Administrative Team
Soraya Rouchdi, Founder and Director
Soraya Rouchdi is a passionate, professional, certified preschool director and entrepreneur. She experienced the importance of languages, travel, and multicultural awareness at an early age. The valuable exposure to a bilingual environment and various cultures and countries allowed her to speak four languages fluently. Soraya enjoyed living and studying in France, Italy, North Africa, and the United States. Soraya pursued her college education in Paris and Lille (France), where she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Lille III University.
Soraya was an active PTA member in the schools where her children attended; she was also an elected board member of Ridgeview Charter School and a Parent Chair of the science and math textbook committee. In addition to her volunteering and homeschooling activities, Soraya enjoys spending quality time with her family. She likes cooking international meals, reading, listening to world music, meeting friends, and Jazzercise.
Anays Pupo, Business Manager
Anays Pupo is a native of Havana, Cuba. She obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Communication from the University of Havana and after finishing her studies, she moved to the United States in September 2011. She passed the Spanish GACE (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators) at a professional level. Anays is very passionate about writing children’s stories and some of her previous work includes working as a journalist in a magazine for young adults. She has also worked as a volunteer at various schools to increase literary awareness among children. Anays also enjoys traveling very much. She admires the thrills of being in different countries and learning about their cultures.
Sami Rouchdi, Communications & Admissions
Sami Rouchdi was born in Versailles, France. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Management Systems Information Technology (MIST) at the University of Georgia. Sami has been helping out at DaVinci since he was in High School, assisting teachers during the Summer Camp in the early years and later inside the classrooms during the 2020-2021 school year. Sami has always been passionate about music, composing his own original pieces using his computer in his off time, and performing at concerts. While at school though, Sami is and always has been dedicated to providing the best possible experience for all students that come through the doors at DVIS!
Teachers
Elodie Barbin, G2 French
Elodie Barbin was born and raised in Paris. She studied marketing and communication. After graduating she worked in serval companies as well as in a well-respected kindergarten before moving to Bordeaux with her family. Elodie has a 10-year-old son who taught her the importance of a mother role: listening, patience…
Elodie moved to Atlanta in 2019. She loves hiking, and nature, as well as having an enduring respect for the environment.
Elodie also likes creating with cardboard, cooking, and jogging.
Veronica Silva, 5KF & G1 Spanish
Veronica Silva was born and raised in Santiago, Chile, amidst a French and Chilean bilingual and bicultural environment. From very early on, she knew she wanted to become a Preschool Educator, fulfilling her vocation at the Catholic University of Chile.
She has had extensive experience in different schools, teaching in French, as well as in Spanish and in English as a second language during her career, most of it with 5-year-old children. She is a passionate educator who very much enjoys working with children and seeing them grow in skills, knowledge, and autonomy in a multicultural environment.
She along with her husband and her six children has lived in France, Israel, and the United States in different periods of her life having acquired a strong liking for diversity.
In her free time, she enjoys doing handicrafts, specially mosaicking, patchworking, and scrapbooking.
Jovita Pedraza, 2K & G2 Spanish
Jovita Pedraza was born in Mexico and worked as a preschool teacher until she moved to Georgia when she was 18 years old. There, she obtained a degree in business administration. She is the mother of four amazing children who not only make her day brighter but have also given her experience and knowledge on childcare and education. In her free time, Jovita likes to practice sports, create art, write children’s stories and spend time with her family. She is an all-around outgoing, fun, and joyful person and she is very excited to be a part of the DVIS team.
Leslie Rodriguez, 3/4K & G3-5 Spanish
Leslie Urdanivia-Rodriguez, originally from Havana, Cuba, embarked on a transformative journey when she and her family moved to the United States in 2006. Her educational pursuits led her to earn a Master's degree in Education, with a specialized focus on English Language studies. Beyond the academic realm, Mrs. Leslie has a passion for storytelling, dedicating her free time to crafting engaging children's stories and thought-provoking poetry.
Mrs. Leslie's love for the Spanish language is profound, and she eagerly anticipates sharing her extensive knowledge with students through immersive cultural experiences. Her unique background and multifaceted interests enrich her teaching approach, fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. She has been working at Da Vinci International School for over 5 years. Mrs. Leslie stands as a testament to the power of diverse experiences shaping a well-rounded educator and creative spirit.
Céline Bell, Grade 1 French
Céline Bell was born in Burgundy, France. She is a dynamic educator who has worked with children in both France and the United States. She pursued her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music and Education from the Université Lumière in Lyon, France. Céline earned her teaching certification "CAPES" (Certificat d'aptitude Pour l'enseignement Secondaire) in Music Education from the French Ministry of Education (IUFM, l’Institut Universitaire de Formation des Maîtres). In France, she taught Music Education to middle school students and held the position of choir director for 11 years. She also served as a teacher trainer and was asked to participate in numerous Kindergarten classes where she was able to develop her passion for project-based and interdisciplinary teaching approaches.
Céline moved to Atlanta from Paris, France in 2007 with her Franco-American family, and joined the DVIS team in 2010. Since then, she has been focusing on implementing fun and innovative teaching methods for bilingual learners (from Pre-K to second grade). She believes in creating meaningful connections between different languages and keeping her students engaged at all times. Celine aims to engage her students in a wide but interconnected diversity of activities ranging from music, arts, role play, new technologies, science projects, creation of books to using the “outdoor classroom”.
Bénédicte Juston, Grades 3-5
Bénédicte Juston grew up in Lyon and studied there to be a German teacher. She and her French husband have 3 teenage sons. They lived 4 years in Hong Kong, 12 in London, UK, and have been living in Atlanta since 2015. They are truly loving their new American life! As a Modern Language lover and teacher, she appreciates raising children in a plurilingual environment.
Bénédicte has a Bachelor's Degree from Lyon, France in the German language and has been teaching children and adults for many years, first music and later German, French, and even English in various language schools in Hong Kong and London. Languages are the best way to communicate but also learn about different cultures in depth. French is not easy but with fun and perseverance, she is hoping to share her French culture and make French more accessible.
She has passed the French GACE (Georgia Assessments for the certification of educators) at a professional level as well as her French certification as an elementary teacher in a plurilingual environment with the highest honors. She is an outgoing adventurer who loves reading historical fiction, meeting new people, cooking, and baking (to the delight of her family and friends).
Nikia Waithe, Grade 1 English
Nikia Waithe was born and raised in Long Island, New York. She is passionate about children, education, and the art and science of teaching. Nikia received her BA in History from Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. She also attended Touro College Graduate School of Education and Psychology where she received a dual Master's Degree of Science in Education and Special Education for Early Childhood. Nikia received her teaching certification through New York State, and has over sixteen years of teaching experience, working within a multicultural, multilingual, and inclusive classroom setting.
Nikia has been immersed in the performing arts since she was young and is now a member of the Giwayen Mata dance, percussion, and vocal ensemble here in Atlanta, Georgia. Fascinated by the art of improvisation and syncopation through tap dancing, she also has over 20 years of experience in teaching and choreographing, this discipline to both children and young adults.
As the mother of two boys and a baby girl, Nikia leads a life full of creating memories, exploration, and adventure.
Alaina Thorne, Grade 3-5 English
Alaina Thorne was born in New York and raised in New Jersey. She recently, moved to Atlanta, GA to explore something new! Alaina attended Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2015. Upon graduation, Alaina continued her passion for working with children in clinical and childcare education settings.
Alaina also enjoys traveling very much. She admires the thrills of being in different countries and learning about their cultures. Alaina has traveled to many countries leisurely and professionally including Canada, and China, and prior to the Covid-19 pandemic taught English in Madagascar, Africa to students from elementary to high school level. When Alaina is not on a plane she also enjoys reading, spending time with family, and online shopping!
Alaina enjoys being a part of students learning in and out of the classroom. She is beyond excited to be joining the Da Vinci team as the 2nd and 3rd-grade English teacher!
Abigail Wardlaw - Aftercare & Art
Belen Puebla - 2K French Teacher
Angie Garcia - 3K Spanish Teacher
Letrice Johnson - 5K English Teacher
Marion Dudrey - 3K French Teacher
Marie De Salins - 4K French Teacher
Audrey Boulanger - 2K French Teacher
Audrey Boulanger was born and raised in Paris, before moving to Lille. With a background in pharmacy, she worked for five years in various pharmacies, acquiring valuable skills in the process.
In February 2022, Audrey moved with her husband to Atlanta, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in her life. Driven by the desire to explore another profession that fascinates her, she chose to become a teacher.
She firmly believes that learning a new language is not just about acquiring language skills; it's about opening children's minds to new cultures and perspectives. Audrey is committed to this approach and is excited to play a central role in this educational journey with your children.
Outside the classroom, Audrey has a passion for climbing, hiking, and traveling. She is committed to education and her taste for adventure makes her a dynamic and inspiring teacher in our educational community. Audrey is very excited to be part of the DaVinci team!