Staff
Geoffrey Baum
Geoffrey Baum
Geoffrey Baum is a nonprofit and communications leader dedicated to fostering global understanding through dialogue, education, and civic engagement. He has held senior leadership roles with C-SPAN, the Michelson Medical Research Foundation, USC, the Milken Institute, and the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands. A longtime advocate for public higher education, he served as president of the California Community Colleges Board of Governors and as a trustee of Pasadena City College. He is also co-founder of Linda Vista Communications and a Senior Policy Fellow at USC Annenberg’s Center on Communication Leadership and Policy.
Alexander Messmann
Alexander Messmann
Alexander Messmann has been with the Los Angeles World Affairs Council since 1987. He studied at universities in Germany and the United States and obtained a graduate degree in Public Administration from the University of Konstanz. Before starting his tenure at the Council, he had worked at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York and as a research assistant at the University of Konstanz.
Krista Seitz
Krista Seitz
Krista Seitz is the Programs Manager for the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. Before joining LAWAC, Krista was the Programs Manager for the World Affairs Council of Orange County coordinating over 30 in-person programs, 5 webinars, and a sold-out Gala. She earned her Master of Arts in Diplomacy from the University of Nottingham, where she also played for the women's football (soccer) & futsal team. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from San Francisco State University and studied abroad at Cardiff University in Wales her junior year. Her academic journey included active participation in Model European Union and Model United Nations conferences. Krista still plays on an adult women's soccer league three times a week, loves to read, and spends her weekends disc golfing with her partner. She has traveled to 12 countries and hopes to explore more.
Victoire Auguste-Dormeuil
Victoire Auguste-Dormeuil
Victoire Auguste-Dormeuil is the Director of Membership and Advancement for the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. She brings two decades of transatlantic business expertise, having graduated from the prestigious Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris and holding a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Victoire began her career in London's high-stakes world of mergers and acquisitions with Smith Barney, later acquired by Morgan Stanley. Her career then took a creative detour into the entertainment industry, working for MTV (Paramount Media Networks) and Fashion TV, and eventually launching her own music production companies in Paris. In 2002, she transitioned to Southern California, returning to her financial roots. She served as a financial advisor for industry giants UBS Wealth Management and Merrill Lynch, later moving into business operations management in the manufacturing sector. More recently, she founded Auguste-Dormeuil & Associates Inc., a consulting firm specializing in providing foreign businesses with comprehensive, end-to-end solutions for U.S. market entry and expansion. In recognition of her efforts in fostering connections among entrepreneurs and bridging relationships with public entities, Victoire was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce as a member of the District Export Council of Southern California (DECSC) in 2024. Fluent in French, English, and Russian, she is a global citizen and an intrepid traveler, having visited over 50 countries. Her passions extend to economy and philosophy, hiking, ocean kayaking, and the appreciation of fine wines.
Brianna Rieux
Brianna Rieux
Brianna Rieux is the Communications Manager for the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. As Communications Manager, Brianna will ensure members are informed about upcoming events and create digital content to share on our website and social platforms. Her previous experience includes social media and event management at a nonprofit organization in Fresno, California. Brianna holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Science in Journalism from the University of Southern California.