Marion Standefer is a 26-year-old educator and filmmaker from Philadelphia, PA, based in Paris, France. Marion studied Sociology and Urban Education at University of Pennsylvania (’21) and completed her M.S.Ed at l’INSPÉ de l’Académie de Versailles (’23) through a Fulbright scholarship. She has spent the past 10 years acting in, producing, and directing films, plays, and musicals, and supporting youth as a teacher, coordinator, and counselor. She has directed two films, “Le Meilleur du Monde” (2025) and “Unprecedented” (2021). She founded Les Meilleurs du Monde Non-Profit in 2025.
Vice President
Alison Bagnall
Alison Bagnall has written and directed three independent feature films that have screened at festivals around the world including Sundance, SXSW, London BFI, Moscow, Buenos Aires and AFI. Her film THE DISH AND THE SPOON, which stars Greta Gerwig, was a New York Times Critics Pick and winner of the Duncan Williams Screenwriting Prize. Her most recent film FUNNY BUNNY received multiple awards including Best Male Actor, as well as Audience and Jury awards for Best Narrative Feature. She is the co-writer of the Indie classic BUFFALO 66. Alison’s work has been featured in Filmmaker Magazine, The New Yorker, Moviemaker Magazine, Indiewire, Variety and the Hollywood Reporter.
Ms. Bagnall did her undergraduate studies at Yale and at the University of Florence, Italy; and graduate studies in the Directors program at the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles.
Alison is currently in development on THE MENDICANTS, a feature film to be shot in Philadelphia.
Secretary
Prashant Ramesh
Prashant is a music & film producer and scientist based in New York City. He has been performing, writing, and producing music for over 10 years for both himself and others. He has also produced, directed, and shot multiple short film and music video projects, and made an appearance in Pitch Perfect 2 alongside his collegiate music group. He is a co-producer of Les Meilleurs du Monde and on the board of Les Meilleurs du Monde non profit.
Prashant holds PhD, MS, and BS degrees in engineering, and was the recipient of a Fulbright doctoral research scholarship to Université Paris-Saclay where he studied quantum physics and French. He is passionate about using film and music to tell underrepresented stories and bring communities together.
Stephen Sharp
Treasurer
Steve Sharp is a retired accountant and landlord based in Arlington, Massachusetts.
Ishmeet Singh
Board Member
CEO of TutrmePrep and director of several digital literacy initiatives for refugees, Mr. SINGH has worked on fundraising and curriculum development for our project for returned migrants in Ivory Coast.
Candan Tılısım
Board Member
From Izmir, Turkey, Candan has a B.A. in film from Yaşar University and is a master’s candidate in Art. A talented editor, photographer and screenwriter, Candan assistant edited “Le Meilleur du Monde” (2025).
Diane Dominique Caba
Board Member
Residing in Paris, France, and originally from Daloa, Ivory Coast, Ms. CABA is a social worker with 35 years of experience and a Master’s Degree in Human and Social Sciences, specializing in Social Development from l’Université Paris Est Créteil Val de Marne. She is a co-founder of the Daloa returned migrants entrepreneurship program, responsible for the program’s social and leadership training, focusing on personal development to help participants overcome challenges as they reintegrate into society.
SANOGHO LEGAL SERVICES LLC
Legal Assistance
SANOGHO LEGAL SERVICES LLC offers comprehensive legal solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of their clients. They specialize in various practice areas, including international disputes and compliance issues, as well as providing legal services ranging from criminal law to immigration law. The firm is committed to upholding justice, advocating for their clients, and maintaining the highest ethical standards.
M’Ballou Y. Sanogho, Esq., the founder, has built a career serving clients in both the United States and Côte d’Ivoire, mastering dual legal systems and professional codes of conduct.
