Michèle le Menestrel Ullrich

Michèle le Menestrel Ullrich, born in Paris of Russian and Spanish heritage, traveled widely from an early age and is at ease interacting with people of different countries and cultures. She studied at Cambridge University and the Ecole du Louvre and Arts Decoratifs (auditeur libre) in Paris.

Her interest in the preservation of historic heritage inspired her to found an American association, Friends of Vieilles Maisons Françaises, Inc. recognized in 1982 in the United States as a non profit 501 (c)(3) which became French Heritage Society in 2002. Michèle served as FVMF Founding President, CEO, from 1981 until 1992 when she moved to Pakistan, following the diplomatic posting of her husband Jose Maria Ullrich y Rojas, Ambassador of Spain.

In 1990, Michele co-founded the Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship, in partnership with the American Architectural Foundation and remains co-chairman of this prestigious program for professional architects specialized in historic preservation. The RMHF carries a $25,000 stipend and has been funded by Lafarge since 2009.

The French Government bestowed upon Michèle the distinction of Officier de l’Ordre National des Arts et Lettres in 2005 in recognition of her dedication to heritage preservation. She is Honorary Trustee of the World War I Foundation and also has a keen interest in landscaping and gardening. She designed and created several gardens in France, Spain and Pakistan, and has won awards for her work at the Spanish Embassy in Pakistan and in the Costa del Sol in Spain.