ADMISSIONS & FAMILY SERVICES
1 (800) 609-9496

"There is nothing noble in being better than someone else; nobility comes in being better than your former self.”   –Whitney Young

Dr. Heather Tracy, Ed.M., EdD. 
​Executive Director, Admissions Director & Co-Founder

Dr. Heather Tracy is the co-founder and Executive Director of both New Summit Academy and The Bridge - Costa Rica young adult gap program. Heather earned an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in psychology and French at Saint Louis University where she was 1 of 10 Freshmen to earn the highest honor of a full-ride, four-year scholarship as a Presidential Scholar. She then continued her studies at Harvard Graduate School of Education, earning a Masters degree of Education in Human Development & Psychology with coursework and research focusing on adolescents at-risk and school reform. In 2014, Heather completed her Doctorate of Education in K-12 Leadership with a dissertation about the importance of holistic education (specifically, the social, psychological, physical, and emotional foundations of learning and growth) for at-risk adolescents to build resilience and learn and live more effectively.

See Heather's Full Bio on Director's Page.

Lena Rodriguez, LCP, MA (in progress) 
​Admissions Counselor

​Lena was born and raised in San José, Costa Rica, where she attended an American bilingual school. She earned her Bachelors Degree at UNIBE with specialized training in CBT. As a licensed therapist, she has spent the last several years working in private practice and in hospital environments. Lena has also helped nonprofit organizations to create workshops for adolescents at risk, including healthy communication skills and behavioral and cognitive coping skills that help kids avoid school drop out.

Completing her Masters degree in Health Psychology and Clincial Psychology at Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) in 2016 will be a highlight of her training to become an integrated therapist. 
Her approach encompasses prevention and promotion of health, the use of different psychological perspectives, the use of alternative tools, and a focus on integration of self. Her goal is to be a positive influence on others and promote the understanding of the importance of unifying body, mind and spirit to achieve a better quality of life. ​
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In her free time, Lena enjoys nature, animals and everything related to a healthy lifestyle. Always very active, she enjoys training in new sports; from activities like surfing, yoga or boxing, she finds new ways to approach life the best way she can. With friends and family around the globe, she also loves to travel.

​Tatiana Umana, Lic. Nurse
Medical Coordinator & Nurse

Tatiana Umana has been NSA’s amazing nurse and medical coordinator since 2009. Tatiana completed her licensure as a nurse in Costa Rica and has been keeping tabs on our young men’s health issues ever since. She prepares and supervises medication, sets up and accompanies students to doctor appointments, and implements general health protocols at NSA. 

Her attention to detail and organizational skills are second to none, and parents truly appreciate her proactive communication regarding health issues. From dental appointments to surgeries, one can be sure that Tatiana is on top of everything necessary to ensure good medical care and great family communication. 
In her free time, Tatiana enjoys participating in NSA’s Aventura program–saving turtles and climbing the beautiful peaks of Peru, good music, travel, and spending time with family and friends. Her cats appreciate her inability to say “no” when they need a loving home and good food. ​

​Diana Rojas,
​Student Services Administrator

Diana is a Certified Nurse/HHA and Clinical/Administrative Medical Assistant. She is bilingual with a TESOL Certification to Teach English as a Second Language. Diana is originally from Costa Rica but spent half of her life in California where she finished her education. Before working for NSA, Diana worked in Hospitality and Marketing where she gained her administrative and interpersonal skills. She is currently working on finishing her career in Nursing with emphasis in psychology.

​In her free time, Diana enjoys arts and crafts and also teaches Salsa – Latin dances and Crochet classes. Diana has a great passion for art, dance, music, and loves spending time with her husband, Cesar, and her dogs, “Chispa” & “Doc”. Diana is very passionate about animal rights and a loyal member of Preserve the Planet Foundation, “El Zaguate” and Fundacion “Amigo Animal” Costa Rica.

​Lucy McDonald,
​Billing Manager

Lucy is a key part of our administrative team. Outside of taking care of two young boys and her family, she finds time to help NSA keep things running smoothly. She manages billing coordination and is always organized and available for questions in accounting. We are thankful to have her as a part of the NSA team!