A French-American-Irish educator, Elizabeth grew up in Maine and has devoted more than 35 years to teaching and educational leadership. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Farmington and studied at University College Galway in Ireland as an exchange student. During college, Beth also pursued her interest in modern dance and choreography and performed with the UMF Dancers for four years.
Throughout her career, Elizabeth has taught children across a wide range of ages and levels in early childhood, elementary, and middle school education. When she co-founded L’École Française du Maine in 2002, she taught the school’s first multi-age preschool class, bringing together children from Toute Petite Section through Grande Section. During this especially full chapter of her life—teaching, helping to establish a new school, and raising three young children with her husband—Elizabeth also earned a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Phoenix.
Together with her husband, Willy, Elizabeth went on to co-found the French American School of Tampa Bay in 2017. Inspired by the educational model they had established in Maine, they sought to bring the same high-quality French immersion and bilingual learning experience to children and families in Florida. In 2018, they also founded La Maison Française, further extending their commitment to French language and culture.
In her first year as a classroom teacher, Elizabeth received national recognition as one of the nation’s 100 best first-year teachers—an honor awarded to only one educator in Maine. In 2009, she was named a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques, a distinguished French honor recognizing contributions to education and culture.
At the heart of Elizabeth’s work is a genuine love for children and a belief that every child deserves an exceptional educational experience. She is passionate about creating beautiful, nurturing learning environments where children feel safe, known, and cared for while being encouraged to grow, discover their strengths, and reach their fullest potential. This commitment has guided her teaching and leadership throughout her career and remains the reason she has devoted her life to education.
Fluent in French, Beth raised her three children in a bilingual home. Outside school, she enjoys reading—with a cat on her lap and a dog at her feet—gardening, knitting, boating, walking in the woods and along the beach, and spending time with her family.