The Board
Meet The 2025/26 Board Of Directors
The WAC Board of Directors all volunteer their time, experience and expertise to oversee all aspects of the English Social Club and Learning Tree School. They are a group of people dedicated to the advancement of the WAC’s ideas and mission, ensuring that its constitution and bylaws are upheld while also being responsible for representing the interests of its members and leading the direction of the WAC.
© Marion Müller
President
Trushna Jhaveri
Provides operational and strategic governance to the WAC.
Trushna was born in Louisville, Kentucky, grew up in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, and has lived in New York, London and Germany before moving to Switzerland in 2010. She discovered the WAC in 2018, when her children joined the Learning Tree School. She was then pleasantly surprised to find several WAC activities she could partake in even as a mother working full-time (like the Potluck, Dinner Club, Board Game night and Summer BBQ), which helped alleviate the sense of isolation she felt as an expat in Switzerland.
In her spare time, Trushna is an avid cook and foodie and loves to socialize – her invitations to come over for a meal are genuine! She is also passionate about supporting working mothers succeed both personally and professionally in the challenging Swiss context. She is grateful for the opportunity to volunteer as President, and she welcomes your honest feedback as she navigates this new territory.
Vice President
Denise Kempshall
Presides in the absence of the president and is the liaison for the Learning Tree school
Denise is a Swiss Primary School teacher who has grown up and lives in Uster. Her husband is from the UK and they have been living together in Switzerland since 2004. She has two boys, who have enjoyed all the stages of the WAC from playgroup to Reading & Writing and are sadly aging out of their WAC experience. During their time they have made many friends and loved their time at the school and the club.
Denise has been a member of the WAC since 2013 and has worked in the NomCom and has been in the PTA for 6 years. She especially likes the library at the WAC and has spent many hours volunteering there.
The WAC has helped her boys tremendously with improving and nurturing their English, while being a primarily Swiss environment. Thanks to this there is no barrier in communicating with the English part of their family. Denise loves making new friends at the WAC and spending Wednesday afternoons and many evening in the great company of other international mothers. She loves reading, travelling, cycling and drinking coffee with her friends.
© Marion Müller
© Denisa Sciortino
Treasurer
Emily Stauffer
Budget management and administering financial processes
Emily is originally from Minnesota, USA. She has a background in Sales & Marketing with a minor in Spanish. Her career started in Sales before transitioning into Claims Administration at the Department of Veterans Affairs. After moving to Switzerland in 2011, she navigated the challenge of learning German while building a career in Human Resources— starting as a Team Assistant and working her way up to her current role, which includes both payroll and HR administration. Her connection with the WAC began when she attended playgroups with her daughter, and as her daughter grew, so did their involvement—first in English Explorers and now in Reading & Writing classes. She has always appreciated the wonderful mix of child-focused activities and parent- friendly social opportunities that the WAC provides.
Since 2020, she is also an active Board Member of the Familienverein Pfäffikon, where she manages event communications. She would love the opportunity to contribute to the WAC in a meaningful way and ensure smooth financial operations for the club. She looks forward to supporting this fantastic community!
Board Secretary
Louisa Cameron
Manages all Board documentation, policies and procedures. Records meeting minutes
© Denisa Sciortino
Events Chair
Melanie Celentano
Event management for the WAC
Mel is an adventurous and passionate Italian with a rich background in hospitality. Growing up in Germany with her family, who ran several restaurants and organized events, she developed a deep love for cooking and an appreciation for the art of bringing people together through food. This early exposure sparked a lifelong passion for exploring new flavors and culinary traditions.
Mel’s travels have taken her far and wide—she has lived in Spain, spent some time in the US, and in Portugal—experiencing diverse cultures and cuisines firsthand. Traveling is another key passion for Mel, who enjoys discovering new cultures and connecting with people around the world. When not traveling, Mel practices yoga and stand-up paddling, finding both energy and balance in these activities. As a proud parent to a wonderful daughter, Mel values the importance of family and well-being. Fluent in four languages, she brings a unique global perspective to everything she does
Marketing Chair
Inês João da Silva
Responsible for marketing including publications, website and advertising
Inês grew up in Portugal and has since lived and worked in Barcelona, Zürich, Stockholm, and Berlin. In 2023, she made Uster her home with her Swiss boyfriend, enjoying the blend of nature and the cozy charm of a small city.
English has always been her go-to language for connection, and while looking for ways to meet other English speakers, she discovered WAC. Inês has always been driven to create spaces that empower women, and as a designer, she is passionate about building relationships, solving problems, and crafting engaging experiences. She is looking forward to contribute to shaping the WAC community and its communication to be inclusive, fun and welcoming.
In her free time, Inês enjoys exploring new places, hiking unpopular trails, drawing, and throwing clay on a pottery wheel. With a love for food and wine, she is always on the hunt for the next place to try.
Business Chair
VACANT
The main point of contact for current and new business opportunities
Board Support Staff
© Marion Müller
Office Manager
Ieva Ciceri
Manages all in-house office services, reporting directly to the President
Ieva is from Latvia and has lived in Switzerland since 2013. Before moving to Switzerland, she lived in Cambridge, UK. Her husband is from Italy and they have 2 children who both find the WAC their second home and love it dearly.
Ieva has been an active member of the club from the moment she arrived in Switzerland and has held previous Board and Chair positions at the WAC before taking on the role of Club Office Manager in 2019.
The WAC has helped her to settle in Switzerland, find friends and given her the satisfaction of having some other responsibilities, outside of being a mum. She loves hiking in the beautiful mountains of Switzerland, cycling and having a relaxing moment with a cup of tea and a good book.
Bookkeeper
Nargis Ahmed
In house Bookkeeper, reporting directly to the Treasurer
Nargis is half Swiss (from mother side) and half Bangladeshi (from father side). She grew up in then Ost- (now Bangladesh) and West Pakistan (now Pakistan) until she was 13. In 1971 she moved to Switzerland. Learned German and went to school. Did her Handelsdiplom and worked for few years. After almost 10 years went to Bangladesh to be with father and work. Got married and moved around again. Lived in Bangkok where her daughter was born, then lived in Hong Kong where her son was born and then lived in Tokyo with her family. Returned back to Bangladesh after almost 10 years. Worked at Goethe-Institut for 15 years as Head of Finances and Administration. She travelled a lot inland and abroad, enjoyed lot of cultural programs and did volunteer work.
End of 2017 she moved back to Switzerland and it was not so easy to find a job, but never gave up trying. In the past 3 years she has been working as Accounting Administrator in a company in Bassersdorf.
In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, going to concerts, visit new places, keep in touch and visit family and friends, go out for fun dinner or coffee, socialize to meet new people and loves to organize things. She is looking forward to making new friends, join the fun activities and talking and working in English in WAC.
© Denisa Sciortino
