Woman's Board

The purpose of the Woman’s Board is to advance the French educational and cultural initiatives of the Alliance Française de Chicago. As the primary fundraising arm for the Alliance, we do this by providing donations, paying dues, promoting the Alliance, and actively participating in Alliance programs and the work of the Woman’s Board.

The Woman’s Board proudly supports the Educational Outreach Program, which provides the means for select CPS high school students to not only strengthen their studies of the French language, but to open their hearts and minds to the world.

We also offer a Club Littéraire where members — both American and French-speaking women — are welcome to discuss and engage in a lively conversation and learn more about the thought process, the cultural identity, and traditions exposed in French literature.

Officers

Executive Committee

President | Ms. Ann Thompson
First Vice President Finance | Mrs. Eileen Kirkwood
Second Vice President Events | Mrs. Amy Dinkar Patel
Treasurer | Ms. Sandra Saias
Secretary | Vacant
2026 Gala Co-Chairs | Ms. Cheryl Sandner and Mrs. Mika Devonshire
By-Laws Chair | Cheryl Sandner
Symposium on the Arts of France Co-Chairs | Mrs. Myriam Bransfield and Mrs. Mary Swift
Educational Outreach Chair | Mme Francine Saltoun
Educational Outreach Liaison | Mrs. Gail Hoffman
French Book Club Chair | Mrs. Christel Reum
Membership Chair | Mrs. Lisa Bailey
Nominating Committee Chair | Ms. Kristina Schneider
Members-at-Large:
Mrs. Kathy Cook
Mrs. Margaret Fourness
Ms. Jill Hamilton-Brice
Mrs. Gail Hoffman
Mrs. Johnnie Newman

Founding Life Members

Mrs. Jeannine Giesen †
Mrs. Jean Goldman †
Mrs. Catharine Hamilton †
Mrs. Libby Horn, Founding President
Mrs. Maureen Smith †
Mrs. Judith Terra

† in memoriam

Past Presidents

2022–2024 Ms. Kristina Schneider
2020–2022 Ms. Cheryl Sandner
2018–2020 Mrs. Lisa Bailey
2016–2018 Mrs. Mary Ellen Connellan
2014–2016 Mrs. Laurie V. Bay
2012–2014 Mrs. Janis Notz
2010–2012 Ms. Michèle Archambault
2008–2010 Mrs. Mary B. Babson
2006–2008 Ms. Courtenay R. Wood
2004–2006 Mrs. Donna McKinney
2002–2004 Mrs. Betsey N. Pinkert
2000–2002 Mrs. Marilyn Doherty
1998–2000 Mrs. Bonnie Kausal Deutsch
1996–1998 Mrs. Libby Horn, Founding President

Members

Elisabeth Adams
Michèle Archambault*
Lisa Bailey*
Jane Bertch
Myriam Bransfield, honorary
Elizabeth Breaden
Noelle C. Brock
Solange Brown, honorary
Suzette Bulley
Véronique Bushala
Laurie Cherbonnier
Kathleen Cook
Carole Crosby, sustaining
Bonnie Deutsch, honorary
Annie Ergas
Whitney Fershee
Margaret Fourness
Lili Gaubin
Fritzi Getz
Chloe Grant
Gloria Groom
Jill Hamilton-Brice
Monica McCue Hansen
Elizabeth Hoffman
Gail Hoffman
Lizabeth Horn, honorary
Betsy Holleb Karp
Kristen Kinsella
Eileen Kirkwood, First Vice President Finance
Anne Krauss
Ela Lewis
Khadija Laurens
Leslie Logsdon
Stacy Lorin
Sa Zhao-Louvot
Lisa Klimley Malkin
Nathalie Markovits
Mika Mathews, Gala Co-Chair
Susan Mazurek
Suzanne McCormick
Donna McKinney, sustaining
Lillian McNeal
Ann Mendelsohn
Julianne Migely
Meredith Miller
Johnnie Newman
Janis W. Notz, honorary
Amy Dinkar Patel, First Vice President Events
Betsey N. Pinkert*
D. Elizabeth Price
Christel Reum
Sandra Saias, Treasurer
Francine Saltoun, honorary
Cheryl Sandner*, Gala Co-Chair
Kristina Schneider
Pauline Kurtides Sheehan
Laraine Spector
Liz Stiffel
Mary Swift
Ann Thompson, President
Nathalie Ribon-Tourre
Nancy Traylor
Margaret Abbott Trboyevic
Margaret Unetich
Leslie Zentner
Lauren Ziol
Karen Zupko
Mary Ellen Connellan,* Executive Director

* Past President

Past Galas

Honorary Chair and Chair

2026: Biarritz, Le Bal (The Four Seasons): Cheryl Sandner
Mika Mathews
2024: Sabrer le Champagne (The Ritz Carlton): W. Paul and Anne Krauss
Whitney Fershee
Margaret Fourness
2022: 125 Le Bal (The Four Seasons): Catharine Hamilton
Liz Adams
Gail Hoffman
2020: Un Air de Provence (Virtual): Libby Horn
Julianne Migely
Camille Grand-Dewyse
2018: Versailles en Scène (Lyric Opera): Isabelle de la Vauvre
Hervé de la Vauvre
Stacy Lorin
2016: Les Années Folles (The Four Seasons): Annie Ergas
Kristina Schneider
Laurie Pasquier
2014: Red Carpet at the Monte Carlo Casino (The Ritz Carlton): Betsey Pinkert
Lisa Bailey
Véronique Bushala
2012: Le Bal Magique du Maroc (The Four Seasons): Mitzi Freidheim
Suzette Bulley
Margaret Unetich
2010: Le Bal du Printemps (Chicago Hilton): Nancy Traylor
2008: Une Soirée de Gala (Lyric Opera): Lili Gaubin
2006: Le Bal des Balloons (Union Station): Lenore Macdonald
Cynthia Pacholick
2004: Le Cirque en Fête (Union Station): Dominique Decherf, Consul General of France
Catherine Graham
Eleanor Wood-Prince
Bonnie Deutsch
Annie Ergas
Tory Fesmire
Libby Horn
2002: La Nuit des Fleurs (The Drake Hotel): Bonnie Deutsch
April Schink
2000: La Fête du Siècle (Fairmont Hotel): Mary Ellen Connellan
Suzanne McCormick
1999: Le Festin Royal (The Alliance Française de Chicago): Princesse Marie-Blanche de Broglie
1998: Une Soirée en Rouge (Buckingham Fountain): Alessandra Branca
Catharine Hamilton
Libby Horn
Alexandra Nichols
Donna La Pietra
1997: 100th Anniversary (Buckingham Fountain): François Bujon d’Estang, Ambassador of France
Eleanor Wood-Prince
Catharine Hamilton
Kay Krehbiel
Donna La Pietra
Maureen Smith
1993: Le Bal de la Belle Époque (The Drake Hotel): Princess Marie-Blanche de Broglie
Jeannine Giesen
Norman Ross
Alice Skilling
Eleanor Wood-Prince
Alyce Sigler
1991: La Fête Galante (The Four Seasons): Norman Ross
Barbara Stuart
Eleanor Wood-Prince
Jeannine Giesen
Alice Skilling
1989: La Belle Nuit (Chicago Hilton): Maureen Smith
Catharine Hamilton
Jere Zenko
1986: Le Grand Bal (The Ritz Carlton): Harriet Gülis
Maureen Smith
Barbara Stuart
Eleanor Wood-Prince
Jean Brown
Brigitte McClave
Tom Sheffield
1984: Le Grand Bal (The Ritz Carlton): Maureen Smith
Barbara Stuart
Eleanor Wood-Prince
Harriet Gülis
Janis Notz
Thomas Sheffield