.png?sfvrsn=d0ceb197_1 "Ludwinski")
The Will J. Hancock Unsung Hero Award is given to business officers who have made extraordinary contributions to their schools and exemplify exceptional integrity, knowledge and motivation. At the end of each school year, new Unsung Heroes receive their award from their head of school, often at a significant school occasion such as a board meeting or an all-school ceremony. What makes these Unsung Heroes so special? The highlights below come straight from their colleagues' nominations.
Stay tuned throughout the summer for additional profiles. See the full list of 2026 recipients.
Title: Director of Finance and Administration
School: Miriam School and Learning Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Years at School: 10
Superpower: Growth Catalyst. Cyndi Ludwinski has helped grow Miriam School and Learning Center, a K–12 school for students with specific learning disabilities, over the past decade. When she started, it was a private after-school and Saturday program. Today the organization serves more than 1,400 children each year across 100 ZIP codes. The Learning Center, focused on one-to-one student support, teacher training and consultation, has doubled in size for four consecutive years during her tenure. Throughout this period of growth, Ludwinski has maintained a strong attention to detail, consistently earning high marks on audits conducted during her tenure.
Systems Builder: Identifying a gap in available billing solutions for the outreach program, Ludwinski designed and implemented a customized billing system. She also assisted in managing a complex PRN framework for part-time employees and contributed to the development of a tiered pricing structure for families.
It is impossible to imagine Miriam's success without Cyndi's talent, heart and expertise.
Service-Oriented: “Not only is she gifted with numbers, but she is also very competent at the ‘peopling’ side of her job,” said Head of School Meg Bamford. “Our parents may sometimes have learning differences, and they may require extra TLC as they navigate the tuition management system or apply for financial aid. Even though it isn’t part of her job description, [Ludwinski] will take the time to help parents get what they need.”
Many Hats: Ludwinski is not only the CFO of Miriam but also oversees HR, facilities and IT. “At times, she was the only staff member,” added Bamford. “It is impossible to imagine Miriam's success without Cyndi's talent, heart and expertise.”
