Meet Our Boards

At Alliance Française de Houston, our success and commitment to promoting French language and culture are driven by the exceptional leadership of our esteemed Board Members. Each member brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and passion to the organization, fostering an environment of excellence and innovation.

A Diverse and Dedicated Team:

Our Board Members represent a diverse array of backgrounds, professions, and cultural experiences, reflecting the vibrant and inclusive spirit of the Francophone world. With their unwavering dedication to the mission and vision of Alliance Française de Houston, they actively contribute to the growth and success of our language institution.

Fostering a Vision for Excellence:

As leaders and visionaries, our Board Members strive to uphold the highest standards of language instruction and cultural enrichment. Their collective knowledge and insights guide the organization's initiatives, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of language education and cultural promotion.

Passionate Advocates for Language and Culture:

Beyond their roles as board members, each individual is a passionate advocate for the French language and its rich cultural heritage. Their love for all things French is contagious, inspiring both students and staff to embrace the beauty and significance of the Francophone world.

Community Builders and Ambassadors:

Our board members serve as ambassadors of the Alliance Française de Houston in the wider community. Through their engagement and participation in local events, collaborations with other cultural institutions, and promotion of French culture, they foster strong ties and partnerships.

Contributing to a Bright Future:

As we eagerly await the individual profiles of our esteemed Board Members, rest assured that their expertise, leadership, and unwavering dedication continue to shape the Alliance Française de Houston's journey toward an even brighter and more impactful future.

Stay Tuned for More:

Get ready to meet the brilliant minds and compassionate hearts behind the success of Alliance Française de Houston. As we eagerly gather their profiles, we invite you to stay tuned for in-depth insights into the extraordinary individuals who lead us towards linguistic and cultural excellence.

Join Us in Celebrating French Language and Culture:

With our esteemed Board Members at the helm, Alliance Française de Houston remains committed to nurturing linguistic talents, fostering cultural appreciation, and celebrating the magnificence of the French language. Together, let's embrace the richness of French culture and embark on a journey of language, discovery, and connection.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we introduce you to our remarkable Board Members. Merci beaucoup for your continued support and enthusiasm!

jfb@bonnete.com

(713) 526-1121

At Alliance Française de Houston, our success and commitment to promoting French language and culture are driven by the exceptional leadership of our esteemed Board Members. Each member brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and passion to the organization, fostering an environment of excellence and innovation.

A Diverse and Dedicated Team:

Our Board Members represent a diverse array of backgrounds, professions, and cultural experiences, reflecting the vibrant and inclusive spirit of the Francophone world. With their unwavering dedication to the mission and vision of Alliance Française de Houston, they actively contribute to the growth and success of our language institution.

Fostering a Vision for Excellence:

As leaders and visionaries, our Board Members strive to uphold the highest standards of language instruction and cultural enrichment. Their collective knowledge and insights guide the organization's initiatives, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of language education and cultural promotion.

Passionate Advocates for Language and Culture:

Beyond their roles as board members, each individual is a passionate advocate for the French language and its rich cultural heritage. Their love for all things French is contagious, inspiring both students and staff to embrace the beauty and significance of the Francophone world.

Community Builders and Ambassadors:

Our board members serve as ambassadors of the Alliance Française de Houston in the wider community. Through their engagement and participation in local events, collaborations with other cultural institutions, and promotion of French culture, they foster strong ties and partnerships.

Contributing to a Bright Future:

As we eagerly await the individual profiles of our esteemed Board Members, rest assured that their expertise, leadership, and unwavering dedication continue to shape the Alliance Française de Houston's journey toward an even brighter and more impactful future.

Stay Tuned for More:

Get ready to meet the brilliant minds and compassionate hearts behind the success of Alliance Française de Houston. As we eagerly gather their profiles, we invite you to stay tuned for in-depth insights into the extraordinary individuals who lead us towards linguistic and cultural excellence.

Join Us in Celebrating French Language and Culture:

With our esteemed Board Members at the helm, Alliance Française de Houston remains committed to nurturing linguistic talents, fostering cultural appreciation, and celebrating the magnificence of the French language. Together, let's embrace the richness of French culture and embark on a journey of language, discovery, and connection.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we introduce you to our remarkable Board Members. Merci beaucoup for your continued support and enthusiasm!

naomiengel628@gmail.com

(713) 526-1121

Dale is a retired sports journalist turned wine blogger/wine-tour guide, he and his wife Deborah, a retired educator, have been traveling annually to France since the mid-1980s. In 1998, they built a house in the picaresque Ubaye Valley 70 miles above Nice near the Italian border, that they share with several Houston-area friends.

A University of Houston graduate who grew up in El Paso, Dale was with the Houston Post from 1972 through 1990, then worked for the Houston Chronicle until February 2019. He was named Texas Sports Writer of the Year in 2010, and sports-writing took him to France for multiple French Opens, the Tour de France during the Lance Armstrong years and the 1998 soccer World Cup. He also wrote a weekly wine column for the Chronicle from 2008 through 2021. He has served on the Alliance Française board since the early 2000s

Virginia A. Clark has been a member of the Alliance and a student of French here since 1992.  She was elected secretary and member of the board in 2005 and has served in that capacity since then.  She has also been an active participant in the Cercle de Lecture. 

She grew up in Houston and graduated from Memorial Sr. High where she took four years of French.  She left Houston to study physics and later geophysics, returning to work for Exxon in both research and exploration after receiving a PhD from Texas A&M.  

After retiring from ExxonMobil she obtained a Master of Liberal Studies at the Glasscock School at Rice University.  She is also a member of the boards of the Houston Symphony and the Friends of Fondren Library.

ginger18@swbell.net

(713) 526-1121

Dr. Larry Spitzberg is a retired Optometrist and a lifelong francophile. Dr. Spitzberg has doctorates from Rice University and University of Houston and is an Adjunct Professor at UH College of Optometry.

Dr. Spitzberg is an award winning watercolor color artist and has had multiple one-man shows at the Alliance.

As well as being in private practice for 40 years, Dr. Spitzberg has been president of Optical Designs, Inc, a company dedicated to improving the lives of low vision persons.

lspitzberg@aol.com

(713) 526-1121

An accomplished global expert in the field of people and organizational development, change management and labor and employee relations, Natasha Préhu is the founder and chief executive officer of Sui Generis Group,a consulting firm specializing in HR advisory as well as Executive and Career coaching.

She started her boutique firm late 2021 bringing 30 years of global human resources experience in helping her clients to achieve their personal best.

Highly multicultural with Croatian origins, Natasha was educated in France and developed her successful career within an American multi-industry conglomerate. She worked nearly 3 decades for Honeywell International Inc. in numerous roles, including Divisional Vice President of human resources and communications, Corporate Vice President of labor and employee relations for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Global human resources director and business partner with extensive business and manufacturing exposure. She lived and worked in France, Belgium, Switzerland and in the United States of America. In 2014, she put down roots in Houston, Texas.

While her career has been filled with many standout moments, Natasha Préhu takes the most pride in making a difference in the lives of others. The cornerstone of her success lays in her resilience and understanding that curiosity is the beginning of knowledge and action is the beginning of change. She is a growth-oriented leader with proven track record shaping and implementing people empowering strategies for multi-billion dollar businesses.

She is a member of the advisory board at Global LERN, a labor and employee relations network, where she co-leads a virtual learning and development program focusing on key issues and career progression considerations for women in the Labor and Employee relations field, historically male dominated.

Outside of her work, Natasha contributes to her community and those less fortunate by working with organizations that stress the importance of art and education to underserved and underprivileged children. She is also actively involved as a voice choir with the International Voices of Houston.

Looking toward the future, she intends to experience the continued growth and success of her career.Ultimately, aiming to foster the development of her boutique firm and eventually write and publish her own work.

natasha@suigeneris.group

(713) 526-1121

Ellen Davis is a native of Asheville, North Carolina. Her family moved to Houston from the East coast in 1967. She graduated from Westchester High School, SBISD. She attended Duke University, graduating with a BSN, followed by an MSN from UAB with a clinical focus on cardiovascular diseases in children. She practiced nursing for over 40 years in a variety of settings including CVICU, neonatal ICU, pediatric cardiology as an advanced practice nurse, and medical malpractice defense as a legal nurse consultant. She spent the later part of her career in healthcare risk management, retiring in 2018 from Memorial Hermann Health System where she last served as the System Clinical Risk Manager for outpatient services and post-acute care. During her career she was active on the boards of several professional organizations and was an active community volunteer in many community and nonprofit organizations.  She currently serves on the Board of the Lady Washington Chapter of NSDAR and is an active member of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. 

Ellen enjoys the French language, having studied it throughout high school and college. She has been a member of the Alliance Française of Houston and a student there since 2009. Ellen is married to Geoffrey T. Davis, Sr., who is retired from investment banking. They have two adult children.

esdavis@flash.net

(713) 526-1121

Douglas Skopp has been an Alliance Française board member since 2001.  Through his interest in French wine and culture, he has traveled to France more than 100 times.

Doug is currently CEO and founder of Dionysus Imports, a wine importer/distributor specializing in small production artisan wines of France and Italy.  One can find Doug’s wines at many of Texas’s finest wine savvy restaurants and wine shops.

doug@dionysusimports.com

(713) 526-1121