education, with a career that has spanned the classroom, school leadership, and district administration. Whether serving students directly or leading at the systems level, Sara’s work has always been rooted in service, empathy, and a steady, cool-in-crisis presence.
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Her passion lies in helping educational leaders grow—through human-centered, equity-driven talent practices and professional development that’s as practical as it is inspiring. From coaching executives to designing high-impact training, Sara ensures that people leave with not just ideas, but real tools to lead with confidence and clarity.
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Over the years, she’s consulted with a range of nonprofit and educational organizations and served as a senior executive herself. She approaches every challenge through a lens of humility, continuous learning, equity, and strategy—with a healthy dose of humor along the way.
Teachers
Alexandrine Toh
Kindergarten Lead
Before joining the French American School of Denver, Alexandrine worked as a preschool teacher, and has worked for several years as a French immersion teacher with Global Village Academy, and the Colorado International School. She holds an Early Childhood Education Director Certificate, a German teaching license, and a Special Education teacher’s diploma. She comes originally from the Ivory Coast where she taught 3rd and 4th graders as well as children with mild to moderate disabilities for 9 years before coming to the United States. Outside of her passion for children, Alexandrine loves to cook, listen to music, and spend time with her family.
Sandrine Farmanian
Kindergarten Lead
Before joining the FAS of Denver, Sandrine was a teacher in France, near Lyon. She has been teaching since 2008, ranging from kindergarten to 5th grade, and also spent a year teaching in middle school, focusing on students facing significant difficulties. Her primary teaching experience has been in kindergarten classrooms. Sandrine holds degrees in History and Education Sciences. Outside of teaching, Sandrine has a passion for travel, particularly in Southeast Asia, Australia, Mexico, California, and Burkina Faso. When she's not in the classroom or exploring new cultures, she enjoys rock climbing, acting, spending time with friends, cooking, and baking pastries.
Malika Bidan
Kindergarten Assistant Teacher
Malika (Mali for short) hails from Paris, France, but arrived in Denver twenty years ago. It was here that she discovered the school environment and fell in love with teaching, especially helping students become bilingual learners. Her passion is helping non-French speaking children progress in acquiring the French language. In order to be even more effective, she is currently in training to be able to teach FLD in elementary school. Mali is a proud mother of three and grandmother of two. She loves being surrounded by children everyday.
Céline Drochon
Kindergarten Assistant Teacher
Celine, originally from France, moved to the USA ten years ago. After living in Alabama, Tennessee, and most recently Florida, she has now settled in Denver, CO. A former engineer in France, Celine chose to focus on raising her three children and found joy in teaching them French. This passion led her to a new career path, taking on roles as a French teacher in public schools and language schools. Known for her constant smile and positive attitude, Celine loves working with children. Sports have always been a big part of her life, particularly tennis and volleyball, which have taught her the importance of teamwork. This mentality has shaped her mindset, and her enthusiasm for travel adds to her well-rounded personality. She is now excited to bring her skills, passion, and positive energy to her role as a Kindergarten teacher assistant.
Stéphanie Flahaut
1st Grade
Stéphanie is from Toulouse, in the South of France, where she studied science and obtained a degree in Biology and Earth Sciences. She taught for 16 years for the French Ministry of National Education in schools in the Toulouse region, from kindergarten to 5th grade, and was also director of a kindergarten for 6 years. Then she moved with all her family to Guadeloupe to live a new experience in the Tropics. She taught for 4 years at the Gaston Michineau Public School, in Basse-Terre, in a CP class, and she was able to benefit from specific training for learning to read and mathematics. She enjoys exchanging with her colleagues about projects and teaching practices. A 20-year experience as a teacher allows her to differentiate learning and adapt to each student. Outside of school Stéphanie enjoys traveling with her family, camping, hiking, skiing but also cooking and reading, dancing Rock’n Roll and singing.
Sarah André
1st Grade
Before joining the French American School of Denver, Sarah was a teacher in France in Romans-sur-Isère. She has experience teaching children from kindergarten to grade 5 in multigrade classrooms, which has given her great skills of differentiation and adaptation. She mainly taught in kindergarten and first grade. She holds a degree in sociology and educational sciences as well as a master's degree in teaching. She likes to reflect on her teaching practice and discover new ways of teaching in order to give the best to her students. For this, she likes to read educational research and especially teamwork, to be able to exchange and evolve as a team. Outside of school, Sarah enjoys travelling, cooking and spending time with friends and family.
Frederique Lagrange
2nd Grade
Frédérique (she goes by “Fred”or “Frédérique”), originally Parisian, has been living in Mexico City for the past 30 years. She and her husband have recently relocated to Denver. Fredérique lives her life in French, Spanish and English and believes that being able to communicate in more than one language helps understand different cultures and opens a wide range of possibilities in all aspects of life. She earned an architecture degree and worked in that field before pursuing a career in education. Fred has worked as a pre-school and elementary school teacher at the French Lycée in Mexico City for the last 12 years. Frédérique is committed to the idea that every child is unique and learns in their own way, which makes her teaching approach diverse. She likes to learn about new teaching methodologies and brings much of what she investigates to the classroom in the hopes of enriching her students experience. Above all, Fred is convinced that learning is possible when a child is happy at school. Outside of the classroom, she likes to travel, ski, hike, read, go to museums, and meet with friends. She's happy to be in Denver and looks forward to enjoying the beauty of nature and the mountains. She usually spends her summers in France and/or traveling elsewhere. She and her husband have three grown-up children.
Hervé Bourrat
2nd Grade
Hervé was a teacher and director of a small school near Saint-Etienne in the south of France. He taught in Coutouvre, the village where he grew up. He brings 22 years of experience teaching grades preschool through 5th. Before becoming a teacher, he worked for 14 years at Michelin, the famous tire manufacturer, as a technician and trainer. He holds degrees in philosophy, science (mathematics, physics, chemistry) and a Bachelor's degree in Educational Sciences. His wife and eldest son are also elementary school teachers. They also have two other children who are still university students. Hervé loves astronomy, computers, minerals and fossils, playing chess, reading science fiction novels, hiking and traveling.
Fabienne Hernandez
3rd Grade
Fabienne was a teacher in France before joining the French American School of Denver. She taught 3th grade for the French Ministry of Education at the public elementary school of Prédieu in Saint-Egrève, France. She brings 27 years of experience teaching grades
preschool through 5th. She loves her job. She was born in Grenoble (capital of the french Alpes). She holds a master degree in Spanish. She is used to spend holidays in Spain (Barcelona and Costa Brava) with her husband and their 3 children. Outside of school, Fabienne enjoys reading, gardening, traveling with her family.
Stéphane Terranova
3rd Grade
Stéphane was a teacher in France before joining the FASDenver team. He has been teaching for 24 years near Grenoble, capital city of the French Alps, from kindergarten to 9th grade. He is also a specialized teacher, who has worked with disabled children or students in great difficulty. He loves his job. He believes in creating a positive and inclusive learning environment where every pupil feels valued, supported and safe. He also finds it important to collaborate with the different partners of the school.
He holds a master degree in physical geography. Outside his job, he enjoys sports (triathlon, biking, skiing, hiking, ...) and travels.
Cecilia Sibella
4th Grade
Cécilia first worked as a teacher in the Paris region and then moved to Haute-Savoie, in the Alps near Annecy. She studied in Spain in Cordoba, Andalusia, and has a master degree in Spanish language, literature, and civilization. She has been teaching for 23 years and has been based in Doussard, a large school in a village on the shores of Lake Annecy, for 8 years. In this school she was in charge of the 3rd and 4th grades (Ce2, Cm1). She has therefore a solid experience on these levels. She was part of a group of teachers who met regularly to share their practices. She likes to exchange, discuss and learn from others. She comes here with her husband and two daughters to discover American culture and to share her French knowledge. The two places she loves to spend time are the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea. She had a motorhome with which she traveled all over Europe with her family. She especially enjoys hiking, traveling, reading and spending time with her family.
Eric Berthelot
6th Grade
With more than twenty-three years of experience teaching first to fifth-grade students in different private schools in France, Eric has become an expert at commanding student attention and at developing confidence. Over a span of ten years he became specialized in fifth grade. His spouse Stéphanie, both teachers, they are very proud and excited to integrate our primary school experience and settle down with their two children. Eric most recently taught fifth grade in Guadeloupe, for 4 years. He has developed skills in detecting, monitoring and setting up help for students with specific needs. He's worked on self-esteem, emotional management and conflict resolution for several years. He was employed in a management position in an elementary school for two years, and became an assistant director for two years. Having a lifelong passion for education, Eric is excited by the prospect of working among the FASD staff and administrators to help more students flourish in their elementary years. Eric holds a Masters Degree in science and a Higher Graduate Diploma. Outside of school, he enjoys hiking, mountain biking, skiing, motorcycling, camping, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Sigrid Ruge, English
English/ELD
Sigrid Ruge moved to Denver in 2005 after receiving a Bachelor’s degree in elementary and early childhood education from the University of Northern Iowa. She taught twelve years with Jeffco Public schools, grades 1, 2, and 4. For the 2019/2020 school year Sigrid had the enriching experience of teaching at the Academy International British Primary School in Pointe Noire, Congo. This, along with online English tutoring of students from several countries, led to her passion for immersion education. Sigrid is currently pursuing a Master of Education in linguistically diverse learners. She enjoys applying the science of reading and brain-based education in her classroom.
Outside of education, Sigrid loves relaxing with her husband and son (who attends FASD), along with their two dogs and two birds. She also enjoys entertaining friends with home-cooked meals, and rescuing and fostering animals.
Emily Roze
Math and Science
Emily previously taught middle and elementary school in Richmond VA, Hangzhou China, and Lyon France before moving to Denver in August 2022. She holds two master’s degrees in Curriculum Development and Educational Technology and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Middle School Education. Emily believes in giving all students the opportunity to reach their full potential and works creatively in the classroom to help every member of her class thrive. In addition to teaching Emily loves reading, baking (still learning this high-altitude baking), traveling with her family, and creating crafting projects with her two daughters.
Laura Landgreen
English and Social Studies
Originally from Oregon, Laura studied at the University of Nebraska Teacher’s College before moving to California to begin her career in 2005. Passionate about classroom culture and multimodal learning, Laura returned to graduate school and earned a Master’s from UCLA in Psychological Studies in Education. Over the past two decades, she has taught 1st through 7th grades and has worked as a freelance writer to develop curriculum and assessments in both literacy and math. She feels most aligned with early literacy, teaching critical thinking skills, keeping kids curious, and fostering a sense of community within schools. She is also certified in multilingual instruction and serves as a restorative practices facilitator.
Outside of the classroom, Laura is happiest spending time with her two children (who attend FASD) and their two dogs. As a family, they enjoy running, living room dance parties, making art, baking, and traveling to swim in the ocean whenever possible!
Danielle Delahunty
English and History
Danielle Delahunty has 16 years of teaching English, history, journalism, drama, film theory and photography. With her facilitation, students from all over have learned how to write their first book. She has worked with students in several countries and strongly supports an inclusive classroom. “Miss Dani,” has two bachelor’s degrees and a masters in Education. She has three grown sons and is a proud single cat lady who watches French movies in her spare time.
Verna Rolland
GT Coordinator
Verna Rolland, hailing from Southern Colorado near the Great Sand Dunes, is passionate about languages and cultures. Before becoming a classroom teacher, she taught yoga and mindfulness for 13 years, discovering her love for teaching despite being a shy introvert. In London, she worked in an Autism Centre and experienced the importance of giving children with needs a voice and understanding from their teachers. Verna enjoys family time in France, immersing in French culture and exploring historic sites. Her interests include reading, yoga, and traveling. Verna advocates for early language learning for all US children, especially glad to see such opportunities growing in her home state. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Holistic Wellness and a Master's in Education, she creates engaging and diverse learning environments that foster curiosity, creativity, and a lifelong love for learning.
Jordan Bobrick
Special Education Teacher/ Case Manager
Jordan, born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is passionate about fostering genuine and authentic relationships, exercising creative expression, and being an advocate and voice for her students. She graduated from the University of New Mexico, holding her bachelors degree in special education. Before joining The French American School of Denver, Jordan taught elementary and middle school students in a variety of settings including an art integration school as well as a facility school working with students with severe emotional and behavioural needs. Jordan also travelled abroad to Thailand where she explored the culture, cuisine, and received her TESOL certification. While living in Thailand for 8 months, she passionately taught Thai students English as a second language. She said that this was one of the most rewarding, memorable, and growth fostering experiences of her life. Outside of school, Jordan enjoys painting, journaling, spending time with her family, trying new foods, and dancing in her kitchen.
Emeline Pairaud
5th Grade
Before joining FASD, Emeline taught 4th and 5th graders in Colombia for 4 years. She particularly enjoys working with older children on literature and drama projects. From 2018 to 2020, Emeline was a teacher in California in a charter school, which was the most rewarding experience of her career, but she was unable to continue due to the pandemic. In France, Emeline worked in the city of Nantes, teaching all grades of kindergarten and elementary school. Emeline particularly enjoys setting up interdisciplinary projects within her class and with other colleagues whenever possible. Outside school, Emeline enjoys hiking, playing board games and learning foreign languages.
Jen Staff
Social Worker
Jen Staff, in her third year as a DPS school social worker, is thrilled to be joining the FASD community this year. Originally from Rockville, MD, Jen studied Government and International Studies at the University of Notre Dame, followed by 3 years of volunteer service in the Dominican Republic. Jen lived and worked in Chicago for many years before moving to Denver in 2012 with her husband and two children. Jen received her Master of Arts in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago and her PreK-12 School Social Worker Certification from Colorado State University. In her free time, Jen loves to read, travel, enjoy the outdoors, and spend time with her family.
Dayna Roon
Paraprofessional
Dayna grew up outside of Philadelphia and moved to Denver with her boyfriend & two cats, Buddy & Belle, in January of 2023. Dayna holds a BS in Nutrition & Dietetics from West Chester University of Pennsylvania & has a true passion for nourishing both the body and mind. Upon graduating, she was a full time dance instructor for children of all ages which is where her love for education began. Prior to moving, she made the transition into the preschool classroom where she continued to help kids spark their creativity while learning. She believes every child has their own pathway to success and finds great joy in helping them achieve it. Dayna fell in love with FASD after an assignment as a substitute teacher and is so excited to join the team this year! Outside of school she enjoys cooking, relaxing on the beach (or by a pool), spending time with her family and exploring all of the beauty Colorado has to offer.
Support Staff
Jillian Tahiri
Office Manager
Jillian was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. After high school, Jillian moved to Paris, France to work as a jeune fille au pair (nanny). There she pursued her French studies at the Sorbonne and fell in love with the French language and culture. Upon returning to Colorado, Jillian attended the University of Colorado at Denver where she earned a bachelor’s degree with double major concentrations in French and International Studies. She also holds a D.A.L.F (Diplôme approfondi de langue française) from the French Ministry of Education. Jillian worked in elementary schools as a paraprofessional before beginning her career in business operations. She lives in the Denver area with her husband and two kids. As a family, they love camping and traveling.
Julie Gauthier
Front Desk Receptionist
Originally from France, Julie moved to the U.S after college as an Au Pair and decided to pursue college in California. She is passionate about traveling and different cultures. She graduated college in Hospitality Management. She comes from various administrative backgrounds and brings her extensive background in customer service, hotels, catering and event planning. Julie
also worked a lot around children mostly as a nanny or volunteering at her daughter's school.
Outside of work, Julie enjoys traveling, discovering new places or trying out new restaurants or coffee shops. She mostly spends all her time with her daughter being active, spending time outdoors or playing.
Leticia Scapinelli
After Care Coordinator
Leticia, originally from Brazil, has had quite the adventure! After living in Italy, Switzerland, and California, she happily settled in Colorado. With a degree in business administration and a certification in adult education, her passion for children and learning inspired her to transition into early childhood education, where she earned a certificate in preschool teaching. In her free time, Leticia loves traveling, reading, biking, and hiking with her energetic brown lab.
Jennifer McDonough
Psychologist
Susan Fortney
Occupational Therapist
Lauren Piper
Speech Pathologist
Jacqueline Duran, RN
School Nurse
FASD BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Board Responsibilities
We ensure the French American School of Denver’s compliance to its contract with Denver Public Schools, set and monitor the implementation of school policies, manage the school’s annual budget and financial planning, and hire and evaluate the performance of our Head of Schools. For a complete list of board responsibilities click below.
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Contact the Board – To reach the FASD board please email Board@fasdenver.org.
Board of Directors
Julia Erlbaum
Board Chair
Julia hails from the East Coast and comes to her role as the Board Chair with more than thirty years of professional experience in the private sector of Executive Management involving business and project development; marketing, communications, and special events. Julia and her family joined FASD in its inaugural year and became a founding member of FASD’s PTO and served as its Co-President. During her tenure with FASD’s PTO, Julia and other parent volunteers, developed and launched FASD’s Visiting Artist program–which brought the creative arts to our students throughout the school year. She joined the FASD Board of Directors in 2023 and was bestowed with the Vice Chair role prior to becoming the Chair.
Julia, her husband Ernie and daughter Madeline are immensely grateful and proud to be part of the FASD Community. She looks forward to being a diligent steward of our School’s Vision and Mission and more importantly, endeavours to continue building upon FASD’s legacy with her fellow Board Members, Staff and broader community.
Wendy Fisher
Board Member
Wendy holds a master’s degree in Arts Administration and has 20 years of experience driving fundraising efforts for several leading cultural institutions. Most recently, she led events for the American Academy in Rome, where she worked in a bilingual environment to plan fundraising galas in both New York and Rome. Prior to this, she oversaw special events programs for the New York Botanical Garden, American Ballet Theatre, and the Metropolitan Opera, and led major gift campaigns for the San Francisco Symphony and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She is honored to serve on the Board and to utilize her experience to create innovative strategies that will help the French American School of Denver continue to build capacity and exceed fundraising goals. Wendy relocated to Denver from New York with her husband Ari Pelto and her son Alessio.
Stefan Hellstrom
Board Treasurer
Stefan, a parent of two FAS Denver students, was born in Vienna, Austria to a Swedish father and American mother and studied at the Lycee Francais in Jerusalem while in elementary school. Stefan is an Associate Director for Accenture, a large multinational consulting company, where he specializes in managing complex technical cloud implementations for his clients. This work, in which he interfaces with a global team daily, continues to strengthen his values in the importance of language and cultural awareness. Additionally, the nature of his profession requires Stefan to be capable of working well under pressure, solving complex problems, communicating very clearly, and bringing people together to achieve common goals. Stefan brings these same skills to the FAS Denver Board.
Yana Grigortchouk
Board Secretary
Yana was born and raised in Russia and moved to United States with her family after the fall of Soviet Union. Currently she is working as an Immigration Court Russian Interpreter for the Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review.
Yana's background includes impactful roles in academia, where she previously held positions as an Assistant Professor of Russian at both the United States Air Force Academy and the Defense Language Institute. Her tenure in these institutions reflects not only her expertise, but also her commitment to educational excellence.
With a wealth of experience in language education, Yana brings a unique perspective to the board, fostering an appreciation for diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Her role as an interpreter highlights her dedication to facilitating communication and understanding in diverse communities. Her blend of skills and experiences enhances the collective efforts to provide a well-rounded and globally aware education at FASD.
Kiana Sarraf Joersz, JD, TIPC
Board Member
Kiana is an experienced attorney and advisor, with 15+ years consulting and advising for a top-tier investment bank, private firms, and and in various roles with federal agencies. Kiana is additionally the Chief Operating Office of a consulting and coaching firm, focusing on trauma-informed processes and methodologies for executives and professionals.
Chelsea Thomas
Board Member
Chelsea is a local attorney and residential real estate broker whose practice involves real estate transactions and disputes, landlord/tenant law, and estate planning. Chelsea and her family of five are passionate about the FASD community, and believe in the school's mission.
Christopher Roberts
Board Member
Christopher M. Roberts holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology and has over a decade of experience in research management and educational leadership. Most recently, he has been leading a team of UX researchers at MeasuringU, where he supervises numerous projects and drives process improvements to enhance products developed by Fortune 500 companies. Prior to this, Christopher spent many years in higher education providing training and support to faculty. With experience in education administration, research management, and cross-cultural learning and competencies, Chris endeavors to provide support and resources to the FASD community.
Special Thanks to all our Founding Board Members:
SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE
SAC Responsibilities
The purpose of the SAC is to inform, encourage and provide opportunities for parent and community members to be involved in the planning and evaluation of the school’s instructional program and quality improvement process.
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School Mission
To develop bilingual, bi-literate learners through a French language-immersion curriculum meeting the highest educational standards of the United States and France and delivered in a highly diverse learning environment that promotes critical thinking, creativity and empathy.
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School Vision
To be a premier bilingual educational institution that prepares students for success in local and international high schools and universities; inspires them to pursue personal and professional opportunities around the world; and encourages them to be lifelong learners and community leaders who can connect with others in one of the world’s most widely-spoken and influential languages.
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Contact the SAC Committee:
Email Address Pending
Head of School: Kathy Duran
Chair: Aline Lynn Curtin
Vice Chair: Isabelle Shiffrin
Recorder: Laure Demond
Teacher: Verna Rolland
Teacher: Celine Drochon
Board Member: Yana Grigortchouk
Community Member: Open
Member: Amy Purington
Member: Julie Burck
Member: Shane Brown
Member: Claudia Vail
Thank You
Angela Strange
Founder & Board Emerita
Emmanuel (Manu) Bidan
Founding Director of Curriculum
Suzanne Acheson
Founding Head of School
Yohainna Abdala-Mesa, Founding Board Member
Tara Bardeen, Founding Board Vice Chair
Emmanuel Bidan, Founding Director of Curriculum
Marie Elalem, Founding Board Member
Wendy Fisher, Founding Board Member
Martin Lafitte, French Curriculum Advisor
Isabelle Shiffrin, Founding Board Secretary
Jean Claude Ndefu, Founding Board Member, Community Liaison
Angela Strange, Founding Board Chair