Board of Trustees

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Executive Committee

Board Chair

Jennifer Thiebaud

Jennifer is native to the Seattle area and fell in love with France when she was an exchange student at 16 years old. Her husband is a French national. Their two children graduated from NSFS in 2020 and 2022. Jennifer has a degree in international relations, and her career has included school admissions, teaching, academic advising, and event planning. For over 10 years, she has worked in the field of corporate social responsibility, first at a Fortune 500 company and currently as a director for a consultant company, working to protect human rights globally in manufacturing.

Vice Chair

Debby Orsini

Debby lived in Washington, D.C. until 2020 when she moved to Seattle to live with her daughter and 3 grandsons who are NSFS students. She retired in 2021 after 30 years in international development, with travels to over 100 countries focusing on strategic planning and program evaluation. Debby studied in Paris for two years and enjoyed using her language skills in her development work in francophone countries. She is a firm believer in the value of bilingual and cross-cultural education. She enrolled her six daughters in the Lycée Rochambeau in Washington, D.C., where she also served as head of the parents’ association and board member for six years.

Secretary

Julie Mathieu

Julie was born and raised in France. After obtaining her PhD in cellular biology in Paris, she arrived in Seattle in 2008 and fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. She is now an AssistantProfessor at the University of Washington. Julie and her husband share a profound commitment to raising their two sons in a bilingual environment. Since 2016, when their first child started in the petite section, they have been actively involved in the NSFS community. Both her children are currently attending NSFS. In her free time, Julie enjoys reading, hiking, camping and kayaking.

Finance Chair

Nate Kimball

Nate was born and raised in Seattle. His French journey began in high school and continues to this day. While centered in the Pacific Northwest, Nate has spent time in Iowa and Texas as well as France. His partner is a French national and their one child is at NSFS–-bilingual education is important! Nate holds an MBA from the University of Washington Foster School of Business and has held engineering, planning, and management roles in telecommunications. In his free time, Nate enjoys family, friends, and travel.

Treasurer

Renata Parente

Renata is French-Brazilian, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She has lived in Seattle since 2010 after living in Chile, Portugal, India, Egypt, and France where she finished high school and started college. In every country she lived, she attended immersive French schools creating a strong connection with the French community and culture. Renata earned a General Engineering degree from EPF Ecole d’ingenieurs in France and a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, FL. She has worked in multiple design and production engineering roles in the automotive and aerospace industry in France and the USA. Her son started attending NSFS in Kindergarten in 2020. In her free time, she enjoys travelling and spending time with family and friends.

Board Committee Chairs & General Trustees

Alice Reis - NSFS Board Member — Community chair
Alice Reis

Robyn Long - NSFS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Board Chair — Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Chair
Robyn Long

Margaux Eng - NSFS Fundraising Chair — Fundraising Chair
Margaux Eng

Elliot Flautt - NSFS Board Member — BOARD MEMBER
Elliot Flautt

Andrew Martin - NSFS Board Member — Board Member
Andrew Martin

Community chair

Alice Reis

Alice grew up in Brooklyn, NY and moved to Seattle with her husband in 2013 where they fell in love with the nature and beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Alice is a dual French American citizen and is committed to passing on the French language and culture to her three children. Her son graduated NSFS in 2024 and her daughter is a current student. Alice works as an architect and in her free time enjoys discovering new trails, beaches and farm stands, travel, and time with family.

Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Chair

Robyn Long

Robyn (she/her) is a dedicated advocate for equity, inclusion, decolonization, and social justice. Raised in the Midwest, she has since lived and worked globally, collaborating with community organizations, academic institutions, and Tribal nations to develop programs strengthening the well-being and mental health of marginalized communities. Robyn is passionate about creating inclusive environments for all families and staff. With a BA/MA in International Development & Social Change from Clark University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington, she brings a unique perspective to education and organizational change in multicultural settings. Robyn’s husband is from Montréal and they have raised their son bilingually. They joined the NSFS community in 2022 and value the school’s commitment to Francophone culture. Her family enjoys hiking and canoeing in the Salish Sea.

Fundraising Chair

Margaux Eng

Margaux (she/her) was born and raised in Seattle. She attended Seattle Public Schools and the University of Washington, and pursued a career in technology. Her husband is French, and she and her husband decided to raise their two sons as bilingual in French and English. In her free time, Margaux enjoys working with non-profit organizations in the areas of affordable housing, sustainable living and education as well as spending time with her family, traveling and eating!

BOARD MEMBER

Elliot Flautt

Elliot became Seattleite in 2017 and lives in Ballard with his wife. He is a graduate of the Atlanta International School where he completed his International Baccalaureate Bilingual Diploma in French. A bilingual speaker of French and English, Elliot then taught both languages at a primary school in Rwanda. In his free time, Elliot enjoys hiking, cross country skiing, and exploring the Pacific Northwest. Elliot currently works as a Director at Tyler Technologies.

Board Member

Andrew Martin

Originally from Los Angeles, Andrew ventured to the Pacific Northwest in 2022 to pursue professional and educational opportunities. He holds degrees in Engineering from Cal State Long Beach and USC, and is currently pursuing an MBA with the University of Washington. Andrew’s professional background includes a decade-long career in the commercial aviation industry, where he has worked in the areas of design, customer support, product development, and regulatory administration. His passion for bilingual education led him to serve as a Board Fellow for North Seattle French School, where he became inspired by the great work the organization was accomplishing. Andrew now serves as a General Board Member and is eager to continue fulfilling the mission of cultivating a globally-minded community in the Greater Seattle area. In his free time, Andrew enjoys frequenting the Seattle hiking trails, parks, and beaches with his wife and two dogs.

Board member

Jonathan Pety de Thozée

Originally from Belgium, Jonathan moved first to the US East Coast, and in 2013, he and his wife shifted their home base to Seattle for professional opportunities. They have been enjoying many summer camping trips and all the beautiful places the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Jonathan boasts a solid background in social and media communication, having earned his master’s degree from IHECS in Brussels. With over 15 years in the event and hospitality sector, he currently leads the sales team responsible for audiovisual services at the Hyatt Hotels in downtown Seattle. By joining the NSFS board, he aspires to bolster NSFS’ mission of nurturing the vibrant French-speaking community in Seattle.

Advisory Members

Founder - Alumni

Celia Beasley

Born to an American father and French mother, Celia is a native of Oakland, CA, where she attended Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley for nine years, including as a student in the school’s pioneering middle school class. The global perspective Celia acquired and the lifelong friendships she fostered there made her passionate about giving a similar experience to her own children, as well as others. Her daughter was part of the pioneering class in 2013. Her son graduated in 2022. Celia works as a multimedia professional, producing and editing film, television and video.

Founder

Virginie Volpe

Born and raised in France, Virginie first came to Seattle to attend Shoreline Community College. She then attended Seattle University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in international business and also met her husband, a Seattle native. After several years working in the semiconductor industry, Virginie acquired a Six Sigma Certification, and in 2008, became president of Volpaia Consulting LLC. Virginie has two children who both attended NSFS from K to 5th grade.

Finance

Donna Clawson

Originally from Poland, Donna has lived and worked in New York, Paris and London before moving to Seattle in 2018. Her experiences include organizations like Finastra, Wellcome Trust, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Ernst & Young LLP, and she is now the Chief Financial Officer for FISW (French Immersion School of Washington). She holds a Master of Science in Accountancy/Business from St. John’s University in New York. She is also a Certified Public Accountant. Donna enjoys exploring beautiful PNW, photography, performing arts, literature, cooking, and baking; ideally spending ‘freeish’ time by sharing these passions with her two daughters and her husband.

Fundraising

Kirk W. Laughlin

Kirk has been a fundraiser in the Seattle area since 1994 and has worked in the independent school sector since 2017 when he joined Academy for Precision Learning as Director of Advancement. Previously, he led fundraising, community relations and government affairs for organizations such as Seattle Children’s Museum, The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc., Youth Eastside Services and Pacific Science Center. He holds a BA and MA in English from the University of Idaho and a Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership from Seattle University. And he has been a nonprofit board trustee and advisory council member for local and regional nonprofits for over 10 years, including The Lighthouse for the Blind Foundation, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the University District Rotary Club. Kirk enjoys long-distance running and would love to talk with you about Star Trek and Blade Runner trivia. He lives in North Seattle with his sons and wife.

Human Resources

Josh Tintes

Founders

Founder - Alumni

Celia Beasley

Founder

Paul Olivier

Paul is a dual citizen, born and raised in Toronto, Canada to an American mother and French father. He spearheaded the committee to find a permanent home for NSFS, and his older daughter was part of the pioneering class in 2013. As a professional, Paul splits his time between working as a scientist and inventor and as an entrepreneur raising funding in a start-up biotech company. Paul enjoys family outdoor time, cooking, parenting, and making lattes for his wonderful wife every morning. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in molecular biology and genetics.

Founder

Dana Short

Prior to joining the NSFS team in the spring of 2013, Dana worked in the fashion industry for 28 years, most recently as a regional account coordinator and customer service trainer for a Fortune 500 company. If asked, Dana would tell you that the highlight of her career is when she began working at the Ecole Bilingue de Seattle, where she happily gets paid in hugs. Dana served on the Executive Board of Directors for three years, with a focus on communications, administration and the launch of the maternelle program (preschool). In her spare time, Dana likes to dream up crazy adventures for her husband and daughter.