A francophile since starting French lessons in middle school, Stephine was finally able to live in Paris during her undergraduate studies. She earned her Diplôme de français des affaires then returned to the United States to finish her Bachelor’s degree in International Business and French. She returned to France in 2009 to earn a Master’s in teaching French as a foreign language from La Sorbonne. She has since taught French and English as foreign and second languages to both adults and children, in public and private schools.

Previously, Stephine worked as the Community Engagement Coordinator and the Research Center Coordinator at a private Parisian school. She helped build communities by specializing in communication, technology use, and design thinking. She mentored student and staff research projects, as well as created online tools that facilitate the research process such as The Human Library and The Direction Project. She advocated for student-led initiatives in the areas of DEIJ, governance, and academic recognition.

Most recently, Stephine earned her tennis coaching certification while traveling in France to compete in tournaments. She coached tennis, focusing on athlete wellbeing. She also earned the CAPES in English. Lastly, she volunteers for the Council of International schools and travels to international schools within Europe and Northern Africa to complete school audits.