Meet Our Team

Patricia Dalby Director

I have been a member of the Alliance Cambridge for almost 12 years. My passions for international business and the charity sector have given me the opportunity to work, learn and develop with people from all walks of life!

First Aid certified
DBS checked
Safeguarding certified

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Virginie Friend Course Director

I am a graduate in HR, interested in intercultural communication and love to support and advise students in their learning journey.
You can write to me for any question related to our courses and workshops!

First Aid certified
DBS checked
Safeguarding certified

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Jasmine Ben Lahoucine Exam Center Administrator and Teacher

I have taught modern languages in Scottish schools after obtaining my PGDE at the University of Edinburgh. I love teaching to people of all ages and backgrounds! I also like travelling, good food and music.

First Aid certified
DBS checked
Safeguarding certified
Examiner
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Gaël Blaison Cultural Coordinator and Teacher

I arrived in Cambridge after my Master's degree in International Management of cultural affairs in Sciences Po Lyon. Specialised in French Literature and history enthusiast, I organise most of the cultural events.

First Aid certified
DBS checked
Safeguarding certified
Examiner
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Héléna Mercier Education development strategist – Adults

I am a French as a foreign language teacher, specialised in Adult and Business classes. I love all languages and I'm interested in other cultures all around the world. Before teaching at the Alliance Française Cambridge-Norwich, I spent a few years in Asia teaching in other AFs.

First Aid certified
Safeguarding certified
Examiner

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Habi O'Grady Education development strategist – Under 18

I am a French as a foreign language teacher, specialised in GCSE/A-Level/IB. I love using creative ideas to inspire young people to learn French as well as the diversity, heritage and history of France. I also have a passion for hiking,.

First Aid certified
DBS checked

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Ania Grande Administration

Part of the administrative team, I especially manage the Adults courses organisation and the French After School Club. I am currently preparing a Master's degree in Culture & Communication at Sciences Po Lyon.

Administrative team

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Childéric Ebinda Teacher of French as a Foreign Language

Born and raised in Paris,
I am a former video journalist. My passion for travelling and teaching led me to a French teacher role in Cambridge. “You can do it”, is my motto. More than endless vocabulary, I like to teach confidence to pupils by letting them know that French can be funny and fascinating.

DBS checked

Jean-Louis Barges Teacher of French as a Foreign Language

I am French as a foreign language teacher and a DELF/DALF examiner, working with the Alliance Française Cambridge-Norwich for more than two decades, I enjoy teaching and sharing my passion for music, particularly for rock n’ roll. I also like to play guitar and sing with friends and family.

Examiner

Stephanie Sutton Teacher of French as a Foreign Language

I taught for the Alliance francaise network in Asia and America for several years before joining their new centre in Norwich. As well as my passion for the French language, I also enjoy travelling and literature.

First Aid certified
DBS checked
Safeguarding certified

Anne-Laure Latour Teacher of French as a Foreign Language

I am French and I started to teach in a high school in Germany. I'm now teaching French as a foreign language for children and adults at Alliance Française. Alongside my passion for my mother tongue, I'm a professional musician and that brings me to travel all around the world and discover many cultures.

Examiner
DBS checked

Melissa Watts Norwich Activities Coordinator

Having taught children’s French classes for the Alliance Française de Milwaukee for 7 years, I am excited to be continuing my relationship with the AF, expanding into my hometown of Norwich. I love travel, interior design and spending time with my family and golden retriever.

DBS checked
Safeguarding certified

The Alliance Française Cambridge is a Charity Organisation. As such, it is lead by a Board of Trustees who supervise its general management and seek its best interest.

Pierre Pillet Chair

Pierre Pillet has been teaching languages and running the Modern Languages Departments in leading academic schools in the UK for nearly 25 years, including as Director of Languages at the Perse Upper School, Cambridge. He currently leads the Languages Facility at Charterhouse School, Surrey.

Chair

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Stefan Marciniak Deputy Chair

Stefan Marciniak is an academic clinician, professor of respiratory science at the University of Cambridge Hospitals and directs the Cambridge MB/PhD Programme. He has been a member of the Alliance Française since 2016.

Deputy Chair

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James Winters Secretary

James Winters is a Strategic Account Director for a Global IT Distributor, managing customers across Europe. James has a passion for learning about different cultures and spends his free time cycling, watching French language cinema and taking family holidays in France.

Secretary

Nick Santcross Treasurer

Nick Santcross is the Business Development Director of Cambridge Education’s international development consultancy business globally. 20+ years of management and consulting experience in South Asia, Europe and Africa.

Treasurer

Cindy Forde Trustee

Cindy Forde is the Founder and CEO of Planetari and formerly CEO of Cambridge Science Centre. Prior to that, Cindy was Managing Director of the Blue Marine Foundation heading a global team dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans.

Trustee

Neil Carter Trustee

Neil Carter is the Managing Director of a Cambridge based commercial design consultancy working throughout the UK. He loves France where he has time to rue the lack of effort he made in French lessons all those years ago.

Trustee

Janet Morris Trustee

Janet Morris is an independent director working for a number of international organisations primarily within education. She has been a lifelong francophile having spent much of her spare time in France.

Trustee

Christine Hilcenko Trustee

Christine Hilcenko has been a Research Associate at the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research for the last 20 yeas, studying mechanisms of ribosome assembly. She is also the Founder and Chairman of the Raymond Nicolet Trust, a UK registered charity supportintg education and childhood in Serbia.

Trustee

Franklin Nelson Trustee

Franklin Nelson is an editor and writer at the Financial Times. Between 2015 and 2017, he was a volunteer teaching assistant at the Alliance Française.

Long time francophile, he joined the Alliance's team again in 2023, this time as a Trusty.

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Join the Team! Become a Trustee

The Alliance Française East Anglia is always considering new applications for the board of Trustees.

If you know you can bring something to the organisation, please contact our Director or the Chair.

Apply now
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