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. Kristina Schneider
First Vice President Finance | Mrs. Margaret Unetich
Second Vice President Events | Mrs. Johnnie Newman
Treasurer | Mrs. Mary Swift
Secretary | Mrs. Kathleen Cook
2024 Gala Honorary Chairs | W. Paul & Anne Krauss
2024 Gala Co-Chairs | Mrs. Whitney Fershee & Mrs. Margaret Fourness
By-Laws Chair | Mrs. Christina Conlin
Symposium on the Arts of France Liaison | Mrs. Myriam Bransfield
Educational Outreach Liaison | Mme Francine Saltoun
French Book Club Chair | Mrs. Christel Reum
Membership Chair | Mrs. Gail Hoffman
Nominating Committee Chair | Ms. Cheryl Sandner
Members-at-Large:
Mrs. Liz Adams
Mrs. Lisa Bailey
Mrs. Chloe Grant
Ms. Ann Thompson

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

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*
Heidi Avedisian
Mary Babson,* sustaining
Lisa Bailey*
Mélina Blanc, honorary
Myriam Bransfield, honorary
Noelle C. Brock
Solange Brown, sustaining
Suzette Bulley
Véronique Bushala
Laurie Cherbonnier
Christina Conlin
Kathleen Cook
Carole Crosby, sustaining
Monique Demery
Bonnie Deutsch,* honorary
Annie Ergas
Whitney Fershee, Gala Co-Chair
Victoria Fesmire
Margaret Fourness, Gala Co-Chair
Lili Gaubin
Fritzi Getz
Jeannine Giesen, honorary
Chloe Grant
Janine Greff
Gloria Groom
Catharine Hamilton, honorary
Monica McCue Hansen
Elizabeth Hoffman
Gail Hoffman
Lizabeth Horn,* honorary
Betsy Holleb Karp
Eileen Kirkwood
Anne Krauss
Khadija Laurens
Leslie Logsdon
Stacy Lorin
Lisa Klimley Malkin
Susan Mazurek
Suzanne McCormick
Donna McKinney,* sustaining
Julianne Migely
Meredith Miller
Carol Montag
Johnnie Newman, Second Vice President Events
Janis W. Notz,* sustaining
Kay O’Malley
Cynthia Pacholick, sustaining
Betsey N. Pinkert*
D. Elizabeth Price
Christel Reum
Sandra Saias
Carol Saltoun
Diane Saltoun
Francine Saltoun, honorary
Carole Sandner
Cheryl Sandner*
April Schink
Carla Schlemmer
Kristina Schneider, President
Joanna Sevim
Pauline Kurtides Sheehan
Maureen Smith, honorary
Laraine Spector
Liz Stiffel
Mary Swift, Treasurer
Judith Terra, honorary
Elizabeth Thiele
Ann Thompson
Nancy Traylor
Margaret Abbott Trboyevic
Margaret Unetich, First Vice President Finance
Isabelle de la Vauvre
Leslie Zentner
Lauren Ziol
Mary Ellen Connellan,* Executive Director

* Past President

Past Galas

Honorary Chair and Chair

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