MEET THE MANAGEMENT TEAM
GABRIELLE DURANA
Gabrielle is the one who in 2008 had the idea of creating this organization that would later develop into what EFBA is today.
She founded the organization in April 2009, as most of you might already know. What you probably don’t know is that as EFBA started growing and requiring full-time employees, Gabrielle selected and hired a team of professionals while she herself remained with the organization as a volunteer. In fact, she hired over 60 employees before officially becoming an EFBA employee (she was EFBA employee number 65!).
In 2016, she was knighted by the French government for her work in favor of the French language and its cultures. Currently, Gabrielle is the Executive Director at EFBA, and she shares the dream of giving a multilingual education to all children in the Bay Area (and across the world), with all interested parties.
Gabrielle’s entrepreneurial spirit is pushing EFBA to not just ideate, but take action, as well as tackle historic problems using new solutions. Under her leadership, EFBA is inciting significant changes, driven by our founders’ desire to see results and social change.
BIANCA MONACO
Bianca is passionate about languages, professional development, and community building. With nearly 15 years of professional experience in the language education field, she seeks to leverage leadership excellence, while working collaboratively with the team in delivering EFBA’s mission.
Bianca’s interest in this field started in 2001, when she completed an ESL extension program at UC Berkeley, which led her to begin her career in the Language Education field in 2003. Initially as a tutor, then teacher, head teacher, and later Academic Coordinator and Manager. In 2011, upon joining International Language Schools of Canada (ILSC), Bianca started moving towards the areas of operations and visa compliance, and later acted as Student Services Manager, school Director, Director of Operations, and now COO. Bianca likes to spend her free time working on personal projects as a digital artist, and giving back to the community, by volunteering with different educational organizations. As EFBA’s Director of Operation, Bianca designs and implements business strategies, information technology and computer systems that support EFBA goals; in addition to providing the team with the tools and support needed to achieve our mission.
JEANNIE BUSO
Jeannie is an academic and administration specialist with proven leadership and management experience in international education, focusing on language programs, pathway programs and accreditation. She has served as a curriculum specialist for ACCET, done consulting work for the Center of Applied Linguistics, and been a regular presenter at EnglishUSA professional conferences. Jeannie is a CELTA-certified ESL instructor and holds a degree from McGill University in International Development and Linguistics.
Julia Peillon
Cultural Program Director
Julia lives in Nice, in the South of France, where she was born. At the age of 18, she developed a passion for traveling (Australia, China, United States…) and languages. Her educational background is a three-year Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages, and a two-year Master degree in Translation (French, English and Chinese).
In parallel, she has been working as a Camp Counselor and Camp Director for more than 10 years in day and overnight camps (in France, China and the United States). In 2018, she joined EFBA as a Lead Camp Counselor in our Mountain View camp, then in 2019 in our Belmont camp. In October 2019, she started working as our Camps Program Director, then as our Cultural Program Director in 2020!
Julia is inspired in her work by positive pedagogy and great pedagogues such as Freinet, Decroly, Fröbel and Montessori.
ANDREW CLIVER
Junior IT Administrator
Andrew is a up-incoming Tech Support Specialist from Georgia who has a passion for technology that is almost as big as his passion for helping others. He seeks to use his work at EFBA as a way to hone his IT and communication skills while being able to make a difference for children who want to better themselves through education. Although volunteering remotely, Andrew hopes be to be there to support teachers and students whenever they need it.
Lia Warnke
Lia is a Bay Area native passionate about cultural exchange and global connections. She holds a B.A. in Communication and Public Affairs, with a minor in International Relations, from California State University, Chico. After studying abroad in Europe, Lia became dedicated to promoting educational opportunities and multilingualism. She is excited to be part of the EFBA team, focusing on fostering inclusivity and meaningful connections. In her free time, Lia loves being outdoors, sewing, and spending time with loved ones.
Laurence Champomier
Laurence Champomier grew up with a strong interest in foreign languages and cultures. After studying German Literature and Civilization at the University Blaise Pascal in Clermont Ferrand, she began her career in education teaching German, French and visual arts in middle school. In 1997, she redirected to primary education and joined the Teaching Institute of Seine et Marne (east of Paris), got her teaching licence and taught students from Kindergarten to 5th grade. In 2004, following a collaborative project between the Académie de Créteil and the bilingual schools of the Bay Area, Laurence accepted a job offer from the French American International School of San Francisco, where she worked for 12 years teaching 1st and 2nd grade. Conjointly in 2010, she became cycle coordinator with a focus on the horizontal coherence between the subjects taught in French and the ones taught English as well as the building of strong bridges between grade levels. In 2016, she decided to explore the American public education system and accepted a position as Director of French immersion program in one of the first French immersion public schools in the Bay Area. She has worked at the Francophone Charter school of Oakland for 6 years as Principal of the lower grades (TK-2) when the school split into two campuses in 2020. Specialist in multilingual education, she will oversee the DELF Prim and DELF Junior for our students at EFBA.
James Tostado
James is an aspiring analyst with a passion for using data insights to improve operations. Being a native to the bay area, he brings his educational background in computer science, along with his professional experience in sales, finance, and education to EFBA. Understanding the impact of a well-rounded education, James is looking to work alongside the other members of the EFBA staff to create an educational experience that fosters a continued aptitude for academic achievement.
Travis Nguyen
Travis is a California-based Software Engineer with a passion for crafting intuitive web applications and giving back to the community through impactful projects. Travis is excited to contribute to EFBA’s mission by leveraging his technical expertise.
In his free time, Travis enjoys exploring creative outlets such as reading, baking, and ceramics. As a volunteer Web Developer at EFBA, Travis looks forward to building solutions that support multilingual education and foster meaningful connections.
Celeste Safie
Celeste is originally from El Salvador, where her experiences inspired her passion for communication and cultural exchange. Her journey brought her to the United States to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, which she recently earned from San Francisco State University. Celeste has a strong interest in fostering connections through language and education, having seen firsthand the opportunities that bilingualism can create.
With experience in social media coordination and marketing, she is excited to contribute her skills to EFBA’s mission of promoting bilingual education. In her free time, Celeste enjoys exploring new places, hiking, and relaxing outdoors with a good book.
Gustavo Stopassoli
Gustavo lives in southern Brazil and has had a passion for languages since a young age. He taught himself English and later pursued a four-year bachelor’s degree in French Language and Literature. His career includes teaching French in private schools and working as an
inclusive educator, where he supported children with special needs, blending his educational expertise with his growing interest in psychology.
Currently, Gustavo is studying psychology while working as a private teacher and tutor, where he instructs students in general subjects, English and French. As an administrative assistant, he aims to be helpful by streamlining processes and making tasks more efficient.
Laure Marzolf
Laure is a passionate advocate for arts, education, and cross-cultural exchange. Originally from France, she holds a Master’s degree in Art, Design, and Art Teaching and spent over a decade as a middle school art teacher, inspiring creativity and curiosity in young learners. Beyond the classroom, she has collaborated on various international artistic projects.
As Project Coordinator at EFBA, Laure supports and coordinates French language programs, cultural activities, and events. She works closely with educators, administrators, and schools to create an engaging and inclusive learning environment that celebrates linguistic and cultural diversity.
In her free time, she enjoys swimming, practicing yoga, hiking, creating art, and savoring a good matcha latte.
Varsha Sayyaparaju
Varsha is first generation American with Asian Indian roots. Growing up bilingual, she understands the benefits of a multicultural environment. With 8+ years working in the tech world and running an Indo-Western apparel brand, she has experience in product management, marketing and social media management. Varsha is excited to support EFBA’s mission and make an impact. In her free time, Varsha enjoys exploring coffee shops, hiking, doodling on her iPad, and travelling.
Ezra Fox
Ezra Fox joins EFBA as the Admissions and Operations Manager, bringing organizational skills and enthusiasm for innovative education. Originally from Rochester, NY, Ezra recently relocated to San Francisco after completing their MFA in Creative Writing from Indiana University. Ezra is a published poet whose work appears in numerous literary journals, and they are currently working toward publishing their debut poetry collection. With experience in administrative roles and as a university instructor, they were drawn to EFBA’s student-centered teaching philosophy that fosters curiosity through play-based learning. Outside of work, they can be found roller-skating, playing drums, enjoying animated films and theme parks, and sharing cups of tea and sweet treats with their beloveds.
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