Dr. Chase McLaurinis an experienced educator and educational leader with over a decade of experience in education. Dr. McLaurin has an outstanding track record for improving school and student outcomes using his laser-like focus on academics, organizational development, and school culture.He is a teacher and student advocate who passionately believes in transparency, empathy, and a commitment to excellence when working with all stakeholders to ensure every student receives a world-class education. Chase has extensive experience developing specialized school programs, including language immersion, acceleration, cultural diversity, leadership, and college prep programs. His work has been recognized throughout his career with numerous awards, including Principal of the Year Awards, U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School Award, and Model Dual Language Immersion School Awards.
Dr. Chase McLaurin is a certified teacher, principal, and superintendent in Texas and Louisiana.Hehas served as an elementary Two-Way Dual Language Spanish Immersion Principal, Early College High School Principal, District Executive Director, and educational leadership consultant. In addition to leading the LFNO school network, he mentors new principals and serves as an adjunct professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Chase McLaurin earned his Bachelor of Arts degrees in History and Secondary Education from Louisiana State University, Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Thomas, and a Doctorate in PK-12 Educational Leadership from the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development at Southern Methodist University.
Danielle Dufauchard was named Deputy Superintendent for the Lycée Français de la Nouvelle-Orléans District in July 2023. Prior to her appointment, Dufauchard was the Chief Operations Officer, Principal of our Lower Elementary (Patton Campus) and served as the Interim Chief Executive Officer for the District.
Dufauchard's career includes working in education in secondary and postsecondary environments, the nonprofit sector, the healthcare industry, and corporate engineering corporations. She earned her B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an M.B.A. with a Finance Concentration from the University of New Orleans, Louisiana. Throughout her career, she has been a leader in her workplace and an example of positivity and professionalism.
Dufauchard has been part of the LFNO family since 2011 and has helped grow the school from a lower elementary to the largest free-public Lycée Français in the United States.
Mandi brings over 10 years of experience in the education sector and has passionately spent her career working for educational equity for all students. Mandi specializes in leading teams and systems, program design and development, special education policy & administration, talent management strategy and charter board governance through an Organization Development lens.
Mandi began her career as a special education teacher in New Orleans before moving abroad to work at an international school in Hungary and with early-stage organizations in Bangladesh, Slovakia, and Malaysia to support the design, development, and implementation of their teacher training programs. Mandi has since served as a co-principal, chief operating officer, special education leader, instructional designer, and consultant for a variety of organizations across the U.S. Additionally, Mandi has served on the Board of Directors for Living School New Orleans for four years as a Board member, Academic & Culture Committee Chair, and Vice Chair.
Mandi holds a B.A. in Psychology from Marquette University, an M.A. in Organizational Leadership and Learning from George Washington University and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Organization Development from Pepperdine Graziadio Business School.
Tiguida Mathieu previously served as the principal of the Priestley Campus and is of French/Senegalese origin. She is currently the Chief Academic Officer of the entire Lycee network. Mme. Mathieu previously worked as deputy head teacher in 2016, in France and abroad. Mme. Mathieu worked as Interim CEO of the French school (elementary and secondary) of Yaoundé in Cameroon in 2017-18. After a scientific high school degree in Saint-louis of Senegal, she moved to Strasbourg in the east of France to study chemistry, physics and sociology.
Mme. Mathieu has a Master's Degree in Physical Chemistry of polymers/materials and a Bachelor's Degree in sociology. After having taught physical sciences in middle and high school in the academy of Strasbourg, she took the competitive examination for the position of Principal Education Counselor and occupied these functions before joining the corps of management personnel in a French national competition. Mme. Mathieu has an unalterable passion for education because as Nelson Mandela said: "education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that a son of a mineworker can become the head of mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another."
Yann Colin is currently serving as the Interim Principal of the Primary School which includes the Early Learning Center and Elementary campus. According to Yann, Education and language have always been a driving force in his life. He was born in Bordeaux, France from a British mum and a French dad. His family traveled a lot as a child up but they were always anchored and rooted in their passion for language, communication and dedication to education. His parents would often quote a saying from Nelson Mandela "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Yann studied Law in France and after working as a Juriste for two years in Brussels, and returned to teaching. His sense of service drove him to become a Dean of Students for the Ministry and an elected Council Member in my city near Dijon. Yann moved back to the USA and visited New Orleans and was intrigued by a school called LFNO. He visited the school and applied for a position as Coordinator of Academics. To this day, he remains dedicated to the mission of LFNO. It's service to excellence, inclusion and diversity in education.
Yann's wife is also a dedicated educator, born and raised in New Orleans. As a wise french expat once said: " if you marry someone from New Orleans, you are never leaving". We now have a beautiful son, who we hope will be part of the Lycee Francais de La Nouvelle Orleans, soon.
Chana Benenson has a love for education, learning abroad and children. This combination has led to amazing experiences as a student living abroad in Switzerland and Spain, and as an adult working as a principal across several Lycee schools.
In 2004, Mme. Benenson landed in New Orleans and fell in love with the city while also working with her passion of building and leading high-quality public schools. Benenson, a fierce advocate for increasing opportunity for students, loves the energy of being in a school every day. When Benenson is not chasing students, she gardens, plays with her children and her pitbull. Mme. Benenson has been a member of the LFNO family since 2018.
Benenson earned a Bachelor's degree in language and linguistics from Earlham College as well as a Master’s degree in school leadership from Columbia University Teacher's College. Mme. Benenson taught in Thailand and Spain and worked in three public schools in New Orleans.
Yassa grew up in Northern France before going to finish my studies on the Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, then going to live in French Guyana in South America. He has lived in Louisiana since 2016 where he held the positions of French interventionist in Lafourche Parish, 2nd grade teacher, Instructional Coach, Dean of Students and is now Assistant Principal for the Early Childhood Learning Center.
Magalie Truchot was born in the east of France, near Switzerland and Germany, only two hours from Strasbourg. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Biology and worked as a teacher for 13 years. She became the Director of Preschool for seven years before moving to a French school in Hollywood, Florida, a French-American school in New Milford, New Jersey and finally arrived at LFNO in the summer 2020 during Covid.
Magalie loves to travel with her daughter, read, bake, and participate in sporting events.
Audrey is from Lille, a big city in the North of France. After studying History and Philosophy in Paris for my bachelor's degree, Audrey returned to Lille to gain her primary school teaching certification. Teaching in a bilingual setting has always inspired Audrey as she has been raised in a bilingual family (French and Italian). In 2011, Audrey took the opportunity to teach in PK-4 at Lycee Francais de la Nouvelle-Orleans thanks to the CODOFIL program. Audrey was glad to be a part of the construction of this immersion school with a double curriculum during its inaugural year. Later, from 2016 to 2019, Audrey taught Kindergarten at Lycee and started as an academic coordinator for PK, Kindergarten and 1st grade in 2022. In between these positions, Audrey's curiosity for other cultures brought her to Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Japan where she taught PK3 through 1st grade. Audrey is thrilled to share these worldwide experiences with her colleagues this year as a coordinator.