2024 Rebel with a Cause Honorees

Learn more about our 2024 Honorees!

Knollwood Awards

Barbara A. Kirklauskas '60

While a student at Notre Dame Barbara was active in Glee Club, Sodality and shared the honor of Class President with one other classmate during their Junior and Senior years.  

Upon graduating from NDA Barbara chose to attend Worcester State College now known as Worcester State University where she was awarded both a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and Master of Education.  Barbara took a sabbatical year from teaching from 1989 – 1990 to attending Harvard University where she earned a Certificate of Advanced Study in Administration, Planning and Social Policy. 

As a result of Barbara’s love of education she spent 21 years as a teacher of Mathematics at both the Junior and Senior High School level and served as a 9th grade advisor.  She also held the position of Department Head of the Math Department at the High School level along with Yearbook Advisor. Those years were followed by an additional 17 years as an Assistant Principal at South High Community School and Burncoat High School.  Barbara also held interim positions as Principal and City wide Math coordinator.

Before marrying in 1980, and continuing afterward, Barbara had a strong desire to travel. Together with her husband, they journeyed extensively across various regions, including the United States, Europe, Japan, China, and the Middle East. During their time in the Middle East, her husband worked as a Bentley University Professor in Bahrain.

After retiring, Barbara increased her involvement with Notre Dame Academy by backing initiatives such as the Kirklauskas Scholars and the  InHer Circle Speaker Series.  She also supports Worcester State University's Scholarship Programs and the development of their Spiritual Center. Additionally, Barbara became active in church groups and joined the Milford Senior Center, where she pursued her passion for knitting and crocheting projects, donating them to various organizations.

Erin (McGuirk) Dobson '88

Erin (McGuirk) Dobson graduated from Notre Dame Academy in 1988. She continued her education at Merrimack College, earning her undergraduate degree in 1992. Subsequently, she obtained a Master’s degree in School Leadership and Educational Administration from Worcester State College in 2000, followed by her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University in 2014.

Over the past three decades, Erin has dedicated her career to Worcester Public Schools. Initially, she worked as a classroom teacher and assistant principal. For the past 13 years, she has served as the principal of Tatnuck Magnet School. Additionally, Erin works as an Adjunct Professor at Worcester State University, contributing to the education of future leaders in the field.

Throughout her professional journey, Erin's contributions to the Worcester community have been recognized. She has been honored twice with the Worcester Public School’s Thomas Jefferson Award. In 2015, she was among the recipients of the Richard Greene Founders Award, acknowledging her collaboration as part of the One City, One Library initiative.

Erin was inducted into Notre Dame’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. She continues to connect with the school community by running the basketball clock at each home game for the last 31 seasons. Erin serves on the board of Joe Schwartz Little League as Treasurer of the organization. 

Erin resides in Worcester with her husband Eric and son Teddy.  She is proud to be receiving the Knollwood Award alongside her sister, Kerry (McGuirk) Wall ‘94. She considers Notre Dame Academy part of her large extended family.

Kathryn Tsandikos '76

Kathryn Tsandikos, an alumna of Notre Dame Academy '76, and Boston College '80 is a woman of community service and entrepreneurial spirit.

She is the proud and devoted mother to Alexis and Solon Kelleher and cherished grandmother to Alexis' two boys, Reed and AJ, 4 and 2 respectively.  She is married to Harry Kokkinis.

Kathryn's impact extends beyond her family as she carries on that dedication and caring to her valued employees at Coney Island, many of whom have worked there for years. She takes great pride in mentoring her staff and creating a caring and friendly environment for both employees and customers alike. In 2016 She was selected as One of Worcester's Leading Ladies by Worcester Magazine.

Kathryn attends St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Cathedral, where she has been a member of the choir for numerous years.  She also sits on the board of Hellenic Arts Society and is a past corporator for the Ecotarium and also Greater Worcester Community Foundation.  

Kathryn has followed a love of spirituality and community service instilled in her by her parents, Joana and Father Solon Tsandikos.  

Most recently she took up a new role as author, publishing  "2 Up and a Bag of Chips", a story of Worcester through the lens of her family business.

For four decades,  Kathryn has worked at George's Coney Island, evolving it into a multi-faceted enterprise with a concession stand at Polar Park in 2021 and a food truck in 2023.

Kathryn is grateful to be honored by her alma mater, to which she credits fostering a commitment to community whose seed was planted by Love in Action.

The Lauring Family

The Lauring family's bond with Notre Dame Academy (NDA) spans over half a century, embodying a legacy deeply rooted in dedication and service. Across three generations, the Laurings have played pivotal roles within the NDA community, leaving an indelible mark on its history and ethos. From Raymond Lauring to John Lauring, Maryanne Lauring Seibold '79, David Seibold, and Michael Lauring, the family's lineage has graced the board of trustees, offering wisdom and guidance to shape NDA's trajectory. Their collective wisdom has been instrumental in steering the institution towards excellence.

The Laurings have enjoyed the privilege of collaborating with five consecutive principals, lending their expertise and unwavering support to uphold NDA's mission. Through their commitment to service, they have cultivated a culture of resilience and empowerment within the school's halls. Moreover, the Lauring legacy extends beyond governance, with eight remarkable women graduating from NDA under their guidance. Liz Lauring stands as a beacon of volunteerism, dedicating over a decade to enriching the school community through her selfless contributions.

As long-time advocates of NDA's values, the Lauring family remains steadfast in their commitment to nurturing young women's holistic development. They champion NDA's mission to educate and empower individuals on cognitive, spiritual, and personal fronts within a Catholic framework. With unwavering pride, the Lauring family continues to support NDA's transformative journey, ensuring that future generations of women emerge as compassionate, intelligent, and empowered leaders. Their enduring legacy exemplifies the profound impact of familial dedication and collective vision in shaping a brighter future for all.

Society of the Arts

Elizabeth Kit Lore ’79                                                      *Deceased 

After graduating from Notre Dame Academy, Elizabeth attended Carnegie Mellon University and obtained degrees in both Mechanical Engineering and French and Francophone Studies. She was multilingual and studied at the Ecole Polytechnique Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland.

She had an extensive career in engineering and business operations in Europe rising to executive board leadership positions, including at the David Brown Group, where she was responsible for worldwide marketing and corporate business development strategy for mobile equipment drives. She later built her own successful company, Marketing Analytics Ltd, based in the United Kingdom. 

Simultaneously, while building her corporate client portfolio, she obtained a postgraduate degree in marketing and digital marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. 

Despite being an exceptional business leader, Liz wanted to delve more into her creative interests, so she left the corporate world behind to start an exciting journey to explore the art world. She challenged her growing understanding of painting and subject matter by completing a Fine Arts degree from the Arts University in Bournemouth England. Liz thrived in the realms of artistic expression and went on to become an accomplished Fine Artist working in paint, printmaking, and photography. While in Europe, she exhibited in shows in Budapest, Hungary as well as in Salisbury, Bournemouth, and London, UK.

While painting, she continued to pursue her love of linguistics by completing a degree in French Literature and Linguistics at the Université Sainte-Anne in Nova Scotia, Canada.

She also exhibited in Nova Scotia in Galerie Trécarré in Church Point, Annapolis Royal, Bear River, and Sandy Cove.
Liz was a past board member of the Annapolis Region Community Arts Council and a member of Les Arts de la Baie and Visual Arts Nova Scotia. To create an ever-changing natural canvas for her artistic eye to capture, she became an avid gardener. She designed beautiful seasonal gardens and knew the Latin nomenclature of plants, trees, and flowers. 

Liz passed away on September 18, 2022, after a courageous yearlong fight against Stage IV Cancer. She was truly a remarkable leader, fearless in her pursuit of experiencing the world around her, understanding what is truly important in life, and sharing alternate cultural perspectives. 

The Flagg Family