2015 Annual Meeting and Convention Federation of Alliances

2015 Annual Meeting and Convention
Federation of Alliances Françaises USA
San Francisco, California
October 29, 30, 31
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 3
Le Mot de la Présidente
Page 5
Federation Board of Directors
Page 6
Special Guests
Page 7
Program Schedule
Page 8
Workshop Descriptions, Presenters and Moderators
Page 17
Prix Charbonnier
Page 18
One Book One Federation
Page 19
Our Sponsors
Back cover
2016 Annual Meeting SAVE THE DATE – Minneapolis, MN
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LE MOT DE LA PRESIDENTE
Dear colleagues, dear friends,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Federation of
Alliances Françaises USA, bienvenue à San Francisco!
Autumn is the season of abundance. It’s the time for
harvest and for festivals that celebrate the fruits of a summer’s
labor. It’s the season during which everything matures, the time
to recognize and appreciate all that we’ve accomplished over the
past year. It’s the time for la rentrée and for coming together to
pay tribute to our accomplishments and successes. And so we
meet again to acknowledge our achievements and to share our
experiences and best practices with each other.
Here in the United States, autumn is also the season in
which we give thanks. Please join me in expressing sincerest thanks to the following
people:


The members of the Planning Committee for their months of work on organizing
workshops and preparing the program for this meeting
Our distinguished guests and colleagues who are here to show their support for all
that you do to fulfill the mission of the Alliance Française

All the presenters and participants in the upcoming workshops for donating their
time and sharing their knowledge and experience with you

Our sponsors for their generous contributions in support of our annual meeting

The volunteers who help us by answering questions, pointing us in the right
direction, and keeping us organized.
Finally, I would like to thank all of you, you who ARE the Federation of Alliances
Françaises USA, for making the effort to attend this important assembly and for
representing the spirit and commitment to excellence of the Alliance Française.
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Chers collègues, chers amis,
Au nom du Conseil d’administration de la Fédération des Alliances Françaises
USA, bienvenue à San Francisco!
L’automne est la saison de l’abondance. C’est la période des récoltes et des fêtes
qui célèbrent le fruit de nos efforts. C’est la saison pour la maturation, le temps de la
reconnaissance pour tout ce que l’on a accompli au cours de l’année passée. C’est la
période de la rentrée, le moment de se réunir et de rendre hommage à nos réussites et
à nos succès. Et donc on se retrouve une fois encore pour prendre connaissance de
nos victoires et partager nos expériences ainsi que nos ‘bonnes pratiques’.
Aux Etats-Unis, l’automne est également la saison des remerciements. Joignezvous à moi pour exprimer notre gratitude la plus sincère aux personnes suivantes :

Les membres du Comité d’organisation pour leur long travail sur la
coordination des ateliers et le programme de cette réunion

Nos invités de marque et nos collègues ici présents et qui témoignent leur
soutien vis-à-vis de tous ce que vous faîtes pour mener à bien la mission de
l’Alliance Française

Tous les conférenciers et les participants aux ateliers prévus, pour leur temps,
leur expertise, et leur expérience

Nos parrains pour leurs contributions généreuses et leur soutien de notre
convention annuelle

Les bénévoles qui répondent aux questions, qui nous indiquent où aller et nous
aident à rester organisés
Finalement, je voudrais remercier chacun d’entre vous, vous qui êtes la
Fédération des Alliances Françaises USA, pour avoir fait l’effort d’assister à cette
assemblée importante et pour représenter le dévouement et l’excellence de l’Alliance
Française.
Josette Marsh
Présidente
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FEDERATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
HONORARY BOARD
S. E. Gérard Araud, Ambassador of France to the U.S.
The Honorable Jane D. Hartley, Ambassador of the U.S. to France
Mr. John H. Bryan
M. Pierre Cardin
M. André Cointreau
Mme. Hedwige Cointreau de Bouteville
Mr. Frank Gehry
Comte Gilbert de Pusy de La Fayette
Ms. Diana Ross
Ms. Patricia Wells
PRESIDENT
Josette Marsh - Alliances Françaises de Hawai'i, HI, San Francisco, CA
VICE-PRESIDENTS
Danielle Badler - Alliance Française de Denver, CO
Renée Ketcham - Alliance Française de Greenwich, CT
TREASURER
David Thoms - Alliances Françaises de Grosse Point, MI, Detroit, MI
CORPORATE SECRETARY
Marie-Laure Arnaud - Alliance Française de Charleston, SC
BOARD
Paul Azzara – Alliance Française de Milwaukee, WI
Suki de Bragança - Alliance Française de Boston, MA
Katharine Branning - French Institute/Alliance Française, New York, NY
Inad Haddad Alliance Française de Toledo, OH
Marie-France Hilgar - Alliance Française de Southern Nevada, NV
Pascal C. Ledermann – Alliance Française de San Francisco, CA
John G.W. McCord Alliance Française de Chicago, IL
Cynthia Ruoff - Alliance Française de Kalamazoo, MI
Barbara Tucker - Alliance Française de Pittsburgh, PA
NATIONAL OFFICE
Larissa Rolley – Office Manager
CONVENTION PLANNING COMMITTEE
Paul Azzara, Josette Marsh and John G.W. McCord
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OUR SPECIAL GUESTS
Representing La Fondation Alliance Française
Isabelle Morieux - Déléguée Géographique Amérique du Nord et
Océanie, Fondation Alliance Française
An educator of teachers of French as a Foreign Language (FLE) in
France and overseas, and an author of educational tools to teach FLE
(CLE, Hachette, Cavilam....), Isabelle Morieux started her career as an
educator at the CAVILAM and was then in charge of the process to
certify FLE-teaching centers in France at the CIEP in Sèvres, before
directing its Normalisation et Qualité unit.
She is now the Déléguée Géographique Amérique du Nord et Océanie at
the Fondation Alliance Française and is responsible for Education and
the démarche qualité.
Representing the Délégation Générale Team
Jean-François Hans - Délégué Général
A graduate in French literature, Jean-François Hans received his PhD in stylistics from the
University of Paris-Sorbonne in 2001. Most of his writings have been about the writing style of
Guy de Maupassant’s short novels. He has also contributed to the Dictionary of Dom Juan
(1995, Robert Laffont).
He started his career abroad as a visiting lecturer at the UPM University in Malaysia. He has
been teaching at the Alliance française de Paris, at the Cours de Civilisation Française de la
Sorbonne and at the Erasmus program in Paris.
He has also been an invited lecturer in French language and literature at the University of
Kyushu in Japan. He has served as a vice-director of the French Institute in Kyoto and as a
director of the Alliance Française de Canton in China.
He was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes académiques in Beijing in 2012.
Carlos Tabernero - Délégué Général Adjoint
Carlos Tabernero was born in 1969. He graduated from the University of La Sorbonne
(MA in linguistics) in 1991 and then taught French in several public High Schools in
France.
He has spent most of his career abroad, serving as an education coordinator for the
French General Consulate in Jerusalem, and for a Turkish bilingual school in Ankara.
He also held the position of Education Attaché in the Dominican Republic, in charge of
developing academic cooperation and public teacher’s training.
In 2008, he joined the Center for Applied Linguistics (CLA) of the university of
Franche-Comté in Besançon, where he served as a deputy director, responsible for educational programs (French
language and teacher training).
His areas of expertise are the methodology of French as a foreign language, bilingual education and educational
project management. He is married and has three children.
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Program Schedule
Thursday, 29 October
9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
2:30 PM – 6:00 PM
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Friday, 30 October
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
11:45 AM
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Saturday, 31 October
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
10:00 AM – 10:45AM
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
3:00 PM – 3:15 PM
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
4:30PM – 5:00PM
6:30 PM
Délégation/Fondation Meeting with USA Directors
Alliance Française de San Francisco
1345 Bush Street – Tel 415.775.7755
Welcome Desk for Federation Convention
Metropolitan Club, 640 Sutter Street – Tel 415.673.0600
Federation Board of Directors Meeting – Metropolitan Club
Welcome Reception – Rouge et Blanc Wine Bar
334 Grant Avenue – Tel 415.391.0207 rougeetblancsf.com
Metropolitan Club
Welcome Desk open
Opening Remarks and Introductions
Workshops 1 & 2
Pause-café in Vendor Room
Workshops 3 & 4
Cravates et Foulards photo session
Prix Charbonnier Lunch honoring Jacques Pépin
Metropolitan Club Main Dining Room
Workshops 5 & 6
Espresso Bar open in Vendor Room
Workshop 7
Workshop 8
Patrons’ Reception – Consul Général de France Residence
Metropolitan Club
Welcome Desk open
Assemblée Générale – Century Room
Délégation/Fondation/OIF/Cavilam Presentations
Pause-café in Vendor Room
Workshops 9 & 10
Lunch
Federation Board of Directors Meeting
Workshops 11 & 12
Pause-café/Espresso Bar
Workshops 13 & 14
Closing Remarks
Closing Reception – Halloween – AF de San Francisco
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Workshops and Presenter Profiles
1. Marie Lalevée, French Cultural Center Alliance Française de Boston
Moderator: Aimée Laberge, AF de Chicago
Century Room
"Culturethèque for teachers and students"
Culturethèque is an online-accessible platform that provides access to electronic resources 24/7. This
Institut Français initiative has been launched in the US by the Alliance Française network. The
presentation will provide attendees with the tools to understand what Culturethèque has to offer, both in
terms of content and formats. Culturethèque has thousands of resources to offer, but which ones can you
use in class? For example, give as homework? Use for personal development? Understand the different
advantages and limits of streaming versus downloading (and the other way around) in order to make the
most of this incredible offering! Navigating this portal to locate appropriate content can be intimidating,
so join us for this workshop to get a look at selections of resources worth checking out at different CECR
levels. This workshop can also be a great starting point for those who want to decide whether to apply to
Culturethèque for your Alliance.
Marie Lalevée has been in charge of the Library of the French Cultural Center Alliance Française in
Boston since December 2009. In 2011, she coordinated the launch of the first E-Library of French books
in the USA. Marie has been part of the editorial committee of Culturethèque USA since its launch in 2013.
2. Adeline D'HONDT, Alliance Française de Washington, DC
Moderator : Nan Melton, AF de Tulsa
Sutter Room
"Teaching French to children ages 1 -5"
This workshop will allow attendees to learn the specificities of each age group regarding foreign language
assimilation. The presenter will present different kinds of activities teachers can offer in order to keep the
children focused. Different websites adapted to this age group and usable on smart boards will be
introduced. Finally the presenter will give advice about the differences between France and the USA
regarding the teacher's behavior in the classroom and in communication with the parents.
Adeline d’Hondt has been the Children’s Programs Manager at the Alliance Française de Washington DC
since September 2013. She is from Amiens, in the North of France. She attended the challenging
preparatory classes, Hypokhâgne and Khâgne and she holds a Masters in Modern Literature as well as a
specialist in the author Julien Green.
After passing her DEUST in Library Science, Adeline became Director and managed a public library near
Amiens for 11 years and taught French as a Foreign Language to recently arrived immigrants for an
Amiens-based association. In the US since 2012, she worked previously at Language Stars and was
previously the Children’s Programs Manager in DC.
Adeline loves to sing and has helped restart the AFDC’s tradition of karaoke and is learning Icelandic with
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the University of Iceland. She is a talented calligrapher and collects “esperluette” signs (ampersand)
3. Mary Falvey, Alliance Française de San Francisco
Century Room
Moderator: Lucy Morros, AF de Saint Louis
“The role of the Board in identifying and successfully soliciting major gifts”
Major gifts are the heart of the financial stability of all non-profits, regardless of size: 20% of donors give
80% of funds. Major gifts provide stability, visibility, examples of personal commitment and loyalty, and
connections in the community. No role is more important for board members as fiduciaries and as
dedicated supporters. Our workshop will address various roles individual board members can play, best
practices in organizing and managing a fund raising process, requirements for success in both keeping
board members engaged and in building an ever-expanding major gift donor base, and lessons learned
from live experience. After laying out some principles, we will encourage participants to share stories, case
studies, and ideas so that the conversation is grounded in the reality of chapter opportunities and
challenges.
Mary Falvey is an experienced corporate and nonprofit director and an advisor to early stage companies. A
financial expert with global perspective, she is experienced with audit, finance, and investment committees
and familiar with risk management, strategic review, and compliance responsibilities. Mary brings industry
experience in management consulting, automobile and financial services. She served the U.S. Government
through two Presidential appointments and has served on eight non-profit boards and led or actively
participated in major gifts programs for five of them.
4. Aurélie Champvert, Alliance Française de la Nouvelle-Orléans
Geoffrey Ruiz and Elodie Kaplan, Alliance Française de Chicago
Christina Bouzouina, Alliance Française de Minneapolis
(also serving as Moderator)
Sutter Room
"Youth Outreach sous toutes ses coutures:
after-school programs, children’s films and engaging high schoolers”
Three AF chapters share their work engaging children and young adults with educational and cultural
offerings. Providing access to French language and culture is an integral part of the mission of Alliance
Française and many chapters offer innovative ways to make programming available free or at low-cost to
families. Join a discussion on youth outreach and share your ideas for fostering a future generation of
Francophiles.
Aurélie Champvert has extensive experience in French as a Foreign Language (FLE), including teaching at
the Institut Voltaire in Kuwait and the University of Durham in England, and directing classes at the
Alliance Francaise of Canberra in Australia. After pursing graduate studies in French as Foreign
Language, she worked in Paris at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Aurelie is excited to
continue growing AFNO’s partnerships with other cultural and educational institutions in the most French
city in the US.
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Geoffrey Ruiz spent most of his life in Paris where he received a Master’s in Education (CAPES) and a
Master’s in Literature from La Sorbonne. In 2010, after working in middle school, high school and
community college institutions for 7 years, he moved to Chicago to teach French at the University of
Illinois. He joined the Alliance Française de Chicago as an instructor in 2012 before becoming its School
Administrative Manager. Since 2015, he operates as Director of the Learning Center with a focus on
operations management, development and communication.
Elodie Kaplan holds an M.A. in French as a Second Language (FSL) from the Université François
Rabelais in Tours and a B.A. in Spanish, and taught FSL in the Loire Valley. She has spent most of her
career abroad. After her internship at the Centre Culturel et de Coopération - Institut Français d'Amérique
Latine (CCC-IFAL) of Mexico City, she served as the Attachée de Coppération Linguistique et
Educative at the French Embassy in El Salvador.
Since January 2015, she has been the Director of the Learning Center at the Alliance Française de Chicago.
She focuses on pedagogical support, educational cooperation and certifications – and in July 2015 she
became a certified DELF/DALF trainer for examiners.
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Christina Bouzouina moved to Europe after college. After living in
London and Montpellier, she 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,
she joined Alliance Francaises de Minneapolis/St Paul, where she became Executive Director in 2008.
Christina was appointed Honorary Consul of France in Minnesota in 2014 and was named Chevalier dans
l’Order des Palmes Académique in 2015
1. Renée Amory Ketcham, Alliance Française de Greenwich
Moderator : Aimée Laberge, AF de Chicago
Century Room
"French and Francophone Cinema"
Focus on French and Francophone Cinema – the history and development of the festival from 2005 – the
present. How to start a film festival, raise funds, develop a data base and all details for production of a film
festival. Focus on French Cinema started in 2005 with 800 cinéphiles and now welcomes 5,000 for the
annual Spring event in Greenwich, Connecticut. This is a great success story and Renée will guide chapters
through the steps needed, to encourage other chapters to follow in the steps of Focus on French Cinema.
Renée Amory Ketcham, co-founder and Chair of Focus on French Cinema, President of the Alliance
Française of Greenwich and Federation Board member will present the history of Focus on French Cinema
with guidelines as to how to bring the best of French and Francophone cinema to AF Chapters.
Renée lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. She is a former editor at Vogue Magazine and currently has a
private yoga practice in addition to her work in the French film industry and at the Alliance Française of
Greenwich.
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2. Frédéric Martin, Alliance Française de Fresno
Moderator: Inad Haddad, AF de Toledo
Sutter Room
"Leveraging the Internet"
The internet is usually underused by nonprofits such as AF chapters. Opportunities abound that actually
deliver measurable results. This presentation will discuss internet presence opportunities, introduction,
applications, and requirements of social media strategies, search engine optimization, online advertising
and online sales opportunities. Although this presentation is mostly concerned with “getting the word out”
more effectively, we will also touch on using the internet for AF classes and presentations, easy to use
internet-based tools for students, as well as introducing core performance metrics that substantiate online
strategies to directly benefit your chapter
Frederic Martin has worked in online marketing since the term was coined. He is the current President of
the Alliance Française of Fresno. A native of Paris and a graduate of UCSC, he spent 15 years in the
Silicon Valley, working for software and hardware market innovators and leaders. He then started his own
marketing company and has been developing and implementing marketing projects in a large variety of
segments for government agencies and companies in California, throughout the US, and abroad. His stated
goal for Af de Fresno as President was opening the Alliance’s offices, cultural center, classrooms, and
library. In July 2015, 32 years after the chapter was launched, the dream came true and the Alliance
Française de Fresno now has its very own home.
3. Cynthia Ruoff, Alliance Française de Kalamazoo
(also serving as Moderator)
Marie-France Hilgar, Alliance Française de Las Vegas
Century Room
“Chapter Communication"
In an effort to create a liaison and accessibility between the Federation of Alliances Françaises Board and
its member chapters, the Federation has initiated a communication network. Federation board members
are in contact throughout the year with the AF chapters. Nothing beats face-to-face contact, though, so
please join us for this special session. Following a very brief presentation regarding the role of the
Federation, participants and board members will engage in discussion. Bring your questions, ideas and
chapter’s concerns for a lively and informative exchange.
Cynthia Ruoff holds the Ph.D. in French from Michigan State University and has been teaching French
language, literature and culture at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo since 1980. In the recent
past, she was on the Board of Directors of Colleagues International. Cynthia is now President of the
Alliance Française de Kalamazoo. She is chairperson of the Federation Communication Committee, where
she organized and established communication links that connect chapters with individual board members
to facilitate dialogue and the transmission of information.
Marie-France Hilgar is retired from UNLV as a distinguished professor of French. She is the proud
recipient of the Palmes Académiques. Marie-France has been working with the Alliance Française of
Nevada for some 40 years.
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Marie-Laure Arnaud was born in Paris and moved permanently to the USA in 1977. She joined the
Alliance Française de Charleston and became President (1990-2014) and is now President Emerita. MarieLaure has served on the Board of the Federation of Alliances Françaises USA for several terms and is
currently the Secretary. She has also served on the Prix Charbonnier and Communication Between
Chapters Committees of the Federation. Marie-Laure was named Officer of the Palmes Académiques in
2014 and received the Alliance Française de Paris Foundation award in 2014. She is active in the
Charleston philanthropic and civic community for causes Francophone and otherwise.
1. Katharine Branning, French Institute Alliance Française de New York
(also serving as Moderator)
Century Room
Marie Lalevée, French Cultural Center Alliance Française de Boston
Jean-François Hans & Carlos Tabanero, Délégation Générale de l’Alliance Française
“Culturethèque 101”
Do you want to offer your AF members a substantial, low-cost 24/7 educational and cultural resource?
Then Culturethèque is for you!
Come to this informal and informative session to discover Culturethèque, the exciting digital library
proposed by the Institut Français in Paris. Learn more about what benefits it can bring to your Alliance,
how to enroll your Alliance in the program, the resources it offers for students, members and kids, costs
and criteria to participate. Facilitators will be on hand to answer your questions and provide practical
demonstrations.
Katharine Branning is Vice-President of the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) in New York, and
Director of the Library. She is a member of the Federation Board and has developed numerous national
programs for the US Alliance chapters (Project Benjamin and Merlin). She is the director of the "One
Book, One Federation" program of the Federation.
Marie Lalevée has been in charge of the Library of the French Cultural Center Alliance Française in
Boston since December 2009. In 2011, she coordinated the launch of the first E-Library of French books
in the USA. Marie has been part of the editorial committee of Culturethèque USA since its launch in 2013.
Jean-Francois Hans is Délégué Général and Carlos Tabanero is Délégué Général-Adjoint of the Délégation
Générale de l’Alliance Française à Washington.
2. Isabelle Leroux and Nicole Montgomery, Alliance Française de Los Angeles
Moderator: Suki de Bragança, French Cultural Center AF de Boston
Century Room
"Fund-raising: The Gala is Still a Major Event"
Fund-raising and galas are very popular in the US. Our experience shows that a gala is a very good tool to
raise money for your Alliance. It brings not only a lot of visibility but also the opportunity to create a
strong communication plan around it.
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Having a successful gala isn’t easy, it takes commitment and it takes time to build the event. Using the
Los Angeles gala as a case study, we will explain the most critical steps to developing a solid event. We
will first start with showing how a small event can grow, including all of the essential details and logistics.
We will continue on how to organize a silent and live auction or fund appeal (how to find the items, which
items, how many items, how to set up the table presenting the items, how to organize the live auction or
fund appeal, sponsorship agreement form and donation form). This part is critical as it is where the most
profit is made.
We will conclude by explaining how to develop a strong communication plan around the gala (prizes,
video, press release, website) and how to better attract officials (consuls, city officers, VIPs ...) and new
members. Based on our experience, we are convinced that this type of program can certainly be useful to
other Alliances Françaises no matter what their size.
Isabelle Leroux has been President of the Alliance Française de Los Angeles since June 2013.
Previously, she was Vice President in charge of the organization of cultural events. Prior to this, Isabelle
Leroux worked for 8 years for a small business based in Los Angeles importing French linen products. She
developed, implemented and managed their website, web store, newsletter, all social media and overall
communication. She worked in public relations in Paris before moving to Los Angeles in 2000. Isabelle is
married and has two French-born children, now college students in Los Angeles. She holds a Bachelor’s in
Philosophy and a Master’s in communication and public relations, both from Parisian schools.
Nicole Montgomery has lived in Los Angeles since 1985. She is married with an adult son. She has been
on the board of the AF de Los Angeles since 2006. She was first vice-president of cultural events and then
president from 2009 to 2013. Nicole is a Spanish major and worked in banking in Paris from 1975 to
1984, first for Crédit Lyonnais then Banco Hispano Americano.
3. Danielle Badler, Alliance Française de Denver
Daniel Wolff, Alliance Française d’Atlanta
Catherine Guillemin-Lynch, Alliance Française de Chicago
(also serving as Moderator)
Sutter Room
"Board recruitment and development"
Recruiting active and engaged Boards can be a challenge for even the sharpest talent-spotters. Keeping
board members engaged, motivated and feeling useful, while not burning them out, is also key to longevity
and long-term productivity. Governance structures, while generally similar, often differ in the ways they
actually operate – how do the roles of Executive Director and President differ between larger and smaller
Alliances, for instance? And smooth relationships with the Consulate and other francophone organizations,
while ideal, are not always the case and depend on many factors. The roles of the Fondation and the
Délégation Générale are also to be taken into consideration.
This panel will address these and other questions. Come prepared for a lively discussion!
A New York native, Danielle Badler embarked on a writing and communications consulting career
following more than 30 years in corporate communications, the last ten years as the chief global
communications officer for three Fortune 500 companies, and including a year in Lausanne.
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Her work today includes facilitating executive peer group meetings for The Conference Board in New
York, as well as regular articles and columns for the Porsche Club of America, TFLCar.com and planet9.com. She has been named a PR All Star by Inside PR, and to Who's Who in Corporate hi-tech PR by
PRWeek.
Very active in community involvement, Danielle has been a two-term board president of the Alliance
Francaise de Denver and a board vice president of the national Federation of Alliance Francaises, as well
as a member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press Association.
Daniel Wolff started off with the Alliance Française d’Atlanta by organizing monthly French dinners. In
1999 he joined the Board of Directors and has held leading roles in marketing, development and strategic
planning. He has been President since 2010.
Daniel is also the Chairman of the second largest rowing regatta and fund raising event in North America
with 2,100 entries and over 15,000 participants and spectators. He was born in Strasbourg and came to
Atlanta in 1991.
A native of Paris, Catherine Guillemin-Lynch moved recently to Chicago as a result of her husband’s new
position at Northwestern University. She is the Director of Development for the Alliance Française of
Chicago. She worked at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where Catherine was also in
Development and responsible for a portfolio of principal gifts and Trustees’ relations. Prior to her work at
Mayo, Catherine enjoyed careers in public health consulting and in state government. She holds a law
degree as well as a Master’s degree in Public Affairs.
4. Sarah Pickup-Diligenti, Alliance Française de Washington
Moderator: Kristin Rapinac, AF de Sacramento
Century Room
“How to build a social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) to increase
visibility and engagement, and translate it into income”
Since July 2014 the AF de Washington has revamped its communication strategy to attract different
demographics with the goal of engaging people culturally, making them want to become members and to
take classes. We will explain the strategy, the campaigns, the paid/unpaid ads, organic/paid engagements;
demographics: Who? Where? How?; "virality" of posts: why some and not others?; linking all social
media accounts into one big PR tool; where to find materials, the importance of linking articles/visuals to
your own AF content; creating infographics; e-newsletters and social media: why it is important to always
link them?
Sarah Pickup-Diligenti is the Executive Director of the Alliance Française de Washington DC.
She was raised in the French West Indies and France and obtained an LLM in International Law and a
Master of Philosophy in Political Science at the University of Toulouse.
She joined the Alliance in 2005 first as Academic Director and then in 2013 as Executive Director. She is
a 1984 Young Poet Laureate of the Academie des Jeux Floraux in Toulouse, has published poetry in France
and the US and is a Founding Director of Word Fest, the Annual DC International Poetry Festival. She was
invited on the Diane Rehm Show in 2009 to speak about The Elegance of the Hedgehog, a literary
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phenomenon in France and gives talks and conferences in DC on a regular basis.
Sara is married and has two grown children and two cats. When she is not working for the Alliance
Française, you can find her reading, writing, taking pictures, making jams or gardening. Sarah recently
became a naturalized US citizen.
5. Daryl Younker, Alliance Française de St. Louis
Moderator : Richard Galton, AF de Berkeley
Sutter Room
“Fund-raising with an online auction and other ideas”
An Online Auction is an effective way to raise funds with little investment and a handful of volunteers.
Each step of the process will be detailed, from procuring items for the auction, accepting bids, tracking
bids, and following up with bidders, to the announcement of the top bids. The workshop will also cover
pitfalls to avoid and give ideas on what kind of items will bring in the most revenue. Other fundraisers
to be discussed include a Trivia Night and a Karaoke Night.
Daryl Younker is a member of the Board of Directors of the Alliance Française de Saint Louis, where he
has been a member for over 15 years. He holds a minor in French on his B.S. in Ed. Degree and has
completed his Master’s and Ph.D. Daryl taught high school for 20 years and served as SFO of several auto
dealerships. Since retirement, he enjoys travel, music and improving his French.
6. Linda Witt, Alliance Française de Portland
Moderator : Matt Wyatt, AF de Nashville
Century Room
"Strategies and best practices for email newsletters that drive enrollment and events"
Email bulletins can be a formidable tool for engaging new prospects and for keeping former students
apprised of opportunities to renew their involvement in AF events and classes. An active and substantial enews readership can play a key role in driving enrollment and ensuring sold-out status for events. This
workshop will cover the best practices as tested by the AF de Portland whose newsletter is a six-time AllStar Award winner and which has 6,300 subscribers. Discussion will center on: What type of content drives
the most clicks? What days/times are the best for sending? What frequencies? What titles drive opens?
How much content? How to handle ad requests? Could some of the content be easily sharable with other
Alliances (why re-create the wheel?) How can e-news complement social media? What about the interplay
of e-news and the core website? Who should/could write it, what are their qualifications? How to balance
the French and the English? How to position the news as the “French Connection” for a region? How to
leverage partner participation?
Linda Witt served as the Executive Director of the AF de Portland for 8 years and now sits on its board.
Her past experience includes development and fundraising for language immersion schools as well as 10
years in high tech (software product marketing).
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7. Barbara Tucker, Alliance Française de Pittsburgh (also serving as Moderator)
With grant recipients :
Marie-Laure Arnaud, Alliance Française de Charleston
Renée Ketcham, Alliance Française of Greenwich
Christine Mason, Alliance Française de Westchester
Aurélie Champvert, Alliance Française de la Nouvelle Orléans
Josette Marsh, Alliance Française de Hawaii
Linda Witt, Alliance Française de Portland
Sutter Room
“How are grants offered by the Federation and how are they used?"
This informal discussion forum will focus on the grants provided by the Federation to its member chapters,
reviewing the application process and the usefulness of the funds to grantees. Specific examples will be
used – bring your questions and ideas to enrich the dialogue with representatives from chapters who have
benefitted from
these Federation grants.
Barbara Tucker has been the President of AF de Pittsburgh since 2008 and has been on the Board of the
Federation of Alliances Françaises USA since 2010. She first experienced the Alliance through classes at
the AF de Paris. Barbara also studied at the American University in Paris and took summer courses at the
University of Nice.
Barbara also attended the Hotel School of Lausanne, Switzerland and worked in hotels in Europe and New
York, where she was a member of FIAF. Barbara began working at Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh as the
Travel Program Manager 15 years ago and is currently the Director of Individual Giving.
She has served on the French American Chamber of Commerce and is currently Chair of the French
Nationality Room at the University of Pittsburgh.
Barbara is married and has one daughter.
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Special restaurant offers
Gaspar Brasserie - a Parisian-inspired space - is offering a free glass of
champagne & a $10 credit for every $100 spent for those booking a
table for dinner on Friday or Saturday evening during our
convention. Please mention 'Alliances Françaises' when making your
reservation. 185 Sutter Street, San Francisco
Tel (415) 576-8800
Café de la Presse - the best Union Square restaurant - is offering a 10%
discount for dinner on Friday and lunch and dinner on Saturday. Please
mention 'Alliances Françaises' when making your reservation.
352 Grant Ave, San Francisco
Tel (415) 398-2680
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Prix Charbonnier 2015 – Jacques Pépin
A Monsieur Jacques PépinAu nom de la Fédération des Alliances Françaises U.S.A. la Fédération voudrait d’abord vous féliciter. Le
Prix de La Fondation Julia Child dont vous êtes le premier récipiendaire reconnait l’importance et
l’excellence de votre travail et de votre dévouement dans le monde culinaire aux Etats Unis.
De la même manière que la Fondation Julia Child, la Fédération des Alliances Françaises USA dont la
mission est de promouvoir et développer la langue et la culture françaises et francophones attribue
chaque année un prix, le Prix Charbonnier qui reconnait une personne dont le nom, la présence et le
travail ont contribué à l’expansion de la présence française et francophone aux U.S.A. Ce prix a été créé
en 1991 en mémoire de Daniel Charbonnier qui habitait à San Francisco et avait été Président de la
Fédération et, qui par sa personnalité illustrait parfaitement les qualités de l’Alliance Française.
C’est un grand honneur pour nous, Monsieur Pépin, que vous acceptez de recevoir le Prix Charbonnier
2015 reconnaissant ainsi votre immense contribution à l’enseignement et à la diffusion de la maitrise de
la cuisine française aux Etats Unis.
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Avec nos salutations les plus cordiales, Le Conseil d’Administration de la Fédération des AFs USA
ONE BOOK/ONE FEDERATION
This prize-winning French bestseller is a charming fable about the power of a hat
that takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride through French life during the
Mitterrand years.
Dining alone in an elegant Parisian brasserie, accountant Daniel Mercier can
hardly believe his eyes when President François Mitterrand sits down to eat at the
table next to him. After the presidential party has gone, Daniel discovers that
Mitterrand's black felt hat has been left behind. After a few moments of soulsearching, Daniel decides to keep the hat as a souvenir of an extraordinary
evening. It's a perfect fit, and as he leaves the restaurant Daniel begins to feel
somehow . . . different. Has Daniel unwittingly discovered the secret of supreme
power? For two years the iconic item of headgear plays with the lives of the men and women who wear
it, bringing them success that had previously eluded them. The story is set in the mid-1980s, a time
before smartphones and multi-channel TV, when people searched for lost possessions and missed
connections in the classified pages of newspapers rather than on social media as in our technology-driven
world of today.
Published on the eve of the French presidential elections of 2012, Antoine Laurain's fourth, fairytale-like
novel was acclaimed by critics, readers and booksellers, who awarded it the Prix Landerneau
Découvertes. It also won the Prix Relay des Voyageurs, a prize which celebrates the enjoyment of
reading. The novel has been adapted for television in France. It has also been translated into English as
The President’s Hat.
The French is very accessible and is suitable for B1 and B2 language students. The book was selected for its simple
style, straightforward vocabulary and plot line, and will, as such, reach a wide audience of Alliance Française
members. This book can be used in a book club setting or as the basis for a course around the era of France in the
80s, filled with such events as the new pay TV channel Canal+, the Minitel, the arrival of the Left to power, Les
Grands Travaux, “Touche pas à mon pote” and the fashions of Jean-Paul Gaultier.
A complete study guide will be available on the One Book One Federation Facebook Page in October. It
will include a synopsis, biographical material, discussion questions, vocabulary lists, as well as some
material for the creation of a course around the book and France in the 1980s.
You may visit the website of MEP/Schoenhof’s Books to order this book and benefit from the special
One Book One Federation price of $6.
www.schoenhofs.com
Hats off to this cleverly-structured and fast-paced novel brimming with wit and style!
Katharine Branning and Yann Carmona, FIAF Haskell Library, New York City.
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Merci to our Sponsors:
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En attendant vous voir nombreux à Minneapolis en 2016 !
Save the date: October 20-22, 2016. Details to come.
Please visit www.afusa.org for updates in the coming months.
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