Our French Teachers in NYC, LA and online

Alex was born and raised in Lyon and then moved to Paris to study finance. He did a semester abroad in Saint Petersburg, Russia and really wanted to discover the US. He arrived first in California, in March 2020 and then moved to NYC in June 2021. In addition to his full time job, Alex loves to teach French and speak about French culture. He also likes skiing, scuba diving and traveling as well as playing soccer.

Angèle grew up in Normandy and Paris. She taught in multiple countries (France, Russia, Cameroon, Morocco, Taiwan, China and the UK). She moved from London to New York and joined Coucou in 2022. Passionate about games, Angèle will always find playful ways to challenge her students and get them to learn their vocabulary!

Anicet was born in Gien, a small town in the South of Paris, and raised in the Loire Valley. Anicet came to the US in 2018 and joined Coucou a few months later. When it comes to language nerds, Anicet has the full package! In addition to a Master’s Degree in Classics, with a specialty in linguistics and language history, he is a trained professional singer. His career has taken him worldwide singing regularly in more than 6 languages.

Born and raised in the French Alps, but Parisian at heart, Anna has lived in England, Canada, Belgium and Namibia. In 2017, she moved to sunny LA, where she has been involved in several cultural and environmental projects, and later joined Coucou in 2020. She is fond of art, always eager to wander galleries and museums, and loves to draw. Special skills: Wonder Maman & environmental advocate!

Aurélien was born in Le Chesnay, near Versailles, and raised in Montpellier, south of France. After completing his degree in filmmaking (production and direction) in Minneapolis, he moved to LA in 2020 by way of Boston, Paris and New York. Aurélien joined Coucou in 2019 and is passionate about cinema, sports and loves traveling. He’s a talented basket player and margarita maker!

Claire was born and raised in Ville d’Avray, near Paris. She lived in New York City and Monterey, CA, and is currently based in Montreuil, France. She has a background in visual arts, design and writing, and has worked for Coucou since 2017. Besides teaching French, she is also a translator and is part of several literary communities in the US and Paris. She has a passion for all aspects of language, from etymology to poetry.

Born in Paris and of Guinean and French descent, Djaka is a classically trained actress who started her career in theater and musical theater. Djaka is also a filmmaker and joined Coucou in 2021. Her passions include cinema, sushi, kindness, wine and sarcasm. Her special skill: Dancefloor Queen. Fun fact: Djaka was recently the face of badass fighter Halima in the video game “Call of Duty.”

Elena was born in Georgia (the country not the state!) and raised all around Europe: Germany, Ireland, France. She has a Master’s Degree in International & Business Law and currently works remotely for a Parisian start-up. Elena moved to NYC and joined Coucou in 2022. She loves learning languages, traveling, singing as well as the world of wine (specifically champagne since she comes from the Champagne region!).

Eleonore was born and raised in Picardie, Northern France. Passionate about languages, she studied Latin, English, Italian, German and Chinese. In 2016, after obtaining a cultural project management degree at La Sorbonne, Paris, Eleonore moved to NYC where she works as a restaurant manager. She joined Coucou in June 2024 and is excited to share her language and culture with all of her students!

Born and raised in Lyon, Elsa moved to NYC in 2019 to study business law and real estate. Born of French and Congolese descent, she grew up in a culturally mixed household which awakened her desire to discover the world. Elsa is a published author in France and is passionate about literature, creative writing and arts in general. She loves learning new languages and meeting people. In her free time, Elsa loves to develop her photography skills, spend time with her dog and discover new places to visit in NYC.

Emeline was born and raised in the South of France. She has a degree in literature and foreign languages. She is also a certified yoga instructor who loves sharing the practice. She moved to the US in 2017 and joined Coucou in 2022. She loves traveling the world to discover its wonders, and when she’s not on the yoga mat, she likes cooking, listening to music and singing along.

Florian was born and raised in Perpignan, in the South-West of France. A graduated dance teacher, he moved to the US to continue teaching, with a focus on physical and emotional awareness coaching. He joined Coucou as an instructor in 2018. Outside of the classroom you’ll likely find him strolling through the streets, in a park, or moving to a new country. His special skill is helping people feel they have more choices than they think.

Born and raised in Paris, Gaspard also lived in China and New Zealand. He had never set foot in New York City before moving there with his wife in late 2023, and has spent a lot of time discovering the city since then. He’s always on the lookout for nice places to eat and loves cooking. He works as a product designer and is a real tech nerd!

Géraldine was born in the South West of France and grew up all around the country (Marseille, Vendôme, Tours…) before heading to Paris to study law and journalism. Passionate about traveling, writing and gastronomy, she decided to specialize in food journalism. She currently works for different french food magazines as a free-lancer. After living in Spain and China, she moved to New York and joined Coucou in 2023. When she is not teaching, Géraldine likes to cook and learn other languages. She can speak four languages but food is definitely her favorite!

Ghislain was born in Calais (North of France) and grew up on the French Riviera. He studied dance at the Conservatoire de Nice and then at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Danse in Paris. He moved to Los Angeles in 2017 to obtain a Master of Fine Arts at UCLA and joined Coucou in 2022. Ghislain is passionate about dance, music and painting. He’s learning sign language to continue his work as a dance teacher for nonprofits advocating dance for all abilities.

Jérémy is a French-Italian actor, producer, writer, and teacher from Toulouse, France. He moved to Los Angeles in 2021, where he continued his career and found his life partner. A holder of an MFA in Acting (2022), BA in English World Studies, and BA in Cinema, Jérémy has taught French, Acting, and English in various colleges in France and England. He joined Coucou in 2023. Passionate about good food, drinks, and dark humor, Jérémy enjoys debates, politics, and 20th Century History. His favorite film is Marcel Pagnol’s “Marius,” and he’s a Star Wars enthusiast. In leisure, he plays video games or relaxes with friends over an apéro.

Jihanne was born and raised in Avignon, in the south of France. After completing her Master’s Degree in Education, she taught in Lyon for 5 five years. Passionate about travel and culture, Jihanne traveled throughout South America and Europe before moving to New York in 2021. She will help you interact in French, get to know the culture and prepare you for your next trip to France.

Born and raised in Paris, Jordan started working as a French tutor in New York in 2013. He is also an actor and writer who creates installations and performance art exhibited by Baert Gallery in Downtown LA. Jordan is Coucou’s resident film buff, having hosted several workshops about French cinema. Jordan runs @filmsdulosangeles, an LA-based media company aimed at cultivating passion for international cinema.

Julie is from Besançon, in eastern France. After completing her Master’s Degree in International Law and Political Science, she moved to the US in 2011. She joined Coucou in early 2019. Julie is a mother of two and loves horseback riding and tennis. She also plays the flute.

Born and raised in Brive, in southwestern France, Keveen quickly relocated to Paris to pursue his passion for music. After teaching French and English in Peru, he settled in LA in 2011 and joined Coucou in 2020. He works as a language and music tutor and is also a touring musician and a fixture on the LA music scene, playing in several local bands.

Lisa grew up in sunny Provence before moving to Paris, where she studied social sciences and international relations. She lived in Canada and Morocco before moving to the US in 2019, where she worked in corporate before becoming a translator. A true film nerd, she loves talking about movies and will always have good recommendations for things to watch in French!

Mahaut /mah-oh/ is French and American. They were born and raised in Lille (northern France), where their mother is originally from. Mahaut studied English literature, journalism and museology. They moved to New York City to complete an internship in curation and contemporary art. Mahaut joined Coucou in 2021. When they are not teaching, Mahaut likes to make linocuts and illustrations and take photos. They can also play the kalimba.

Margot was born in Rambouillet, near Paris and grew up in Bordeaux. She received a B.A. in English Letters and Culture as well as an M.A. in American Culture. Margot split her time between Oklahoma and France from 2010 to 2016 when she officially moved stateside. She joined Coucou in 2022. In her spare time, Margot likes to ride and care for horses as well as hiking with her husband and their two dogs.

Born in Paris, Marie pursued studies in law before embracing global adventures in LA, London, and Amsterdam. A proud mother of two bilingual and bicultural children, she’s also a hiking and dancing enthusiast. For Marie, a perfect meal comprises a margherita pizza and a glass of wine – rosé in summer and red in winter.

Melissa was born and raised in the Paris suburbs. After studying literature in France, Melissa moved to New York City to pursue her musical theater training. She is an actor, singer and dancer and also has experience in film dubbing. Melissa joined Coucou as a teacher in 2021 and never misses an opportunity to use her entertainment skills in her classes. Her other passions in life include ramen, history and ballet.

Mohamed Taguine is a communications strategist with the ACLU and a graduate from Sciences Po Paris. Originally from the northeast of France with roots in Morocco and Algeria, he moved to NYC 8 years ago to work for the United Nations and the independent media Democracy Now!. Passionate about soccer, he plays on the weekends and is also an avid listener of the French rap group PNL.

Olivier was born in Paris,  grew up in South America and the South of France. He is an actor, writer and photographer, mainly shooting artists and desert landscapes… as well as artists in deserted landscapes. He has coached musicians and actors to perform in French, and joined Coucou in September 2023. Olivier is also an animal rights activist.

Born and raised in Paris, Pascal came to the US in 2009 to study Politics and Italian at NYU. He joined Coucou in 2022. Theater aficionado, Pascal is also a skilled horseback rider and occasional painter.

Pia was born in the US and raised in the South of France. After obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Archeology and a Master’s in Management, she started working in the corporate world, but then decided to follow her true passions: acting and producing, two domains within which she now thrives. Pia joined Coucou in 2016. She also loves dance, theater, cinema, and travel.

Quentin is French and American and was raised between the French Riviera and Maryland. He studied performing arts and specialized in musical theater. He joined Coucou as a teacher in June 2018. Quentin is a real showman and he loves using tools and games from his professional acting training to help his students better their language skills in a fun, caring, and conscious manner.

Sophia was born and raised in Paris. After studying haute couture embroidery, she honed her craft working for world-renowned fashion icons like Chanel and Jean Paul Gaultier. However, when she’s not busy with her needle and thread, she loves to check out art exhibits at museums, going to the movies, cooking and drawing. She moved to Los Angeles at the beginning of 2023 and joined Coucou in May. She also loves her two little cats Amato and Mnouchkine.

Sophie was born in Paris and grew up between Paris and California. A professional classical vocalist, she is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Voice Performance. Sophie joined Coucou in 2019. She enjoys art, reading, eating, and cooking for people. As a singer, Sophie is trained to explain the physical technicalities of pronunciation.

Thibaut grew up in Lille, the biggest city in northern France, and his love of travel led him across Europe, Canada and Mexico. In addition to that, he is a sound engineer and guitar player. Thibaut joined the Coucou team in 2021. His taste in music is, according to him, pretty extreme – so if you are a fan of French AND heavy metal, he’s your guy. Thibaut is also very handy and can repair just about anything!

William was born in Switzerland and grew up in Paris. After studying design, he worked for several French design agencies and international brands. In 2022, he moved to NYC and joined Coucou. As a designer, William is passionate about branding, architecture and graphic design, but as a Swiss, he’s also a mountain addict!

Zohra was born in Virginia and was raised in an Algerian-American household between Madagascar, South Africa and Swaziland. She moved to New York City in 2013 to pursue her undergraduate studies in theatre, and has since received a Master’s Degree in Global Thought. Zohra is an artist, researcher and expert communicator with an ability to capture the nuance of language. She joined Coucou in March 2024, and is excited about putting all of her passions into practice in the classroom.