Staff Directory

Mrs. Peña-Racli is an Italian teacher at Immaculate Heart Academy. She received her Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana from the Università per Stranieri di Siena, and her Italian art history and language diplomas from the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di New York, Scuola Leonardo Da Vinci and Scuola Romit in Rome. She lived in Rome in 2024 and was recently sworn in as an Italian citizen.

Mrs. Peña-Racli has been teaching world languages for over 20 years. She received her French language diplomas from the Alliance Française and Institut Linguistique Adenet in Montpellier, France, as well as her Spanish superior proficiency certificate from Language Testing International.

Some of her past roles have included teaching English as a second language at a Jesuit School in Mexico and teaching Spanish at New York City and NJ independent schools. She has been a yearbook editor, middle school advisor, and Italian club moderator. She was also a catechist in Mexico, under the Legionaries of Christ and at her local parish. 

Previously, Mrs. Peña-Racli worked on bilingual outreach in lower Manhattan as director of community affairs for a New York State senator. She completed a fellowship at a Human Rights NGO affiliated with the United Nations (UN) and at Mexico’s Mission to the UN, working on human rights and legal affairs. She was a part of Amnesty International’s Women’s Human Rights Action Team in New York City and the northeast chapter of the U.S.–Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

She received her law degree from IEST Anàhuac University, is licensed to practice law in Mexico, and has a Certificate in Global Affairs from New York University. Mrs. Peña-Racli graduated from an all-girls high school (The Hockaday School) in Dallas, Texas, and being at IHA has brought back great memories for her!