Meet the Team
Dedicated & Certified
Anne-Laure Petit
Head of School / Finance
Originally from a small town in France, Anne-Laure moved to San Diego at age 13. She graduated in 2008 with a bachelor's in Media Studies, later becoming a teacher's assistant. Anne-Laure went on to teach ESL at an alternative high school in France, an experience that propelled her to earn a Master's in Education and a California Teaching Credential. Observing the foundational impact of early education on academic success, she co-founded Au Clair de Lune, a preschool aimed at fostering a positive early educational experience.
Claire Hémery
Preschool Director / Admissions
Claire, born and raised in Angers, France, inherited a passion for teaching from her parents, both professors. With a Bachelor's in Psychology, she began her career as a special education teacher, crafting tailored methods for students with diverse needs. Pursuing her dedication, she earned a Master's in Education, enhancing her skills and commitment to educational excellence.
Jessica Bedin
Curriculum Developer
Jessica, from Vierzon, began with a Nurse Assistant diploma, then earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology . Transitioning to education, she obtained a Teacher's credential, teaching various ages. She developed a personalized pedagogy emphasizing autonomy, perseverance, and emotional management. With a passion for multilingualism ingrained by her upbringing, she constantly seeks diverse pedagogical approaches to encourage children to surpass their limits.
Assia Mesbah
Lead Teacher
Assia, born in Algeria, is a dedicated teacher with 12 years of experience in early childhood education. She earned her state diploma in 2007 in Algiers and in 2008 in Montrouge. From 2009 to 2015, she taught children aged 3 to 5 in a French school in Algiers. In 2019, she moved to the U.S. and worked at another French school before joining Au Clair de Lune in 2021. Assia excels in classroom management and is passionate about promoting student autonomy, teaching subjects like reading, nature, art, music, literature, and personal hygiene.
Laure Migard
Lead Teacher
Laure, born and raised near Paris, France, developed a passion for English in middle school. She majored in Anglophone studies and spent a semester at Auburn University in Alabama in 2018. Returning to France, she earned a Master’s degree in Translation. In 2021, she joined an exchange program and taught French at the University of Missouri, where she also earned a Master’s in Language Teaching. In 2023, she moved to San Diego to join Au Clair de Lune and discovered a love for working with young children. Laure is currently pursuing a PhD in Education. She enjoys reading, gardening, traveling, and spending time with her French cat. Since moving to the US, she has visited over forty states.
Floriane Nicol
Lead Teacher
Floriane, from Brest, Brittany, earned her French diploma in Business Management before working as an Au Pair in the US. She discovered her passion for teaching French to young children and transitioned to become a Lead Teacher. Alongside her teaching career, she obtained her Certified Nurse Assistant license and an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education. She's currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in the same field. Floriane believes in play-based learning and multilingual exposure for children's development.
Mégane Roy
Assistant Teacher
Mégane was born in France and lived in several cities before settling in San Diego, where she fell in love with the city and its people. After earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in New York, she explored careers in tech and real estate but found her true calling in education. Megane’s love for children and desire to make a meaningful impact led her to pursue a career in French education. She is currently working toward her California French Teaching Credential while teaching alongside Laure at Au Clair de Lune. Mégane is passionate about sharing her language and culture with young learners, fostering curiosity and inspiring them to see the world through new perspectives.
Léa Bigorne
Lead Teacher
Léa was born in Nancy (East of France). She fell in love with teaching in high school and decided to pursue a career in education. She got a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and studied for a year in Dublin, Ireland. After obtaining her Master's degree in English in 2020, she traveled to the UK and taught French at the University of Liverpool for a year. She, then, taught English as a second language in middle schools and high schools in France. In 2023, she successfully passed a French teaching certification (CAPES) but decided to leave France for San Diego to broaden her skills and learn new teaching methods. Outside the classroom, Léa loves sport, particularly tennis and running, and she is trying to learn how to do crochet. She is a dog lover and spends a lot of time on dog beaches to pet or to play with the animals.
Julia Thiemonge
Assistant Teacher
Julia was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama and across the American South. Her passion for language arts began in youth; at home she learned Korean and at school she studied English, Spanish, and eventually French. Her advanced studies began at Purdue University, followed by The University of Alabama, where she received a Gilman Scholarship to study abroad in Tours, France. She began teaching French as a graduate teaching assistant in pursuit of an MA in Applied Linguistics and later took on other general assistant roles in elementary and middle schools before Au Clair de Lune. She is enthralled to work in such a diverse and respectful community and finds profound gratification aiding and supporting childhood development. She loves nature, music, and travelling.
Sarah Benmalek
Assistant Teacher
Sarah grew up in Seattle, Washington. She is Moroccan and grew up speaking French at home and surrounded by her francophone community. She attended Santa Clara University and completed a B.S. in Psychology with an emphasis on Child Studies in June 2024. With a love for language learning she completed minors in Spanish and French to improve both her writing and speaking skills at a University level. Before working at Au Clair De Lune, Sarah worked at an Elementary School teaching Science and English courses during summers. She has a background as a Behavioral Technician working with children on the Autism Spectrum providing them with Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy. During University, Sarah was part of the Developmental Language Learning Lab, focusing on children of ages 3-5 and their Spanish/English vocabulary retention through reading bilingual children's storybooks. As hobbies, Sarah loves the outdoors, especially hiking, running and surfing. She loves crafting and can always be found drawing or painting in her free time.
Jimena Salcido
Infant Teacher
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Helda Kebaka
Infant Teacher
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Michelle Godard-Titus
Infant Teacher
Michelle, a certified early childhood teacher from Roseville, California, brings over a decade of experience to her role. She is passionate about fostering children's development through warm interactions, modeling, songs, stories, and uninterrupted free exploration to nurture a love for learning.
After meeting her French husband in San Diego, Michelle lived in Orleans, France, where she studied French and taught English in Parisian elementary schools. Returning to San Diego, she continued in early childhood education, serving as an English kindergarten teacher at a French school. Now, as an infant teacher at Au Clair De Lune, she enjoys introducing children to French alongside her own son, believing bilingualism is a priceless gift that unlocks endless opportunities.
In her free time, Michelle enjoys hiking, beach days, reading, arts and crafts, yoga, and sharing meals with loved ones.
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Audrey Rivière
Infant Teacher
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Isairis Higuera
Chef
With three years of training at a culinary art school, Isairis prepares delicious and nutritious meals every day. Her commitment to providing diverse and wholesome food introduces the children to a variety of tastes and textures, crucial for their development. By exposing them to a wide range of culinary experiences, she helps form lifelong healthy eating habits and cultural appreciation. Isairis’s dedication extends beyond nutrition, as she ensures the food is visually appealing and appetizing, enhancing the children's mealtime experiences.