Volunteer Now!
As a volunteer-based organization, Americans in Alsace can always use some extra help.
If you have the time and commitment to serve as a Board member, if you want to help organize or host an activity, if you would like to share your skills and hobbies with others at a coffee morning, or simply volunteer at one of the community events such as the 4th of July Picnic or Solidarity Day, please contact one of the committee members below.
President – Luther Weathers III
Luther, from Nashville, Tennessee, received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. After graduation he worked in contract furniture sales where he negotiated pricing with manufactures and teamed-up with Interior designers specializing in the Healthcare market. After moving to France in 2001, Luther managed the Purchasing Department for a Strasbourg based auto parts retail/wholesale distributer. Today Luther works in real estate with his partner Jacky Freiss. Luther’s hobbies include snowboarding and trekking on his quad.
Vice-President – Susan Kovach
Susan relocated from Indianapolis, Indiana to Strasbourg in July 2009 due to her husband Paul’s work assignment at Lilly France. Her two oldest sons are currently university students in the US and her youngest son Chris is enrolled at the European School of Strasbourg. Susan enjoys nature activities, travelling, cooking and reading in both English and now French and therefore has found Strasbourg to be a wonderful city in which to live.
Treasurer – Matthew Neglia
Matthew moved from the Portland, Oregon area with his partner Mike and son Lukas in July of 2008 and settled in Kehl, Germany. While Matthew worked in accounting for 20-plus years, he is currently a stay-at-home dad. He enjoys biking with his family through the beautiful countryside and spending time with his son in the area’s many wonderful playparks.
Secretary – Molly Tennis
Molly is originally from Seattle, Washington. She has a BA from Williams College and an MA from the University of Washington. A teaching stint in New York City among the privileged spurred her on to Chad, Africa to serve in the Peace Corps. There she met her husband Olivier, a French citizen who has since earned US citizenship as well. They have four sons. The family has spent time in Seattle, Northern Virginia, Abu Dhabi in the UAE, Aix en Provence and in 2011 settled in Strasbourg, France. Molly has a background in corporate & public relations, education and fitness. Her interests are reading, rowing, travel of any kind and cooking.
Membership Coordinator – Hal D’Arpini
Hal is from the Detroit area and moved to Strasbourg in August 2010 with his wife, Brigitte, when she began her teaching job at the European School. Hal has worked in the legal and information technology fields and currently teaches business and legal English through the Pôle Formation CCI de Strasbourg and general English at the Ecole de Chimie at the Université de Strasbourg. Hal enjoys reading, movies, and pétanque, a game he ironically picked up in the U.S..
Marketing Coordinator – Robyn Pereira
Robyn came to Strasbourg from Orange County, California in fall 2006. She works in healthcare marketing and has a degree in Communications from UC San Diego and a MBA in International Business from Pepperdine University. She enjoys travelling, enjoying great French food & wine, and meeting new people.
Newsletter Editor – Stephanie Lee
Stephanie moved to Strasbourg in summer 2011 from Savannah, Georgia. Earlier that year she graduated from the University of South Carolina, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain and Marketing. Stephanie is currently working in Supply Chain for Dow Agrosciences and is enjoying exploring Alsace with her husband, Martin.
Adult Activities Coordinator – Veronica Vanmarcke
Veronica is a Mexican-American from Los Angeles, CA. She moved to France in 2007 to be with her French boyfriend, Patrick. They were married in 2008 and have two sons. Veronica worked in the world of the entertainment industry back in Los Angeles. She now enjoys the time spent at home with her two small sons. She loves to cook, dance salsa and travel with her family.
Adult Activities Committee – Bénédicte Lampe
Bénédicte is a franco-american, born and raised in Strasbourg. She graduated in International Affairs from ESCP Europe and holds an MBA from Drexel University. She worked for SC Johnson for 20 years in Marketing, Sales and more recently as a General Manager. Her career took her to Germany, Madrid, the US (Wisconsin and Arkansas), Italy and Switzerland – great opportunities to learn the art of adapting to new places. She settled back “home” in 2010 to care for her mother, a founding member of AIA. She now is working on setting up a web start-up. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, discovering new places, chanting gregorian or “spa-ing”.
Children’s Activities Coordinator – Laura Sprauer
A Cleveland native, Laura attended Kent State University where she studied nutrition and dietetics. She later relocated to Boston, Massachusetts where she practiced as a dietitian and lactation consultant working in community health. Recently she received her Masters in Public Health from the University of Massachusetts. Laura speaks fluent Spanish and has spent a good amount of time travelling and volunteering with public health initiatives throughout
Children’s Activities Committee – Betsy Lang
Betsy studied French and Linguistics at the University of Minnesota before coming to France as an English assistant and staying for the cheese. After completing a Masters in European Science, Technology and Society, she married Julien and is taking time off to be mom to three boys. She is very happy to be in Strasbourg, a perfect city for families, and looks forward to planning activities for AIA.
Children’s Activities Committee – Christophe Réthoré
Christophe Réthoré is a dual citizen of Canada and France. Born in Normandy, he moved to Canada in 1989, studied and worked in North America for 18 years before returning to France and settling in Strasbourg in 2007. When he returned to France he set up the European office of a Vancouver-based market research firm from 2007 to 2010. Throughout his career he has worked in two major areas: foreign languages/linguistics/translation and market research/marketing. He has lived in many locations throughout the US including North Dakota, Alabama and Virginia; and in Canada including Montréal, Québec and Moncton, New Brunswick.