An Assuring Presence in Accounts: Cindy Olbrych Receives the 2025 Trustees Award
May 27, 2025
Given the behind-the-scenes nature of her work at Wheeler, you might not recognize Cindy Olbrych from her picture, but you’ll certainly know it when you hear from her. Wheeler’s accounts receivable and student accounts manager is likely to engage with every family during their time at school, and no matter why she’s reaching out, she makes sure to approach each interaction with openness and empathy. She aims to make every conversation, even the hard ones, warm and supportive. “When I work with families, I’m doing all the billing, and sometimes I need to help parents through times that can be difficult,” she says. “At those moments I’m there to answer their questions and provide guidance and assurance. I want them to know that we’re going to work this out and get through it together.
“That’s the part of my job that I enjoy the most, because I want to help our families. I know independent school tuition can be hard for a lot of people. Some families have to make great sacrifices to be here. So it’s important that we can work with them to stay here and leave it affordable. That doesn’t always happen, but we do our best. If it can’t happen, I’m not hard nosed. That’s not who we are at Wheeler. Instead, I want to be there for them, to let them know that everything will be fine.”
The families she talks with certainly appreciate her sensitivity and support, as do her colleagues, like Director of Enrollment Anna Curtis P’36, P’38. “Cindy has always been a supportive and reliable voice for families,” Ms. Curtis says. “In the Enrollment Office, we always feel great when a family has a question about the billing side of things, as we know Cindy will work with them with intention and care. She is so easy to work with and is a great communicator and teammate.”
“Cindy is one of the most reliable, conscientious, and assured people that I have ever had the pleasure to work with,” adds Jill Feingold, the administrative assistant for Finance and Operations. “She is also warm and caring, and her laugh is infectious. She is a bona fide team player, and I couldn’t be more happy for her to receive this special recognition.”
That recognition is the Trustees Award, which is bestowed annually upon someone who has given an extraordinary amount of themselves to Wheeler. Ms. Olbrych was given the award, in a special and surprising moment, at a recent meeting of the Board of Trustees.
“It is an honor,” she says of being this year’s recipient. “What it means to me is that the community here rallies behind everybody, no matter your position.”
Ms. Olbrych has held a few different positions since joining Wheeler 44 years ago. Earlier in her career, she kept the books for a jewelry manufacturer, but when the business closed, she applied and was hired for a job in Wheeler’s bookstore. She’d also assist in the Head of School’s Office and Business Office, and when a longtime employee in the Business Office retired, she took over their position – “and the rest is history,” she says.
As she reflects on her four decades of Wheeler since then, what stands out most? “The community, and the lifelong friendships I’ve made,” Ms. Olbrych says. “People that have moved on, I may run into them outside of school and it’s like, ‘Hey, it’s great to see you!’ And it really is. It’s those connections with everyone, including parents who I run into after their children graduate. We hug each other, and it’s really nice. That’s something that will stay with me forever – the friendships, and we all continue to work together.”
When it comes to working together, Ms. Olbrych says she has incredible admiration and gratitude for her colleagues in the Business Office. “We’re kind of secluded in our building because it’s across the street in Providence from the school itself, but it’s OK because we’re friends over here. When we’re working, we all have separate duties, but we help each other, when needed, as best we can. We work hard, but we laugh a lot, too. We’re a team, there’s no doubt about that.
“If it wasn’t for my coworkers, I would have never been able to receive the Trustees Award,” Ms. Olbrych notes. “I still can’t get over it. It’s our working together that led to me being acknowledged in this way. They’re the biggest reason why.”
