- How Studies in Paris Led to Marriage, Family and USA Career
- Faith is a way to give you a sense of purpose, and ……
- to focus on something bigger than yourself.
Anna Michaud is a fixture in our monthly services in Loa Altos. She is a board member in the Lutheran Church, where we rent space. She grew up in Viken just north of Helsingborg and graduated from Nicolaiskolan where I graduated 60 years ago, which we celebrated last year. She is a member of our book club, a member of Zaida singers who regularly performs in our services, and the last year she has also served as a board member of SWEA, SF. She also has two talented children, which I met in church last year, when they were home from their schools on the East Coast. Time has finally come to make an interview and learn more about this interesting family who live by Anna’s motto: Enjoy the best of three worlds: USA, France, and Sweden!
Where were you born and where did you grow up? Tell us briefly about your family (van Rijswijk sounds Dutch to me!
Yes, My Dutch ancestors arrived in Stockholm in 1809 to start a restaurant.
I was born in Stockholm but grew up in Viken 15 km north of Helsingborg, until I was 18. I went to high school at Nicolai school (like Karl) and studied Political Science and French in Lund for a few years before moving to Paris to study International Relations at the Institute of Political Science (IEP Paris).
I would say, what I studied did not really prepare me for the career I have had, but I guess I learned how to learn, and critical thinking to analyze and solve problems. I have been fortunate to gain experiences, that I have been able to build upon.
How did you meet your husband? Did you live in France? When and how did you arrive in Silicon Valley? What have you been working with?.
My husband Bertrand, who is French, also studied at IEP Paris, and we met a few years after graduating, at an alumni cocktail party hosted in the beautiful Senate building next to the Luxemburg garden in Paris. We got married in 2000, and have 2 wonderful children, Axel (24) and Clara (21)
After a few early career roles in insurance and sales of credit insurance and political risk insurance (in Paris) I was fortunate to get a job at Cisco in Amsterdam, in their Accounts Receivable department, where one of my responsibilities was to manage credit risk. A few years later, we moved back from the Netherlands to Paris.
With Cisco, I held multiple roles over 15+ years, mostly in service operations, new product introduction and M&A integration. I had the opportunity to travel to Silicon Valley (San Jose) multiple times, and eventually sold them on the idea to relocate here, which we did in 2007.
Six years after relocating, I was laid off by Cisco, just three months after securing a green card for my entire family. Following this, I held several positions at different tech companies and even returned to Cisco as a consultant for two years. I then joined Slalom Consulting, where I have been working for almost six years as a Senior Consultant in the NorCal market. In this role, I support clients across various industries, including Tech, Healthcare, Lifesciences, and Public Sector, with program/project management, change management, and more, to help deliver strategic initiatives. Slalom is a great place to work.
Tell us about your faith journey. What were your fist encounters with the church in Sweden? How long have you served on board of the Lutheran church in Los Altos? How did you discover the Church of Sweden in SF?
Thinking back on my faith journey, a few memories come to mind.
My parents were Christians, but we did not go to church very often when I was a child. I have strong memories of my grandfather, who was very musical, playing the piano and singing hymns beautifully. He would sing at many church events in their town of Avesta. From my childhood and youth, I have fond memories of going to a Christian youth group with a fantastic leader.
After Confirmation, for many years, my faith was not very active. When we lived in Paris, our children went to a catholic school, and I realized then that I did not really feel at home in the catholic service. When we moved here, it felt natural to find a church to go to for holidays and for community. We started going to Los Altos Lutheran Church in 2009, and both of my children did their first communion and confirmation there. Living abroad far from family, the church community feels like family. Faith is a way to give you a sense of purpose, and to be there with you to focus on something bigger than yourself.
I have been part of the Los Altos Lutheran council for 2 mandates, but must admit, I enjoy serving as an Assisting Minister, Lector or Choir singer more than being part of the council.
When I started singing with Zaida Singers in 2009, I discovered the Church of Sweden and the beautiful location on Hyde street, and with the monthly services in Los Altos, the connection has become stronger. Thinking about it, I also went to Church of Sweden in Paris, where Axel participated in a children’s program, and his first Lucia.
Tell us about your children, your hobbies, and your thoughts on life.
After a few years as” empty nesters”, Axel recently graduated from college (Virginia Tech) and moved back home while looking for a job in Data Science.
Clara is in her senior year at UMAss Amherst, double majoring in Environmental Science and Dance. Before we know it, perhaps the house will be fully populated again! Nothing is more fun than having the whole family together. During their time in school here, I really enjoyed volunteering for group with activities they were involved in such as the boy scout sand girl scouts – I learned so much about their outdoor activities, and got to meet some great families.