Denis de Kergorlay

Denis de Kergorlay is a graduate of the Institut d’Études Politiques and holds a law degree from the Université d’Assas. A former lecturer at the Institut International d’Administration Publique in Paris, he was also the cultural attaché at the French Embassy in Thailand.

He returned to France in 1978 to take over the management of the Château de Canisy, his family estate in Normandy, which he has transformed into a private historic site open for prestigious gatherings with an international character (symposia, concerts, seminars). His volunteer activities have included involvement with the humanitarian NGO Médecins Sans Frontières for over 10 years.

Comte Denis de Kergorlay's presidency of French Heritage Society began in 2008. He has generously hosted receptions for American and French members in France, and has travelled to many regions throughout the U.S. to participate in FHS Chapter events.

He is also Executive President of Europa Nostra, the European Federation of Heritage NGO’s present in more than forty European countries and President of the Cercle de l’Union Interalliée in Paris. He has also served as Vice President of the La Demeure Historique - French heritage organization partner of FHS.

David M. Gray

David M. Gray, Ph.D; OBE David Gray has served as the Treasurer of the French Heritage Society for many years. Early in his career, he was a Professor of International Relations at several universities, including Arcadia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Drew University.

He later served as both Executive Vice President and Director of International Programs at Arcadia University (formally Beaver College). Subsequently, he co-founded the Institute for Study Abroad, which became the largest university-based study abroad organization in the United States.

He presently serves as Chairman and CEO of the Study Abroad Foundation, which operates study abroad programs for Asian students in English-speaking countries.

For his pioneer work in international education, he received Honorary Fellowships from Queen Mary College, University of London, and London Guildhall University.

In 2008 he was awarded an OBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, II.

George J. Martin, Jr.

George J. Martin, Jr., a general corporate, business and finance transactional attorney, has a BA degree from Georgetown University and holds a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

Mr. Martin was a Partner at Mudge Rose Guthrie Alexander & Ferdon LLP, where he served as Resident Partner in the firm’s Paris Office for five years, and at Coudert Brothers LLP and was Of Counsel at Greenberg Traurig LLP.

Throughout his 40+ years of experience, he has gained substantial experience in energy project finance, secured borrowing, mergers and acquisitions, and complex contractual relationships.

Since 2009, Mr. Martin has been an independent legal consultant. His recent focus has been on advising business and finance teams for alternative energy projects.

He has served as legal counsel to, and on the Board of Directors of, French Heritage Society since its inception in 1981.

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.

René-Pierre Azria

René-Pierre Azria began his banking career with Banque Indosuez in Tokyo, Japan in 1981 though he would soon move to New York where he would eventually become the Managing Director of Blackstone Indosuez and President of Financière Indosuez Inc. In 1996, Mr. Azria joined Rothschild in New York, became a Global Partner of the bank and headed its United States Telecom practice until June 2007. In September 2007 Mr. Azria founded Tegris Advisors LLC, of which he is currently President and CEO. During his 30 years in Corporate Finance in North America, Asia, and Europe, Mr. Azria has enjoyed extensive advisory experience, generally in transactions of a large size and a high degree of complexity.

Beyond his responsibilities at Tegris, Mr. Azria is a Director of La Martinière Groupe, a leading French publisher of fiction and illustrated books. He is a Director of two large public companies, Jarden Corporation (JAH:NYSE) and Phoenix Group plc (PHNX:LSE). Mr. Azria also sits on the Board of Governors of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), is a member of the AJC's Executive Committee, of its Board of Trustees, and of its Africa Institute. In June 2010, Mr. Azria received the AJC's Herbert H. Lehman Human Relations Award. Mr. Azria is also known for supporting Action Against Hunger and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

 Mr. Azria holds an M.B.A. degree (Magna Cum Laude) from Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (France), a Bachelor of Mathematics from University of Paris-Jussieu and an International Management Degree from London Business School and the Stern Graduate School of New York University.

Christian Draz

Christian Draz was born in Pennsylvania and raised primarily in Princeton, New Jersey, until the age of 16, when his family moved to Geneva, Switzerland. He graduated from the American School in Switzerland in 1970 and spent a post-graduate year in France, first at Le Collège Cevénol in the Massif Central, then at the Sorbonne in Paris.

He attended Vassar College from1971 – 1975 and graduated with a B.A. in French literature. After college, he worked in the family business, a newspaper in Ohio called "The Warren Tribune Chronicle," where he wrote book and art reviews, travel stories, and editorials and also worked to redesign the format of the paper.

After the sale of the paper in the mid-90s, Mr. Draz moved to Boston and began writing book and poetry reviews. He conducted graduate work in French literature at the Harvard Extension School and served on the board of overseers of the Boston Lyric Opera.

In 2006, Mr. Draz began spending three months in Paris each spring, where his knowledge of the French language and culture began to deepen. He is particularly drawn to France of the 18th century, especially its furnishings and architecture, but is also very interested in the preservation and promotion of France's immense architectural heritage.

Ronald Lee Fleming

Ronald Lee Fleming is the Founder and President of The Townscape Institute, a non-profit public interest planning organization that aims to support place meaning through conservation and visual enhancement of built environments.

He is the author of acclaimed books on urban planning and design. Ronald is also the head of the Historic Towns Committee of US International Council on Monuments and Sites, and a member of numerous organizations which support preservation efforts.

He is a former trustee of Mass Horticultural Society and Historic New England, and a current Board Member of US /ICOMOS, Royal Oak, and Chairman of Scenic America. Ronald has been a Board Director since November 2009, and is a member of the Chairman’s Circle.

CeCe Black

CeCe Black was appointed to the Board of Directors of French Heritage Society in 2008 and leads the organization's Special Events Committee.

She served as a co-chairman of FHS's New York Dinner Dance for the past four years and has been involved in other national events, including those in Palm Beach. She is based in New York City and is married to Louis (Lee) Black, an attorney.

CeCe is also a board member of the Drama League of New York, the Horticultural Society of New York, the Advisory Committee for the American Theatre Wing and has served on various charity committees.

She transitioned from university professor (where she co-authored a textbook) to private jeweler in the mid 90s.

Isabelle de Laroullière

Isabelle de Laroullière has been a familiar and well-loved presence to members of FHS since 1985 when she joined the Washington Chapter. In 1995, she assumed the position of Grants and Awards Coordinator and, in that capacity, she has been responsible for administering the preservation projects that are at the heart of the FHS mission.

Isabelle, who was trained in France as an accountant, studied for MBA credits at the American University in Washington DC. In this, she followed family tradition, as her ancestors, the successive Marquises de Nicolay, chaired La Cour des Comptes (the French Federal Control Board) for three centuries. Isabelle de Laroullière acquired the professional skills and acumen she brings to the field of historic preservation.

Her interest in the architectural patrimony of France is based in part upon the legacy of her own family. With her husband Regis, she is responsible for the maintenance of two monuments in Dauphiné: the Maison Forte de Vertrieu, a medieval fortress, and the château de Vertrieu, a magnificent 18th-century residence overlooking the Rhône that has been her family’s home since 1712.

Sarah de Lencquesaing

After serving on the Board of the American Library in Paris  for 11 years as head of governance, treasurer and vice-chairman, Sarah de Lencquesaing currently serves on the board of French Heritage Society as well as the French American Foundation-France.

Kazie Metzger Harvey

Kazie Metzger Harvey

Juan Pablo Molyneux

Juan Pablo Molyneux is an internationally acclaimed interior designer. Born in Chile, Molyneux studied architecture at Universidad Católica of Santiago. He went on to attend the Ecole des Beaux Arts and the Ecole du Louvre in Paris. After opening offices in Santiago and Buenos Aires with his wife, Pilar, in the mid-1970s, they moved to New York and set up a studio in the early 1980s; in the early 1990s they opened a satellite office in Paris.

An American citizen, Molyneux works comfortably on many different continents. He has created private residences in South America, the United States, Canada, throughout Europe, and in the Middle East. His public spaces include the Pavilion of Treaties for the Russian Federation in St. Petersburg and the Cercle de l'Union Interalliée, in Paris. He also designed the interiors of a Boeing 737, private jets, and a number of suites aboard the ocean liner World of Residensea.

Molyneux sits on the boards of The American Friends of Versailles, The World Monuments Fund, and French Heritage Society. He has received many awards, among them the Decoration of the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres, which he was given in 2004 by the French Minister of Culture in acknowledgment of having helped to spread French culture through his design work and his support of artisans.

Jean-Paul Denfert-Rochereau

Jean-Paul Denfert-Rochereau was born in Paris and is married to Sibylle Gaussen, who has dual French-American citizenship. Together they have three children.

In 2007, after having spent 25 years of his career as their International CEO and establishing their presence in the US in 1985, he left Hachette Filipacchi Medias, the largest publisher in the world of such widely distributed magazines as Elle, Paris Match, Car & Driver, and Woman’s Day, among others.

Jean-Paul is currently involved in developing the association "Les Oeuvres de Saint-Jean" (Saint John's Works), linked to the Order of Saint John of which he is a knight. This association creates and manages temporary housing units located within French hospitals in order to accommodate parents of hospitalized children.

Today Jean-Paul’s leisure time is devoted to travel, his property in Provence, as well as horseback riding and hunting. Jean-Paul holds the distinction of chevalier dans l’Ordre de la Légion d’honneur.

George P. Sape

George P. Sape is Managing Partner of the national law firm, Epstein Becker & Green in New York and previously held a number of government positions in Washington, DC. After working for the U.S. Department of State and the Federal Communications Commission, he served on the White House staff under President Nixon.

Mr. Sape is a respected oenophile who has assembled an extensive and enviable cellar. He believes that wine and food are meant for sharing with friends and for the enhancement of life.

Maître of the Commanderie de Bordeaux, member of The Chevaliers du Tastevin, the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, Les Amis de la Table, The Commanderie du Bontemps de Médoc et Graves, The Hospitaliers de Pomerol, and The Commanderie des Costes du Rhône he is also Membre d’Honneur of L’Académie du Vin de Bordeaux (one of only five Americans), and Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite.

In addition, Mr. Sape was recently awarded the Legion d’Honneur by the government of France. He is also former Chairman of the James Beard Foundation. Active in philanthropic activities, he has served on the boards of numerous cultural organizations, including the French Heritage Society.

Odile de Schiétère-Longchampt

Odile de Schiétère-Longchampt is an interior design consultant and owner of Odile de S. Inc., a decorating firm in New York City. Mrs. Schietere-Longchampt has worked with many private clients in the United States and Europe and has been published in various magazines.

From 1990 through 1993, she took part in the promotion of the Artisanat Français at the French Cultural Embassy. From 1995 through 2005, she participated as a designer to the show house for the American Hospital in Paris.

Her charitable activities have focused on the Alliance Française, Action Against Hunger, American Friends of the Louvre and French American Aid for Children, where she served as Chairwoman for two terms.

Odile travels frequently to France, where she and her husband, Michel, own a home in Provence. They reside in New York City and Nyack, NY.

Jean Shafiroff

Jean Shafiroff was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the French Heritage Society (April 2012). She has served as co-chairman of the French Heritage Society's New York Dinner Dance for the past 4 years. Jean is a dynamic organizer and sponsor of many philanthropic activities both in New York and Southampton, New York. She has contributed to several charitable causes by taking on many leadership responsibilities from Board Memberships to duties as Chairwoman of numerous events, including the 2011 and 2012 Southampton Hospital Gala which raised approximately $1,700,000 and $2,000,000 respectively.

Jean serves on the Board of a number of different charities including JBFCS (20 plus years), the Couture Council, the Advisory Board of Lighthouse International, Southampton Bath and Tennis Club's Charitable Foundation (Co-chair of the Foundation) and the Advisory Board of the Southampton Animal Shelter. Jean is active with many other charities as well. This year Jean has or will co-chair Galas for NY Women's Foundation, American Cancer Society, Solar One, JBFCS, Southampton Animal Shelter, and Southampton Bath and Tennis Club's Charitable Foundation.

Jean holds a MBA from Columbia University and a BS in Physical Therapy from Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. She has worked both in public finance and private partnerships on Wall Street. Prior to that, Jean was a physical therapist at St. Luke's Hospital in New York City. Jean is a Member of the Metropolitan Opera Club, the Doubles Club and Southampton Bath and Tennis Club.

Jean is married to Martin D. Shafiroff, Managing Director at Barclays. Together they have two daughters, Jacqueline and Elizabeth, who share their mother's devotion to charitable causes. Jean's dedication to charity comes from the guidance and inspiration instilled in her by her father and late mother. Jean and her family reside in New York City and Southampton.

John R. Worthington

John R. Worthington attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, receiving a B.A., an M.B.A. and a J.D. In 1955, he joined the Chicago-based law firm now known as Jenner & Block. After serving two years in the U.S. Army, he rejoined the firm and, in 1962, became became a partner. In 1968, he became Secretary and a member of the board of directors of Microwave Communications of America, Inc. later renamed MCI Communications Corporation.

In 1971, he left the law firm to join MCI as its General Counsel and was subsequently elected Vice-President and then Senior Vice-President of MCI. He continued as an officer and director of MCI until its merger with WorldCom, Inc. in 1998. Following his retirement, he and his wife moved to Reno, NV. Since living in Reno, he has become a member of the boards of trustees of the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra Association, St. Mary’s Foundation, Desert Research Institute Foundation and University of Nevada-Reno Foundation.

He is currently serving as Chair of the board of trustees of the Nevada Museum of Art. John and his wife, Christine, who is French, are collectors of art and fine French antiques.

Ann Van Ness

Ann Van Ness

Marie-Sol de La Tour d'Auvergne

Marie-Sol de La Tour d'Auvergne served as President of French Heritage Society from 1992 to 2008. She is now President Emeritus and has been actively involved with the organization since its inception. She is currently Vice-President for the Fondation des Parcs et Jardins de France where she works to promote French historic parks and gardens both within the country and abroad, most recently in Russia.

She is currently Vice-President of the Route Jacques Coeur which promotes tourism to the Berry region and Founding President and Board member of the L'Association des Parcs et Jardins de la Région Centre. Marie-Sol was a member of the commission which classifies dwellings and sites in the central region of France. She studied Art History in Rome and at the Ecole du Louvre, as well as Chinese at the School of Oriental Languages in Paris. In connection with her interest in cultural heritage and garden preservation, she has traveled in Asia, North Africa, South America, and Russia and she has lectured extensively in the United States and her native France.

A member of the distinguished d'Aligny family, she spent her childhood with her large household at its ancestral Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil, in the Cher region in central France. The care and maintenance of the 13th-century château and its splendid gardens have been a lifelong undertaking for Marie-Sol. She created the château's gardens, including a rose garden, as well as overseeing the development of festivals and exhibits at the château.

In acknowledgement of her lifetime commitment to the French heritage, she received the decoration of Chevalier dans l'Ordre de la Légion d'Honneur in 2007. She has also received l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres.