Sharon Leishman, President

Sharon Leishman is a management professional with 30+ years of experience in corporate and nonprofit management.  Her areas of expertise are in strategic planning, project management, marketing and fundraising, with a focus on education and arts organizations.  Sharon has held numerous leadership positions throughout her career, and has served on several boards, including the Alumni Board of the Seattle University Albers School of Business and Economics.  She was Vice President of the Board of Trustees for the French American School of Puget Sound.  Currently, she is a consultant for nonprofit organizations in the greater Seattle community.  Sharon holds an MBA degree from Seattle University with B.A. degrees from the University of Washington and Central Washington University.

Anne Paper, Secretary

Anne Paper is a strategic marketing and communications professional with more than 15 years of experience managing communications programs and product development initiatives for premium-brand technologies, consumer products and social services.  Anne is currently managing online marketing initiatives for Microsoft’s Business Solutions Marketing Services team.  Her prior professional experience includes online communications management for Holland America Line, program management for Intel Corporation, and fundraising for United Way of King County and the National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC).  Anne has an MBA in Information Systems from the University of Wisconsin, a BA degree in American Studies from Stanford University, and the Certificat d’Études de Français Pratique, 2ème Degré from the Alliance Française de Paris.

Ulrike Gross

Ulrike Gross is a multi-lingual marketing manager with extensive international experience.  She managed external customer communications for Consors France, one of the leading European brokers in personal investing and online trading.  Throughout her career, she has held professional positions in the financial industry with companies in Munich, Germany, Barcelona, Spain, and Paris, France.  Ulrike is currently with Expedia, the largest online travel agency in the world.  She earned B.A. degrees in German Language as well as French Literature and Linguistics at the Université Paul Valery in Montpellier, France.

Florent Maillet

Florent Maillet is a travel and hospitality industry entrepreneur.  He currently operates the specialty travel company Carpe Diem in France / Chocolatine that he founded in 1996 to provide customized, premium tours in France for high-end clientele.  Florent has experience as an Account Executive for the Montepellier (France) office of RSCG, one of France’s largest international advertising agencies.  A French native who has been an active leader in Seattle’s French community for the past 13 years, Florent earned B.A. degrees in Sociology and Business: International Marketing from the University of Tours in Tours, France.

Frederic Vimieux

Frederic Vimieux is an accomplished international and domestic corporate and tax attorney, currently serving as the lead International Legal Counsel for Univar, Inc., a wholesale distributor of industrial and agricultural chemicals.  Frederic’s previous experience includes managing the formation of multiple international subsidiary and satellite offices for Qpass, the Seattle-based premier Internet transactions company.  During his tenure with local firm Preston Gates Ellis LLP, he was a contract attorney on Microsoft Corporation’s litigation team for major anti-trust and other litigation.  Frederic received his Masters of Law in Taxation from the University of Washington Law School, his Juris Doctorate from Gonzaga University School of Law, and his Maîtrise en Droit des Affaires from the University of Picardie Law School in Amiens, France.