Our Team

Executive Director - Sarah DILIGENTI

Sarah comes from a multicultural and multilingual family. She spent her childhood in the West Indies and arrived in Toulouse, France at age 6. She was educated in France and obtained an LLM in International Law in 1986 and a Master of Philosophy in Political Science at the University of Toulouse. Her thesis in 1988 covered History, War, and Cinema. She also passed two National Certifications to Teach French (1992) and English (1993) at the High School and University levels.

Sarah moved to the US in 1995. She joined the Alliance in 2004 as a teacher, then in 2005 as Academic and Deputy Director, and finally in 2013 as Executive Director.

Sarah is a 1984 Young Poet Laureate of the Académie des Jeux Floraux. She has published poems in anthologies in France and in the US and was invited to submit a text for a book written by 100 authors, published in October 2017 in Beirut, Lebanon. She is currently preparing to publish her first poetry chapbook for Fall 2018 and is writing a series of short stories as well as her first novel.

She was a Founding Director of Word Fest, the Annual DC International Poetry Festival and sat on its Board from 2001 to 2006. Sarah was invited on the Diane Rehm Show in 2009 to speak about The Elegance of the Hedgehog, a literary phenomenon in France.

She was president of Washington Accueil Association, -an association dedicated to helping French and francophone expatriates coming to live in the Greater Washington area- from 1998 to 2000 and founded a book club in 1997, “Avid Readers in DC” to introduce American Literature to French expatriates, which she managed until 2014.

In January 2017, Sarah was made a Knight in the Order of the Academic Palms, the oldest non-military distinction of the French Republic. Presented by the French Ministry of Education, it recognizes those who have rendered eminent service to French education and have contributed actively to the prestige of French culture. Sarah was recognized specifically for her continuous efforts in the promotion of the French language and to her commitment to grow the Alliance Française D.C. as the premier French Cultural and Language Center in the Nation’s Capital.

director@francedc.org

Deputy and Academic Director - Ameneh MADJLESSI

Originally from Iran, Ameneh learned the French language at the age of 3 in Belgium where her father was a diplomat. After doing a BA in French/Persian Translation and interpretation in Tehran, she obtained a Master 2 FLE (French as a Foreign Language) from the Université Stendhal in Grenoble, France. She moved back to Iran after her Master’s. She founded her own private language school and linguistic lab in Tehran and taught French at all levels. She also worked as a French Instructor and Administrator at the Service de Coopération et d’Action Culturelle (Cultural Services) of the French Embassy in Tehran. In 2004, she moved to DC and started work as a teacher at Alliance Francaise of Washington in September 2005 until November 2013. She also taught French at the World Bank from 2006 to 2016; she was an Adjunct Professor at George Washington University from 2010 to 2016 and has been adjunct Lecturer at Georgetown University since September 2015. She came back to AFDC in October 2016 as Deputy and Academic Director.

academic.director@francedc.org 

Controller - Liz NUTI

Liz Nuti graduated from George Washington University with a BBA. She is the Founder and President of Accounting and Tax Solutions, Inc. She is an an EA (Enrolled Agent) and has years of experience as an IRS registered tax preparer. Liz's dog is a Bichon frisé whose name is Bisous (Kisses in French).

controller@francedc.org

Youth Programs Coordinator - Fanny OWHOKA

Born and raised in a cozy little village in Burgundy, France, Fanny has loved traveling for as long as she can remember. It was during her undergraduate studies in LLCER (Regional and Foreign Languages, Literatures and Civilizations) that she seized the opportunity to embark on an ERASMUS exchange program in Poland. This experience served as a turning point, making her realize that her future would be abroad.

During her Masters' in FLE (Teaching French as a Foreign Language), she was fortunate to work at the Alliance française in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Her time there was so enriching that she returned, this time to Zanzibar, taking on the role of Director of Studies. Fanny continued her passion for teaching to individuals of all ages and proficiency levels.

Afterwards, Fanny's journey led her to the United States, where she decided to make her new home in Virginia. Now settled there, she finds joy simply being outside with her furry friend, Sushi. She also loves exploring the great outdoors through hiking, indulging her taste buds with various culinary adventures, and satisfying her wanderlust by traveling whenever the opportunity arises.

children@francedc.org

Certifications and Private Classes Coordinator - Clementine THIERRY

Hailing from the picturesque streets of Paris, Clementine embarked on a transformative journey to Washington DC in November 2022 driven by a passion for cultural exchange and the allure of American landscapes discovery.

Armed with a Ph.D. in Geography and Urban Planning, her scholarly pursuits have revolved around unraveling the enigmatic charm of French fortified cities, delving into their historical depths with fervent curiosity and academic rigor.

Thrilled to be a part of L’Alliance Française, a beacon of cultural convergence and connection, she finds immense joy in fostering bridges between her heritage and the kaleidoscope of experiences that unfold daily in the United States. She is proud to collaborate with dedicated teachers and enthusiastic students who share a deep passion for French language.

 Beyond the Alliance Française walls, you’ll often find Clementine traversing the blossoming landscapes of the DC area on her bike, enraptured by the magic of springtime. When not lost in the pages of a captivating book, she delights in the timeless pleasures of wine and cheese, a cherished ritual that pays homage to her French roots, however cliché it may be!

coordinator@francedc.org

certifications@francedc.org 

Librarian - Logan MCDERMOTT-MOSTOWY

Logan is a true Washingtonian; born and raised. She has degrees in comparative literature and French from Oberlin College, with a minor in history. Before joining the Alliance Française team, Logan taught French at both Barrie School and River School.

A lover of literature, Logan is looking forward to welcoming you at the library! If you would like to talk what's on your reading list, or just want to wish her a warm welcome, please stop by the Alliance!

library@francedc.org

Cultural Events Coordinator - Kathryn PHILLIPPE

With northern Virginian roots, Kathryn has been calling the Washington, D.C. area home all her life. An intellectual at heart, she fell in love with the French language at an early age, pursuing her B.A. in International Studies, French, and History from Allegheny College, in the rolling green hills of Pennsylvania. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, she moved her sights overseas by taking classes at Moscow International University, where she virtually studied Russian Language, Culture and Area Studies. 

A participant of the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF), Kathryn was placed in the Académie de Bordeaux in 2022. In the small coastal town of Biscarrosse, she got familiar with the French language and culture. The following year, Kathryn moved across the country to settle in Saint-Étienne, where she worked at a local nonprofit, continued teaching English in nearby schools, and became a fan of the city’s well-loved soccer team. Through her colleagues in the Académie de Lyon, Kathryn got the opportunity to travel to Slovenia, where she briefly worked as an interpreter for French speaking students who voyaged to the country to improve their conversational English.

After traveling through Europe and making a home on both coasts of France, Kathryn returned to the Bordeaux region and graduated in 2024 from the Université de Bordeaux with a Masters in International Education and Cultural Training. Dearly missing her family and the American way of life, Kathryn returned home to Washington, D.C. and began working for the Alliance Francaise in January 2025.

A seasoned traveler, Kathryn has voyaged to 20 countries across 4 continents and hopes to experience as much of the world as possible in her lifetime. She is eager to share her passion for La Francophonie, and all that highlights our beautiful and multicultural world. In her free time, Kathryn likes to cook, take pictures, be outdoors, watch films, learn new languages, listen to all kinds of music, and talk to everyone around her. She enjoys spending time with friends, family, and her dog Kali whenever possible. If you see Kathryn around the city, please say hello/bonjour!

culture@francedc.org