Valérie Besanceney is originally Dutch, Swiss by nationality, and holds the cultures she has lived in close to her heart. She grew up changing schools and countries four times by the time she graduated high school.

As an adult, she has lived and worked in ten different countries across four continents. After finishing up her undergraduate degree in the United States, Valérie completed a Master’s degree in Tourism Management in France. Her love for ski-instructing, working with children, and traveling encouraged her to pursue a MEd in Curriculum and Instruction.

While working in international schools in Burma and Bolivia, she became interested in how mobility affects the well-being and learning of international school students. For the last seven years, Valérie has worked as a primary school teacher in Switzerland. She is passionate about helping students and their families thrive through their transitions.

She has been a member of FIGT since 2014 and on the program committee since 2016. She also serves on the Steering Committee for Safe Passage Across Networks. Together with her American husband and their two young daughters, she loves exploring the benefits and challenges of being part of a multi-cultural family. She wrote, B at Home: Emma Moves Again and My Moving Booklet. Her writing has been featured on www.internationalschoolcommunity.comand she blogs on www.valeriebesanceney.com.

Valérie has served on the FIGT Board since October 2018. Contact her at program@figt.org.