Leadership
HEAD OF SCHOOL
LISA DARLING
Head of School since 2013
Ms. Darling has over 20 years of educational leadership experience. Formerly the President of the United World College in New Mexico, Darling has brought a unique perspective to the school’s leadership given her commitment to excellence in all aspects of international education and her track record as a collaborative leader. Prior to United World College, Darling was Head of School at Wilmington Friends School in Delaware for 11 years. Before being appointed to Head at Wilmington, she had served in various roles since 1988 including Business Manager, Assistant Lower School Head, and Acting Head of School. Prior to her time at Wilmington, she worked at Friends’ Central School in suburban Philadelphia, where she worked as both Director of Library Services and Business Manager. She also served as the Director of the H.B. DuPont Library at Pomfret School in Connecticut before moving to Philadelphia.
A strong leader who exemplifies Awty’s mission, Ms. Darling has held positions on the International Women’s Forum and the National Association of Independent Schools, and served on the United World College International Board and as the president of the New Mexico Association of Independent Schools.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from George Fox College, a Master of Divinity in Education from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a master’s degree in library science from the State University of New York at Albany.
Proviseure
CHRISTINE CHOURRÉ
Proviseure since 2014
Ms. Chourré is originally from the region of Lyon, France. She came to Awty as Proviseure in 2014 after a career in French education. She is “détachée” from the French ministry of education through the MLF (Mission Laïque Française), a historical partner of Awty.
She has started her journey in education as a language teacher and had the opportunity of teaching lower school, middle school, upper school and college students (University of Saint Etienne). After a position of deputy head of school she held two positions of head of school in secondary in two different French schools. She has now been in a school leadership role for 14 years.
She holds a master’s degree in school management (MADOS) from the University of Lorraine and is an ESENESR (Ecole Superieure de l’ Education Nationale de l’Enseignement Superieur et de la Recherche) graduate. In France she was rewarded by the prestigious recognition of chevalier dans l’ordre des palmes académiques (a knighthood order of chivalry in France recognizing educators) in recognition of her service to French education. She has become an expert in the field of international education by studying PISA results (standardized testing in OECD countries) and by attending workshops in European country Spain, Italy, Nederland, Sweden, Malta.
Since 2014, Christine has been leading the one school initiative to make Awty an even better place for our students.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
NILOUFAR MOLAVI
BOARD CHAIR
Ex-officio member of all board committees
U.S. Vice Chair, U.S. Energy Leader, and the Market Managing Partner for PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Graduate of University of Texas, McCombs School of Business, BBA and MPA
Awty alumna, Class of 1990.
DAVID TONNEL
TREASURER
Board Committee: Chair of the Finance and Investment CommitteeGraduate of HEC, Paris
Parent of three Awty students.
JULIE FETTE
SECRETARY
Board Committee: Buildings and GroundsAssociate Professor of French Studies, Rice University
Graduate of Georgetown University and doctoral programs at NYU and Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris
Parent of one Awty student.
BASIL ABULHAMAYEL
Board Committees: Finance & InvestmentMember, International Leadership Council
President & CEO Aramco Services Co.
Graduate, MIT and University of Texas
Parent of two Awty students.
FRANK J. DEMAILLE
Board Committee: Finance and InvestmentPresident and CEO, ENGIE North America
Graduate, Ecole Polytechnique, Ecole nationale superieure des Mines de Paris, Pierre et Marie Curie University
Parent of one Awty student.
SHERIF FODA
Board Committees: Committee on Trustees and Finance and Investment
Member, International Leadership Council
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of National Energy Services Reunited Corp.
Graduate of Ain Shams University, Cairo
Parent of two alumni and one current student.
BRIAN HENDRY
Board Committee: Chair of the Buildings and Grounds CommitteeFounder and CEO of Magnolia Builders, LLC, and founding partner and CEO of Texas Gulf Fabricators.
Graduate of University of the West of Scotland
Parent of four Awty students.
JENNIFER HOGAN
Board Committee: Committee on TrusteesPartner, Hogan and Hogan, LLP
Graduate of Harvard College and University of Texas School of Law
Parent of three Awty alumni.
KAREN JOYCE-MARIE
Board Committees: Committee on Trustees and Advancement.Retired Global Manufacturing Process Manager,ExxonMobil Chemical Co.
Graduate of Princeton University
Parent of one alumnus.
CHRISTINE KIRCHNER
Board Committee: Chair of the Advancement CommitteeLitigation Shareholder, Chamberlain, Hrdlicka Attorneys at Law
Graduate, Southern Methodist University, Northwestern University
Parent of two Awty students.
MARYANN T. MANNEN
Board Committees: Finance and Investment
Member: International Leadership Council
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, TechnipFMC
Graduate, Rider University
Community Leader
AKBAR MOHAMED
Member, International Leadership Council
President, Prime Communications
Graduate, U of Illinois
Parent of three Awty students.
JAY PRYOR
Board Committee: Chair of International Leadership Council
Vice President of Business Development, Chevron Corporation
Graduate, Mississippi State University
Community Leader
ANTONIO (TONY) SANCHEZ, III
Board Committee: AdvancementPresident and CEO, Sanchez Energy Corporation
Parent of two Awty students.
MARK SCHROEDER
Board Committees: Chair of the Committee on Trustees and member of the Advancement and Finance and InvestmentMember, International Leadership Council
Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Enable Midstream Partners, LLP.
Graduate, LSU College of Business and School of Law
Parent of three Awty alumni.
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
JEAN-FRANCOIS GENAY
Board Committee: Advancement
General Delegate for North America, Mission Laïque Française (MLF).
Graduate, University of Paris
sandra nadin-figueredo '97
Board Committee: AdvancementPresident, Awty Alumni Association
Business Analyst, Merichem Company
Graduate, University of St. Thomas
Alumna Class of 1997 and Parent of two Awty students.
CECILE ROUX
Board Committee: Buildings and GroundsPresident, Awty Parent and Personnel Association
Graduate, University of Nancy and ICN Business School
Parent of four Awty students.
