Soraya Valentin

Site Director

Soraya, an experienced educator, began her career as a teacher in NYC after completing her bachelor’s degree at Stony Brook University. She transitioned into international education as an elementary, middle, and high school teacher. After completing a master’s degree in educational leadership at the University of Kentucky, she became a curriculum coordinator and elementary principal. Soraya aims to create learning environments that allow children to explore and develop fundamental skills in a nurturing and secure setting, focusing on whole-person development.

Najwa Diouri

Associate Teacher

Although Najwa was born in New York her father decided that it was best for her family to start their education in Morocco. She has been blessed to live in a supporting and encouraging family, where her mother took the responsibility of easing the transition into the new residence and provided the necessary blueprint to succeed in education. 

Najwa’s passion for the French language started when she was nine years old. She enjoyed reading French novels because they sparked her creativity, enriched her vocabulary, and educated her on the French people and culture. Najwa completed her Bachelor’s degree in French and is currently in graduate school. Outside of the classroom, Najwa loves photography whether it’s being in front of or behind the camera. She’s a big foodie and enjoys trying out new food spots.

Asmae Mouttaki

Associate Teacher

Asmae was born and raised in Morocco and hold a bachelor's degree in Economics and Management. She worked for one year as a teacher assistant, supporting classroom activities, helping students with their work, and assisting the lead teacher with daily tasks. This was followed by another year as a teacher, where she planned lessons, managed the classroom, and guided students in their learning. In addition, Asmae has four years of experience in customer service, working with French and Canadian companies.

Outside of work, Asmae loves exploring new places, discovering different cultures, and learning new things. She is passionate about trying different cuisines with friends, going for walks and enjoys playing basketball. Asmae believes in continuous growth and always look for opportunities to learn and share knowledge.

Karine Gauze

Lead Teacher

Karine has been a teacher at Smith Street Maternelle since 2020. She was born and raised in the south of France, studied in Marseille and lived in Paris for over 15 years. Karine earned a Master’s degree in film and worked on many different productions as a camera operator and director. After being in film for many years, she moved to the media industry where she worked as an editor for a high-end men’s fashion magazine.

Karine moved to Brooklyn with her husband and two children in 2017 and realized the importance for children to learn a new language from a very young age. She turned to teaching to share her language skills and continues to pursue training in early childhood education at City College.

During her free time, Karine loves to travel and explore museum exhibitions. She enjoys music, concerts and running (NYC Marathon in 2022).

Sophie Capéran

Associate Teacher

Sophie is a Paris native who spent her childhood living throughout Europe; in France, Germany, Denmark, and England, where she cultivated a sense of foreign languages and cultures from an early age. At Paris X University, Sophie completed a Bachelor’s degree in Anglo-American Literature & Civilization as well as a Master’s in Political Science.

Navigating the bilingual heritage of her own children she decided to focus and dedicate her attention to the world of early childhood development and education. Sophie worked as a substitute teacher and tutor at Smith Street Maternelle from 2020 to 2024 and joined the team part time this fall in Carroll Gardens. She is dedicated to French culture and education and is excited to share her knowledge across the educational landscape at Smith Street.

Sophie lives in Brooklyn with her husband, three daughters and son who is currently attending the Gowanus Campus, and aside from her work, shares a love for the arts, traveling, yoga and enjoys cooking with her kids.

Matthieu Eveillard

Lead Teacher

Matthieu comes from Brittany, a region of the North-West of France. He spent his childhood, teenage years as well as his early adulthood there, graduating in his studies of English and Information & Communication and becoming a librarian specialized in Music and Film. When he moved to New York City ten years ago, Matthieu worked at establishing a French children’s library and decided to pursue the career of teaching French to children. Matthieu loves to use his passion for music and guitar to teach the children and worked for 5 years in a bilingual preschool of the Upper East Side of Manhattan before joining Smith Street Maternelle. He is currently engaged in a Master’s Degree program of Early Childhood and Bilingual Education at Hunter College and a fervent believer in the Reggio Emilia’s credo that the child has a hundred languages and that reason and dream are things that do belong together.

Marie-Laure Pham-Bouwens

Lead Teacher

Marie-Laure hails from France, where she completed her studies at l’Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris. After relocating to New York 22 years ago, the city’s dynamic pulse has continually fueled her inspiration. With the birth of her first child, her professional trajectory shifted towards the multifaceted world of Montessori education. Drawing from its innovative, vibrant, and culturally rich teachings, Marie-Laure pursued and attained certification as a Montessori primary teacher. She deeply values her role, emphasizing the individual potential of every child. With a passion for nurturing self-development in the young, Marie-Laure is dedicated to enriching lives through education, skillfully addressing challenges and tailoring content to maximize individual growth and ensure continuous learning.

Emmanuelle Bonin

Lead Teacher

After 24 years in Lyon and earning a diploma in Early Childhood Education, Emmanuelle moved to New York with two suitcases and a passion for teaching. She spent seven years at the Alliance Française, first as part of the “À Petits Pas” program, then helping to establish their preschool. She also taught first grade and kindergarten at the Science, Languages, and Arts International School, gaining valuable experience in bilingual education. Along the way, she earned her Montessori Early Childhood Education certification, which further enriched her teaching approach. Since 2022, she has been working with Smith Street, where she continues to apply her expertise in creating nurturing and engaging learning environments. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys rollerblading, still life photography for a jewelry brand, walking around the city, and enjoying quality time with family and friends.

Raphaele de Boisblanc

Associate Teacher

Originally from Paris, Raphaele studied music, dance, and philosophy before moving to New York twenty five years ago to become a producer, focusing on family programming.

She developed a passion for bilingual education while raising her two children, using music and movement to support language acquisition. She continues her training in education at the University of Pennsylvania and Hunter College.

Raphaele loves to read and attend family performances throughout the city.

Michel Olivier Policard

Front Desk Manager

Born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Olivier moved to the United States after high school to pursue higher education. He earned his Associate Degree in Business Administration from Kingsborough Community College before continuing on to Brooklyn College, where he completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

While at Brooklyn College, Olivier became an active member of the campus community by joining Nu Omega Chi Fraternity, Inc. As Secretary and Vice President of the Alpha Chapter, he played a key role in organizing community service initiatives and fostering a sense of camaraderie and purpose among his peers. These leadership roles not only helped him grow as a professional but also deepened his passion for serving others and making meaningful contributions to his community.

Through his experiences, Olivier discovered a strong interest in working within school environments, where he enjoys creating opportunities to support and inspire those around him. He believes in the importance of education and strives to use his skills to positively impact others, whether through his organizational expertise or his dedication to helping people reach their full potential.