Raya Piña » Raya Piña

Raya Piña

Ms. Piña joined Meridian in 2022 as the French teacher for our middle school students. She brings a unique appreciation for cultures that is embedded in her story. Ms Piña was born and raised in Paris, France by an American mother and a Tunisian father. She moved to Italy during high school, where she graduated with an IB diploma from the International School of Florence. As a former IB student, she asserts that the rigorous program empowered her to reach her academic potential and she is honored to be part of a school that fosters an IB education. The world is vast and there is endless knowledge to gain from it, and from one another. She believes that the IB program acknowledges this and prepares children for the real world of tomorrow.

Ms. Piña earned a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and Film Studies from Kingston University in London, England. Following her undergraduate studies, she returned to Paris, France and obtained a Master’s degree in Film from Université Paris 8, St Denis. She was a videographer for a few years before discovering her passion in education. Ms Piña received her teaching certification in Texas. She began her teaching career as a preschool teacher in a French immersion school, transitioned into a position as a high school French teacher, until she joined Meridian.

Ms. Piña nurtures her passion for cultures and linguistics beyond the classroom. At home, Ms Piña and her husband, who was born and raised in Mexico, raise their two children in a French and Spanish immersion household. She believes that language serves as a critical bridge that teaches our students to communicate and, in turn, navigate today’s ever more globalized world.