Our Team


Permanent Staff

Denis Morandet |
General Manager

Denis has extensive experience in education, having taught across a range of educational settings in Sydney and various countries around the world.

He also brings to his current role the unique skillset he acquired during a rich career in business and commercial diving, as well as his enthusiasm for new technologies.

In Sydney, Denis has found the perfect setting to combine his passion for promoting French language and culture and his love of the ocean, the great outdoors and photography.

Dominique Giovanangeli | Finance and Administration Manager

Dominique is a professional accountant and looks after the finance, HR and corporate matters of the organisation.

Prior to joining the company, he worked for the automotive, not-for-profit, infrastructure, facilities management and entertainment industries in Sydney and Paris.

He has a keen interest in accounting research and is a member of the Pacioli Society of the University of Sydney Business School.

Dominique is also a Justice of the Peace (JP) for the State of New South Wales.

Philippe Ostermann | Business Development Management Consultant

Philippe is the Coordinator of the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival. Prior to joining the company, he was the CEO and head of publishing of major French and Belgian comic book publisher, Dargaud.

Prior to this, he began his career at EY and then worked for many years for the leading French cultural magazine, Télérama.

Virginie Le Lay |
Adults Course Coordinator & Office Manager

Virginie is our coordinator for all adults courses and she also assists the General Manager, the Finance and Administration Manager. 

Between 2019 and 2021, Virginie worked for Alliance Française de Sydney as the Customer Service Coordinator. 

Over the past 15 years, Virginie has filled various positions in the travel, leisure, and luxury industries, managing a variety of activities.

Before arriving in Sydney, she lived in Indonesia and managed a diving experience company.

Mathilde Hauwaert | Permanent Teacher


Mathilde is a Belgian educator specialising in pedagogy and media instruction for teachers in Belgium.

Drawn to Australia’s stunning natural beauty and vibrant culture, she decided to make the move to Sydney in 2022.

Today, she brings her passion for teaching French to the Alliance Française de Sydney, enriching the learning experience of her students.

When she’s not in front of a class, you’ll find her scuba diving and surfing.


Sophie Jarre |
Kids Course Coordinator

Sophie has extensive experience in education, having previously taught in various countries before permanently settling down in Sydney.

Within her role at the AFS, Sophie fulfills her passion for teaching students of all ages, particularly in nurturing her youngest learners as they grow up reach language milestones. 

When not at work, Sophie likes to do judo, eat a lot of Cheese and travel around Australia.

Lauriane Deuff |
Teens Course Coordinator


Lauriane joined Alliance Francaise Sydney as a French teacher in 2016.
She thoroughly enjoys getting to know her students and their motivation for learning and  helping them to achieve their goals.
Lauriane studied anthropology and sociology and her background is a unique blend of French cultural influences. Her grandparents are from Normandy, her parents from Paris, and she grew up in the countryside of Aveyron before studying in Toulouse.
She may not have a southern accent, but she appreciates olive oil as much as crème fraiche and butter.

Julian Escavabaja | Permanent Teacher


Julian is a recently graduated teacher with a passion for phonetics, psychology and class dynamics.

After a first experience at AFS in 2022, Julian is back in Australia for a new challenge. His training in the latest cognitive and teaching methods, his attention to his students and his passion for new technologies make him the perfect match for our teaching team.

Julian is also a proud Gascon (land of foie gras, Armagnac and d'Artagnan) who fell in love with Australia’s wildlife, landscapes and cultural diversity.

Laura Lavaud |
Customer Service Officer

Laura, who holds degrees in Political Science and English, recently became a part of our team during her gap year in Australia! At the Alliance Française de Sydney, she is thrilled to support our students and members.

Having been captivated by Australia since her childhood, Laura made the decision to embrace the challenge of living in this country she had longed to explore—especially to catch a glimpse of koalas! With a strong desire to work internationally and promote French culture worldwide, it was only natural for her to join us.

When she's not at Alliance Française, Laura indulges in her passion for dancing, explores the wonders of Australia, takes leisurely strolls around Bondi Beach, immerses herself in podcasts, and enjoys reading and savouring delicious food. Her secret guilty pleasure lies in relishing brioche and croissants!

Agnieszka Przybysz
Customer Service Officer

Agnieszka joined Alliance Francaise de Sydney in June 2023, dedicated to delivering friendly and professional service to our students and members.

She brings a wealth of experience to the role, having spent a decade in the European tourism industry, specialising in customer service and organising trips for tourists.

Her fascination with the French language and culture began during her school years and today, she is an absolute Francophile and passionate traveler.

Outside of work, she delights in uncovering hidden gems "off the beaten track," immersing herself in new cultures, sampling new flavours and venturing outside of her comfort zone.

Elisabeth Mascaro | 
Customer Service Officer

Elisabeth joined Alliance Francaise Sydney as a customer service officer in August 2022.

She is a dedicated team member in supporting our students and members.

Outside of her work at Alliance Française, Elisabeth is studying a bachelor of nursing to become a registered nurse !

When she is not studying at Uni or working with the customer service team of the Alliance Française de Sydney, Elisabeth enjoys her passion for dance, hiking and sport in general.


Louise Roudière | Marketing Coordinator

In 2023, Louise completed her Master's degree internship in Canberra and subsequently joined AF Sydney for a semester.

She played an active role in communication efforts and coordinated various events, notably Bastille Day.

Her time in Australia fostered a profound connection, leading her to choose a permanent move to Sydney, eager for a new and exciting chapter.

Now having finished her studies in Marketing, Cinema, and Management, Louise is equipped and enthusiastic about promoting French culture to the Australian audience.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Louise has hidden talents in digital photography, tap dancing, and hosting musical blind tests.


Teaching Staff

The teaching staff is comprised of 35 native French speakers.
Together they teach over 900 students in each 8 week session.

Board of Directors

François Romanet | President
BA (Hons) Business and Finance

François Romanet is a senior executive with experience with multinationals corporations and not-for-profit organisations.

Francois previously worked as CEO for SAFRAN Pacific (Aeronautics, Defense & Security) and Managing Director of Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia for 13 years. From 2017 to 2022, he was Chairman and CEO for Naval Group Pacific, a world leader in naval defence.
He is currently a Board Member of the European Australian Business Council (EABC) and appointed French Foreign Trade Advisors since 2006.

He was Federal President of the French-Australian Chamber of Commerce (FACCI) for 5 years and Chairman of the Board of the French International School of Sydney (Lycée Condorcet) for 3 years. Francois is Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite.

Hannah Cooper | Vice President
BA Law, BLS

Hannah is currently working as a lawyer at Gilbert + Tobin (Restructuring + Insolvency) in Sydney.

She previously worked as a lawyer (Restructuring) in London, UK, at Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft LLP and at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy LLP, and as a lawyer (Corporate Advisory) at Corrs Chambers Westgarth in Sydney.

Hannah was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW (2014) and as a Solicitor of the High Court of Australia (2016).



Patrick Cocquerel | Treasurer
MBA, DECS (France)

Patrick is a Senior Corporate and Institutional Banking executive with an extensive network of relationships at Board and senior management levels.

He has led various banking businesses in France, Australia, Spain and the United States for Credit Agricole, CIB and the Westpac Group.

Patrick is an MBA and Accounting graduate with a passion for diversity, sustainability and the performing arts.


Lyn Tuit | Board Member
BA Dip. Ed, GAICD, Dipl. Sup CCI Paris


Lyn is currently the Principal at Momentum 2, a marketing and communications agency. She has gained extensive experience in marketing and has worked for the tourism sector as Director Southern Europe South Australian Tourism Commission in Paris and is a Past First Secretary of the Australian Embassy in Paris, France. 

Lyn is a Director of Intuitive Communication, Treasurer and Director of Sydney Salon and is a Past Director of the South Australian Tourism Commission.

She is the Vice-President of the Association National des Membres de l'Ordre National du Mérite for Australia.

Gareth Dando | Board Member
MA (Hons), MBA, BSc (Hons) Mathematics, MSc Coaching Psychology

Gareth is currently a Director at Exigeant Advisory in Sydney. He is also an Executive Coach at Global Coaching Partnership in Sydney.

He previously worked as Head of Big Data Analytics, Telstra in Sydney, as Managing Director at Southern Cross Venture Partners in Sydney, as CEO at UNISEED in Melbourne, as Senior Manager at LEK Consulting in Melbourne, as a Consultant at OC&C Strategy Consultants in London, UK and Paris, France and as IT Consultant at Andersen Consulting in London, UK.

Dominique Barbeau | Board Member
MA, BA (Hons), Grad. Dip. Ed. (UNSW, Sydney), Dip. Supérieur de Français des Affaires (CCI Paris)

Dominique is currently teaching IB French at SCECGS Redlands in Cremorne. She has an extensive teaching experience in independent, selective and comprehensive public schools in Sydney. She has worked at the Board of Studies (now, NESA) for over 20 years as an HSC examiner and Senior Marker.

Dominique is a passionate advocate of French language learning and has been actively involved in the Modern Language Teachers Association of NSW  (MLTA of NSW) and the NSW Association of French Teachers (NAFT). She is a Past President of NAFT and a Past Vice-President of the Federation of Associations of Teachers of French in Australia (FATFA). 

Amaury Treguer | Board Member
M Com, B. Bus

Amaury is Co-Founder of Bread Agency (www.breadagency.com.au) a Social Media Agency with Social Commerce at its core. With over 15 years of combined marketing and communications experience on both agency and client sides, Amaury has proven through-the-line experience including TV, print, social media and digital. After launching Sixtine, a creative studio specialised in content production back in Paris, Amaury is now focusing his efforts in creating and implementing social and digital strategies for clients across a wide range of industries. In his ‘dawntime’, he’s taking photos for his blog Morning Bondi.

Isabelle A. Toland | Board Member
B.Sc. (Hons), B.Arch. (Hons)

Isabelle is a director of Aileen Sage Architects. She is a graduate from the University of Sydney (2003). She has worked overseas in Paris for Lipsky + Rollet and Shigeru Ban Architects Europe, and in Sydney for Toland Architects and Neeson Murcutt Architects prior to establishing Aileen Sage with Amelia Sage Holliday in 2013. Isabelle and Amelia were Creative Directors for the 2016 Australian Exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale and they have received numerous awards including the 2018 AIA NSW Emerging Architects Prize, 2018 AIA NSW Robert Woodward Award & 2020 AIA NSW Small Project Award.

Isabelle has taught and critiques regularly at all the Sydney Architecture Schools. She was a member of the 2018-2020 State Design Review Panel for the NSW Government Architect and has participated on numerous awards juries and design review panels. Her experience has ranged from complex residential and urban community projects to remote temporary campsites and large-scale public art and cultural strategies.

Anthony Kierann | Board Member
BA

Anthony was the Chief Operating Officer at Actors Centre Australia, one of Australia’s leading performing arts institutions.

Prior to this, Anthony was the General Manager of Film Festivals, Australian Cinema and Programs with Event Cinemas.
He has extensive experience in cinema theatre management with Event Hospitality and Entertainment (EVT), working across exhibition and distribution.

Anthony is an ambassador and juror for SF3 a screen advisor for WEOFF and worked extensive with many of Australia’s largest and culturally prominent film festivals and organisations.

He currently produces new and exciting works in the arts sector with an Australian production Company.


Alliance Française French Film Festival Volunteers

Each year, over 40 volunteers assist with the running of the Alliance Française French Film Festival.
To volunteer during the next Festival season, email us!