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.
Administration Team
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
Academic Director
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.
Preschool Team
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
Lead 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.
Audrey Rivier
Assistant Teacher
​Audrey grew up in California but learned French from her mother, who was born and raised in Nantes, France. She visits France every year and feels deeply connected to the language, country, and culture. She is currently pursuing a BA in psychology at CSU San Marcos with the goal of earning a master’s degree in psychology in the future. Audrey has always loved working with children, spending seven years as a babysitter before joining Au Clair de Lune. Her passions include traveling, running, rock climbing, and caring for her cats.
Helda Kebaka
Assistant Teacher
Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and raised in Dijon, France, Helda grew up immersed in diverse cultures thanks to her father’s diplomatic career, which took their family to Brazil, Tunisia, and Poland. These early experiences nurtured her open-mindedness, adaptability, and cultural awareness.
Helda holds a BTS and two Bachelor’s degrees in fields outside of education. After several years, she discovered that her true fulfillment comes from working with young children and supporting their growth. She has since redirected her studies toward Early Childhood Education to follow this new career path with passion and purpose.
At Au Clair de Lune, Helda believes children thrive in an environment that fosters curiosity, creativity, and empathy.
Alexandra Rosanier
Assistant Teacher
She was born and raised in Normandy, France, and completed a Master’s Degree in Physical Education before teaching sports to middle and high school students in Nantes.
Her passion for movement and creativity later led her to work for three years in children’s entertainment, where she developed choreographies, shows, and artistic activities. A dedicated dancer and breaker, she has traveled to several countries to teach dance to children and adults alike.
This is her first experience in a French immersion preschool setting, and she is currently working toward her Early Childhood Education (ECE) credentials. She is eager to learn, grow, and contribute to the nurturing environment of Au Clair de Lune.
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Erika Orozco
Infant Teacher
Erika is passionate about early childhood education and finds joy in guiding young children through their first stages of learning and discovery. She holds a degree in Child Psychology and a Master’s in Neuropsychology, which give her a deep understanding of how children grow, learn, and develop emotionally and cognitively.
Fluent in English and Spanish, Erika brings valuable insight into language learning and communication. Even though she does not speak French, her experience with bilingualism helps her understand what children need to feel confident and supported when immersed in a new language.
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Mahetzy Kaplun
Infant Teacher
Mahetzy has several years of experience working with young children as both a preschool teacher and a nanny. She has a background in psychology and medical assisting, which supports her understanding of child development. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she loves incorporating language, music, and sensory play into daily activities. She is passionate about creating a safe, nurturing, and joyful environment where children can grow with confidence and feels lucky to be part of the Au Clair de Lune team.
Martha Moreno
Infant Teacher
Martha is Mexican-American and has more than 25 years of experience working with young children, both as a preschool teacher and a mother of four. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she deeply understands how young children naturally acquire language through daily interaction and routine. While she does not speak French, her presence supports the classroom environment so our French-speaking teachers can remain in full immersion.
Martha is currently pursuing additional Early Childhood Education credentials and loves incorporating art into everyday moments with our infants and toddlers.
Ihsane Filali
Infant Teacher
Infants & Pre-Toddlers Team
Ariana Barela
Infants/Pre-Toddlers Coordinator
Originally from the Bay Area, Ariana is an experienced early childhood educator entering her sixth year of teaching. She studied Child and Adolescent Development with a minor in Special Education at San Jose State University. In 2019, she became a Registered Behavioral Therapist providing ABA services to children on the spectrum, and later transitioned into traditional childcare at Stanford’s premiere non-profit center. There, she deepened her skills in classroom management, embraced play-based learning, and nurtured the image of the child as curious and capable.
INFANTS Team
Céline Hapiot
Pre-Toddler Teacher
Céline was born in eastern France and began her career in optometry, specializing in ocular prosthetics. Her work gave her the opportunity to support many children and families, experiences that nurtured her patience, empathy, and commitment to care. These qualities naturally led her toward early childhood education, where she now brings her dedication and warmth to the classroom. At Au Clair de Lune, Céline is pursuing her Early Childhood Education credentials while continuing to grow as an educator.
PRE-TODDLERS Team
Abir Elbanan
Pre-Toddler Teacher
Abir began her career in 2002 as a French language teacher in Cairo, after earning her Bachelor of Education in French Language and Literature from Ain Shams University. Over the next 20 years, she taught French at International Schools, working with students of different ages and levels. She especially enjoyed adapting her lessons to meet diverse learning needs and creating a classroom environment that blended language, culture, and creativity. Since moving to the United States, Abir has continued her work in education and brings her long experience, warmth, and dedication to her role with our youngest learners.
Melika Aghdaei
Pre-Toddler Teacher
Melika was born in Iran. In 2010, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Management and then began her professional career in early childhood education, working in preschools in Iran for five years. Her deep passion for children inspired her, and after immigrating to the United States in 2023, she decided to obtain the necessary certifications to continue her career in early childhood education. Soon after, she joined Au Clair de Lune.
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KITCHEN
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.