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1976

Class Notes Archives


(Click on Pdf links ("related downloads") to the right, bottom, for more photo archives, and yearbook pictures)

----- From December 2011 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Michael Ramon wrote: "I am practicing as a chiropractor on the island of Noirmoutier, in the Vendée region, Atlantic coast of France. I graduated in Toronto, Canada. In 1986. I am divorced since 2005, and am the father of three girls, ages 16, 20 and 21. My website is www.chiroatlas.com"

Jenny Skoble wrote: "I am starting my own law practice, specializing in providing counsel to nonprofit organizations on issues including obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status, fiduciary duties of boards, employment issues, lobbying, best practices in fundraising and co-ventures. I will also consult on foundation grants. It's exciting and scary. Tough times call for extreme measures!"

Maria Blacque-Belair "founder and executive director [of The Refugee Immigrant Fund], is a licensed clinical social worker with about twenty years experience in international and domestic refugee work. Her clinicial speciality is war and refugee trauma. She worked as a humanitarian relief worker in Iraq, Bosnia, Romania and Rwanda. She established the RIF Asylum Help Center in 2006. In addition to functioning as the coordinator of the program, Maria also provides direct psychosocial services (Psychological affidavits for asylum hearings, and counseling). She speaks English, French and Spanish." (http://asylumhelp.org/?page_id=2)

----- From November 2010 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Avis de Décès: Fadhima Thiam ('76) informed us that Audrey Bodner passed away on August 9, 2010. See In Memoriam section of this newsletter for further details. (Click on link below)

Isabelle (Baudry) McDonald wrote: "We just moved to Lexington MA after 18 years in Montclair NJ. All 3 kids out of the house. Starting the empty nest years and having lots of fun!"

Nicolas Haimo wrote: " I will be performing at the Lycée Francais for the fall festival with my 7 piece band THE BLUE STRAW BERRIES! The show is between 2 and 3PM on the 13th of November....This soulful and multi cultural band plays a variety of styles ranging from Rock to Jazz with little Country in between. Music and fun for children of all ages! Hope you can make it to the show. There is a $5.00 donation to the school and the band will be donating its performance. See you there!" (To preview some of Nicolas' songs, click on link below)

----- From December 2009 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Avis de Décès: Alexander George ('76) informed us that Dominique Ghossein passed away on October 27, 2003. Subsequently ASSABIL (Association des amis des bibliothèques publiques, Beirut, Lebanon) "established the Dominique Ghossein Prize ...... which is given to an unpublished Lebanese author for an original piece of Arabic fictional writing for young people. [It] is named for Dominique Ghossein -a voracious reader- who died tragically in the United States in 2003."
http://www.assabil.com/documents/pdfs/newsletter/ASSABIL_Newsletter_Mar06_issue_2.pdf)
In addition, the NYC Council introduced legislation "known as Dominique’s Law, [which] would secure equivalent rights such as health insurance, family-benefit leave and bereavement leave for same-sex partners of those employed by vendors and contractors who do business of $100,000 or more with the city. The equal-benefits bill was named after Dominique Ghossein, a deceased New York lawyer whose partner, Leslie Thrope, was denied medical leave to care for Ghossein..."(http://www.thevillager.com/villager_60/councilsettooverride.html)

Fadhima Thiam became a member of the Board of Directors of the Goddard Riverside Community center in late 2007. She is "a native of Mali, Africa, [and] came with her parents to the United States in 1964. Her affiliation with Goddard Riverside began when she enrolled her daughter in its Head Start program and became involved for the program citywide, eventually earning a seat in the NYC Policy Council at the Head Start Headquarters. She has also been a translator and interpreter in New York courts and has worked with human rights organizations assisting immigrant families." (http://www.goddard.org/documents/GR_News_Fall_07_print.pdf)

What Would Socrates Say?: Philosophers Tackle Questions About Love, Nothingness, and Everything Else, Edited by Alexander George "Since its inception two years ago, more than 3,000 questions from doctors, lawyers, immigrants and children have been posed on AskPhilosophers.org. Creator Alexander George, a professor of philosophy at Amherst College, has here compiled some of the site's most intriguing and widely relevant Q&As, covering, in the "grand tradition of human reflection," perennial topics like death, love, ethics and the origins of each. More than that, George seeks to make clear that philosophy is, indeed, for the thinking person, but that everyone is a thinking person. Organized broadly into four parts, entitled "What can I know?", "What ought I to do?", "What may I hope?" and "What is man?", the answer to each question ("Why isn't it just as good to be happy as to be sad?") is attributed to one of 22 contributing professors, who do a fine job, in short passages, of establishing a personal link to what could otherwise seem distant or abstract theory. Questions range from the near-universal ("If God's will is ultimately unknowable, then how can we know what is morally right?") to the situation-specific ("Is it morally wrong to tell children that Santa exists?") to the cheekily subversive ("Should the tolerant tolerate intolerance?"); there's lots of material here to enlighten and provoke, especially for those just getting their Socratic sea legs."

----- From January 2009 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Béatrice Gassie nous écrit: "Bonjour à tous. J'ai l'intention de me rendre aux USA l'été 2009 avec ma fille de 17 ans pendant 3 semaines; si des personnes que j'ai pu rencontrer lors de ma scolarité au LFNY , sont disponibles à cette période, je serai ravie de vous revoir (mon circuit prévisionnel : washington, philadelphia, nyc, boston ) Je compte également rendre visite au LFNY (72 et 95 ème rues) merci de me contacter sur mon adresse e mail, betty2tlse[at]hotmail.fr ; pour me donner vos disponibilités et coordonnées, à très bientôt, j'espère"

----- From July 2008 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Avis de Décès: Jean-Marc Jacot ('75) informed us that Philippe Szabo ('76) (1958-2008), died on February 2, 2008 in the Department of Le Gard, Southern France. (See In Memoriam section of this newsletter for further details, or click on link below.)

Jenny Skoble wrote: "I just joined the board of directors (le conseil d'administration) of the Alliance Française of Los Angeles, so I will be doing my best to spread French culture in this wasteland. In case anyone has some time to waste, I have a blog: it's mostly commentary about the absurdities of life in the U.S., but I think I will also be adding some of my fiction writing." (Click on link below to access Jenny's blog)

Viviane Marescot wrote: "Dear friends, dear Alumni:
A vous de saisir 'La Viviana' Un Reve en Liberte! I’ve recently purchased the Gov. Herbert H. Lehman Staten Island Ferry boat, one of the three JFK Class boats: 297 feet (91m) long and 69 feet, 10 inches (21,3m) wide, with a draft of 13 feet, 6 inches (4.1m), weight of 2,109 gross tons. It may be serviced to the speed of 16 knots (30km/h), it can carry 2500 passengers on the second and third decks, and 40 vehicles on the first deck. I’m renaming the boat “La Viviana”. She is unique and a fountain of inspiration to me and my husband Jacques A. Guillet. I am so moved by its majestic stand in its beauty and associations with the uniqueness of New York’s eternal icons that I have the feeling of floating in a fairy tale. At this point my husband and I are studying different business projects. We have encountered prospective sponsors in show business interested in chartering the boat. Our first option was to use it for student housing and we estimated we could build up to 60 studios/apartments for students and professors as a human-led based service: I thought that given the real estate crisis the City is only beginning to face, I would like to give back something to the City and its vicinity. I’ve heard some Universities have to turn back many prospective students because they cannot afford housing costs. Should you be interested in any of the ideas above do not hesitate to contact me on my email [obtainable from the AALFNY upon request]. Life’s a venture, I love my boat, and New York is never more beautiful than seen from the water, so let 'La Viviana' show it to you from where she’s actually sitting in Staten Island."

----- From June 2007 AALFNY Newsletter -----

● The class of '76 held a reunion in NYC in September 2007. For details, click on link below.

● In response to the invitation to the September 29th class of '76 reunion in NYC, Eric Petermann wrote: "What a surprise to read all those names of people, some of which I've forgotten, some whom I've known since 1964 or 1965, like Marc Jensen whom I saw last January, or Nicky Haimo and Alexandra (Giurgiu) Piol- whom I haven't seen since '76 or even earlier than that (wow: I thought Claude Falchier had simply vanished). Is Judith Appelbaum actually Judy Kameny who is also one of my "early years" classmates (even before the Beatles were singing Yesterday)? All of this brings back some memories and we have reached that age where we start looking back.
I've recently moved to Nouméa, New Caledonia, in the south Pacific -and it is just so far away from everywhere that despite being tempted with catching up on all these people who share that cosmopolitan and multidimensional view of the world that LFNY education brought us, it is just too long of a trip - I should say voyage - to come and meet you all. So to be forgiven herewith a recent picture of me chatting with a skipper who is attempting an around the world record with his brand new trimaran."

Jenny Skoble also wrote about that reunion: "J'ai voyagé de Los Angeles à New York pour participer à la reunion chez Alexandra Giurgiu Piol. C'etait vraiment un voyage dans le temps, parce que, en plus, Alexandra habite la meme maison à coté du Lycée (ou, je devrais dire, à coté d'ou etait le lycée) ou on a passé bien d'apres-midis ensemble." Jenny also sent us a hilarious parody of our class notes. To read it, click on link below.

Isabelle (Baudry) McDonald wrote: "I had the pleasure of seeing both Emmanual Jaeger and Frederica Adelman this summer. Emmanuel is a succesful violinist and conductor in Paris. He is headed to Shang Hai to perform with the Shang Hai symphony orchestra on Nov. 25th, 2007. He has two children-- Jeremy, age 13 and Sonia age 15. He would love to come to the next class reunion especially if it is in Paris. This is something we all talked about at our most recent get together at Alexandra Giurgiu- Piol's house. These years have flown by!"

Beatrice Gassie nous écrit: "Bonjour à tous, merci pour les informations des anciens, cela fait chaud au coeur d'avoir des nouvelles...Depuis que j'ai découvert le site, je souhaite vivement retrouver mes anciennes connaissances. Après des études de langue, je suis partie travailler en Grande Bretagne et en Allemagne. J'ai repris des études et maintenant je travaille dans le secteur social. J'ai séjourné à Pau, en Dordogne et maintenant je suis installée à Toulouse. J'ai une fille de 16 ans, Annabel, qui voudrait bien découvrir les endroits fréquentés par sa mère et ses anciennes relations !
J'attends de vos nouvelles et surtout de vous retrouver, pour ceux qui se rappellent de la petite Française de l'époque ( mes parents sont basques et landais )....à très bientôt....amicalement, Béatrice"

Maria Blacque-Belair provides legal orientation and psycho-social support at RIF Asylum Help, an organization whose mission is to "help refugees fleeing war, persecution and torture, start a new life in New York..." Click on link below to access her website, which was designed by her classmate and good friend Michel Lepeltier ('76).

----- From June 2007 AALFNY Newsletter -----

● "Ivan Auger is a Research Scientist and the Director of the Wadsworth Center's Computational Molecular Biology and Statistics Core Facility. His research interests include sequence analysis, protein structure prediction, and algorithms for Bayesian Bioinformatics." (Wadsworth Center, Center for Bioinformatics, http://www.wadsworth.org/resnres/bioinfo/people.html)

Jean Baum is a Professor in the Rutgers University Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.

● "Through drawings and paintings, Daniele Erville gives visual form to the innermost states of being -feeling states, the spirit, life transitions- letting images present themselves through intuitive shapes and colors. Daniele studied art and photography at Clark University, Massachusetts. She attended Maryland Institute, College of Art, in Baltimore, and earned a degree in drawing and painting at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, in Boston. Daniele has exhibited in the South of France, New England, and the Bay Area."
(http://indybay.org/newsitems/2006/12/11/18336779.php)

● "Judy Kameny: A trained musician since the age of five, Judy initially honed her listening skills as a concert pianist. After graduate school, she 'stumbled into radio', when a station manager heard her and liked her voice. When she moved back to New York, voice-overs seemed like a natural continuation of what she had been doing. 'I was a teacher for many years before I got into voice work, so I jumped at the chance to do voice-over coaching.' These days, Judy happily juggles life with her husband, her son, coaching, studying foreign languages, playing the piano and contra-dancing." (http://www.edgestudio.com/meet.htm)

----- From December 2006 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Sérgio Schiller Thompson-Flores "is founder of Worldinvest, a leading Brazilian financial advisory firm. As President of Worldinvest, Mr. Thompson-Flores has assisted dozens of industrial and Internet companies in the fields of project finance, venture capital and financial engineering, including Business Development and M&A work for the portal Zip.Net and for the e-security solutions provider Módulo. He also serves or served on the boards of several private and state owned companies. Mr. Thompson-Flores is an expert in project finance, venture capital and financial engineering.Prior to founding Worldinvest, Mr. Thompson-Flores was a career diplomat in Brazil, having led international trade negotiations in several industries and acted as a key participant in government executive groups. From 1991 to 1994, he was the finance and investment director of FINEP, a federal development bank., having analyzed more than 750 projects. Mr. Thompson-Flores holds a B.A. and a M.A. in International Relations." (http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Thompson-Flores_Sérgio_44479550.asp)

----- From February 2006 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Eric Petermann shared this with us, about himself and several classmates: "I'm currently living in France near Strasbourg. Married and father of three children who love to sift through the old LFNY yearbooks when dad was at school and wore that awesome uniform. I work for France's national weather service. It's nice to read class notes from old friends like Alexandra Giurgiu, Karine Lestelle and Isabelle Beaudry. Other class of '76 info: I lost track of Emmanuel Jaeger (sorry Isabelle !) but Olivier Martin is alive and well and living near Paris. He's a physics research director and is married with two children. Nicolas Haimo lives in Paris and is a professional musician (news given by Marc Jensen). Denis Logerot is a vet-doctor, lives in eastern France and likes to take pictures from his ultra-light hang-glider-plane (but I haven't seen him in 25 years)."

● From Jenny Skoble: "I am an attorney in Los Angeles, California, representing children who have been removed from their families due to abuse and neglect. I am married to Lou Levinson, and we are the parents of Eli, age 10. I am trying to figure out how to teach him French - all the French stuff in LA is way over on the Westside! Any old classmates, please email or call me."

----- From June 2005 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Maria Blacque-Belair wrote: "Would love to say hello to all my old pals of that year (still in touch with Beatrice de laTaillade et Julie Bloom. I live in NY, married with 2 five years old twins, a boy and girl, Sami and Maia. I work with refugees, which is my passion and led me to humanitarian work in many war zones. If anybody would like to get in touch, please contact me at [email address available upon request]"

[Editor's Note: Maria actually worked as an emergency relief worker in Bosnia between 1992 and 1996. She was quoted in 'Another Day in Paradise: International Humanitarian Workers Tell Their Stories', an anthology of stories by humanitarian workers from around the world:
"I became friendly with the people on the street – an old woman, a young boy. And without these attachments I don't know how I would have gotten through these four years. The war was personal for me. Some might say I over-identify and that I suffer from bystander guilt. I know this is true. When I am next to people who are suffering, I must do something. I have no choice. I feel so lucky that this is not my family, not my grandmother, not my mother. And this is the motivation for action. I really think that I didn't have post-traumatic stress or even burn-out because of this, because of my relationships and my passion for the work. It was tiring and dangerous, but the feedback was knowing we made a difference even in one person's life was so satisfying."]


----- From Winter 2004 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Isabelle (Baudry) McDonald wrote: "I am married with 3 children : Alex age 17, Katherine age 15, Emily age 12. I am lliving and working in Montclair, NJ as a Learning Disabilities Specialist in private practice. I had dinner with another classmate Frederica Adelman about 6 months ago. We had not seen each other in about 25 years . It's amazing how the years are flying by. I have totally lost touch with the majority of my classmates unfortunately but have quite good memories of my four years at the Lycee and the terror of preparing for the dreaded Bacheo."

----- From Winter 2003-2004 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Karin Lestelle wrote: “Based in Stamford, Connecticut, I practice immigration law with firm of Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, a law firm specializing in the area of global immigration and nationality law for the corporate sector. Our firm provides immigration services worldwide to multinational corporations, emerging companies and other major organizations that employ foreign nationals on a temporary or permanent basis in the United States or overseas.”

----- From Winter 2002/2003 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Isabelle (Baudry) McDonald writes: "I now have 3 children: Alex age 14, Katherine age 12 and Emily age 10. Would love to hear from Fredie Adelman, Jean Baum, Denis Logerot, Emmanuel Jaeger and more."

----- From November/December 2001 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Maria Blacque-Belair writes: "Great to find out about this website. Life has been great so far. I have done humanitarian work in Bosnia, Iraq, Africa and returned to NY four years ago. Working with refugees in the city. I have just adopted two beautiful twins, Sami and Maia (16 months) and they are the joy of our lives (with John, my husband). Pascal, my brother, is in NY and is expecting a little one next Feb. Hope to hear from some of you soon."

----- From July/August 2001 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Judy (Kameny) Applebaum and her husband Mitch welcomed Jason Aaron into the world on September 16, 2000. Judy lives in New York after having been an on-air host and producer in radio for many years in the midwest, and is currently active as a pianist and voice-over artist.
Elizabeth Weeden est à New York.
Alexandra Giurgiu Piol sent us this email message from the Lycée's development office. “I am very pleased to be involved at the Lycée Français de New York as a parent, an alumna and now as President of the Alumni Board. The Lycée is a very special place for me. My two sisters Ilona de Garcia '74 and Florica Giurgiu '75 and my brother, Dan Giurgiu '81 are all Lycée graduates. I believe that the Lycée gave me many gifts - ones that I have carried throughout my lifetime. They include a background in multiculturalism and a readiness to respect others and their differences. I am especially pleased that I have been able to pass these gifts on to my children. My daughter Serena and I shared the same first grade teacher - Madame Liliane Carriglio. Although she has recently retired, Madame Carriglio imparted to my daughter all the special knowledge that I remember her for - specifically an introduction to great artists such as Picasso and Modigliani. My daughter also studied in the same classroom which her aunt occupied for 6th grade and that I spent my 4th grade year in. (I shouldn't fail to mention that I got married at 95th Street!

----- From February/March 2001 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Nicolas Haimo lives in Paris. He is a rock musician (rock) and lives from his music,including some recent success composing tunes for ad campaigns.

----- From November/December 2000 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Eric Martin lives in Dijon where he is running the Centre Évolution. He practices and teaches Shiatsu acupressure, and gives workshops on many related topics, such as Feng Shui and other body-mind-spirit holistic health activities.

----- From March 2000 AALFNY Newsletter -----

Judith Kameny Applebaum has recently moved back to NYC and, in August ’99, she married Mitch Applebaum; she is now pursuing a career in voice-overs.









TOP: Xavier Noel's ('76) firm has been and continues to be one of our most generous supporters; MIDDLE: Alexander George ('76) : BOTTOM: Fadhima Thiam ('76)
TOP: Xavier Noel's ('76) firm has been and continues to be one of our most generous supporters; MIDDLE: Alexander George ('76) : BOTTOM: Fadhima Thiam ('76)

TOP: Brigitte Briand ('76); BOTTOM: Charles Dale ('76)
TOP: Brigitte Briand ('76); BOTTOM: Charles Dale ('76)
TOP: Danielle Erville ('76); BOTTOM: CD album by Nick Haimo's band
TOP: Danielle Erville ('76); BOTTOM: CD album by Nick Haimo's band
TOP: Judy (Kameny) Applebaum ('76); BOTTOM: Beatrice Gassie ('76)
TOP: Judy (Kameny) Applebaum ('76); BOTTOM: Beatrice Gassie ('76)
TOP: Audrey Bodner ('76); MIDDLE: Veronique (Richards) Dickhaut ('76); BOTTOM: Xavier Noel ('76)
TOP: Audrey Bodner ('76); MIDDLE: Veronique (Richards) Dickhaut ('76); BOTTOM: Xavier Noel ('76)
TOP: by Alexander George ('76); BOTTOM: Sergio Thompson-Flores ('76)
TOP: by Alexander George ('76); BOTTOM: Sergio Thompson-Flores ('76)
TOP: Eric Petermann ('76); BOTTOM: Maria Blacque-Belair ('76) & Jean-Marc-Jacot ('75) (Paris, October 2007)
TOP: Eric Petermann ('76); BOTTOM: Maria Blacque-Belair ('76) & Jean-Marc-Jacot ('75) (Paris, October 2007)
TOP: Beatrice de Lataillade ('76); BOTTOM: Michael Ramon ('76)
TOP: Beatrice de Lataillade ('76); BOTTOM: Michael Ramon ('76)
TOP: Dan Thu Nguyen ('76); MIDDLE: Jenny Skoble ('76); BOTTOM: Nicky Haimo ('76)
TOP: Dan Thu Nguyen ('76); MIDDLE: Jenny Skoble ('76); BOTTOM: Nicky Haimo ('76)
TOP: Oliver Le Lay ('76); MIDDLE: Isabelle Bassette ('76); BOTTOM: Maria Blacque-Belair ('76)
TOP: Oliver Le Lay ('76); MIDDLE: Isabelle Bassette ('76); BOTTOM: Maria Blacque-Belair ('76)