Julie Lian McDonald is a dedicated community leader, entrepreneur, and proud alumna of Notre Dame Academy. After earning her B.S. from Syracuse University in 1993, she began her professional journey in sales with Tufts Health Plan and Fallon.
In 1999, Julie took a bold step and founded Millennium Benefits, an independent insurance brokerage, where she spent years building a successful business. Following the birth of her second child in 2002, Julie made the decision to step back from her career to focus on raising her family.
In 2012, Julie reentered the workforce part-time, initially working in community relations before joining an e-commerce startup. Her contributions played a pivotal role in the company’s rapid growth, culminating in their appearance on Shark Tank. After the company’s sale in 2017, Julie sought a deeper way to contribute to her community, and that’s when Juniper Outreach was born.
Inspired by her volunteer work in a first-grade classroom at Elm Park School, where she witnessed students leaving for weekends and vacations without enough food, Julie founded Juniper Outreach with the mission of providing essential food resources to children in need. What began as a simple idea has now blossomed into a network of school-based food pantries across Worcester, directly supporting students facing food insecurity.
Julie currently serves as Executive Director of Juniper Outreach, and resides in Paxton, Massachusetts with her husband Todd and their three sons—Nicholas, Matthew, and Curtis. A proud graduate of Notre Dame Academy, she shares this legacy with her mother, Arlene ’60, and her sister, Libby ’87. Julie’s commitment to both her family and her community exemplifies her passion for making a lasting impact.
SOCIETY OF THE ARTS
Rachele Perla'14
Rachele Perla, originally from West Boylston, Massachusetts, graduated from Notre Dame Academy in 2014. She graduated cum laude from Fordham University with a BFA in Dance from The Ailey School in May 2019 after taking a gap year to dance at Boston Ballet.
Rachele received her earlier training at The Hanover Conservatory in Worcester, MA. She has trained internationally in ballet, contemporary ballet, modern, and improvisation techniques. Rachele is in her eighth season a soloist with New Chamber Ballet, under the direction of
Miro Magloire, and has performed internationally with the company. She trained closely with master teacher, Wilhelm Burmann, and performed works by notable choreographers including Alvin Ailey, Margo Sappington, Levi Marsman, George Balanchine, Earl Mosley, Amy
Hall Garner, William Forsythe, and many more. She has been featured on shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime.
In addition to pursuing her dance career, Rachele has always had a passion for working with children in both artistic and academic settings and is working to complete her Masters of Education in Childhood/Special Education in Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education. She has taught ballet, modern, choreography, and workshops at dance schools in the greater New York City area and beyond, including Breaking Ground Dance Center, Cobble Hill Ballet, Mark Morris Dance Center, Long Island City School of Ballet, and The Hanover Conservatory.
Rachele is so grateful for Notre Dame Academy’s encouragement and support to pursue her art while in school and after graduating. She is honored to be inducted into NDA’s Society of
the Arts, following in her mom’s footsteps, Michele Italiano, who was honored in 2014!
Elizabeth Labovitz'16
Elizabeth Labovitz, a 2016 graduate of Notre Dame Academy, is a passionate artist and performer dedicated to both her craft and the community. With a deep love for the arts, Elizabeth has cultivated a diverse range of skills in dance, performance, and creative expression.
Elizabeth began her dance training at the age of five at Paula Meola Dance and Performing Arts. She furthered her education through summer intensives with Cincinnati Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. In May 2020, she graduated cum laude from Butler University’s Jordan College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Pedagogy and a minor in English.
Following graduation, Elizabeth relocated to Columbus, OH, to join BalletMet’s trainee program, where she performed in productions such as The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, and George Balanchine's Western Symphony. She also danced in company roles in The Nutcracker, Giselle, and Cinderella. Elizabeth spent a season with Ballet RI, where she worked with renowned artists like Yury Yanowsky and Chanel DaSilva, with a standout moment being her performance in Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco.
In 2023, Elizabeth joined Terminus, where she has performed in multiple works and world premieres by choreographers such as Jennifer Archibald, Nadine Barton, James Kudelka, Shane Urton, and Terminus’ own Tara Lee and Rachel Van Buskirk. Elizabeth also serves on faculty at Terminus Ballet School and was recently appointed Rehearsal Director for the Student Company.
Outside of performance, Elizabeth is passionate about teaching and choreographing. She has taught at various professional company academies and ballet and competition schools nationwide. Her choreography has earned numerous awards at regional and national youth dance competitions. One of her pieces, When You Whisper My Name, created for her home studio, was invited to perform at the 2019 Boston Contemporary Dance Festival. Elizabeth continues to inspire and mentor the next generation of dancers both on and off the stage.
Throughout her career, Elizabeth has remained committed to both her personal artistic growth and to uplifting others through her work. She is passionate about teaching and inspiring the next generation of artists, sharing her skills, knowledge, and creativity with young dancers and artists in the community.
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
Mackenzie Granger Abraham '05
Mackenzie (Granger) Abraham graduated from Notre Dame Academy in 2005. She continued her education at the University of New Hampshire, playing field hockey while earning her undergraduate degree in Health Management and Policy in 2009. Subsequently, she achieved her second baccalaureate degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in nursing in 2011.
After graduating, Mackenzie entered the nursing field through the new graduate nursing program at UMass Medical Center. Initially starting on a cardiovascular acute care floor, she later advanced to the surgical intensive care unit for almost a decade.
Today, Mackenzie continues her career in the post anesthesia care unit at UMass. During her time at Notre Dame Academy, Mackenzie was a three sport athlete in field hockey, alpine ski, and tennis, winning a total of five state championships in her career. She competed all four years as an individual for alpine ski state championships. Mackenzie was a captain of all three sports. She received NDA’s Outstanding Athlete Award in 2005. Along with her teammates for the tennis team, Mackenzie was inducted into NDA’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. She is honored to be inducted this spring as an individual athlete. She considers Notre Dame Academy to be a place that not only gave her an education in the classroom but also in life.
Mackenzie resides in Princeton with her husband Matt and their three children, Jackson and twins William and Riley all who love being active in sports. She continues to remain active in tennis and skiing.
Maryann Horton Luongo '93
Maryann Horton Luongo '93 is an accomplished legal professional and dedicated community leader. She graduated from Notre Dame Academy in 1993, where she distinguished herself as a standout three-sport athlete, excelling in field hockey, basketball, and tennis.
Maryann went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in 1997 and her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Boston College Law School in 2003. Her academic background, combined with her strong leadership skills, has made her a respected figure in the legal field.
A passionate supporter of NDA, Maryann played a pivotal role in the school's 425b Campaign- which transformed the Gage House into the World Language & Communication Center. She successfully helped raise $1.7 million for the renovation, completed in September 2014. This renovation was part of a larger capital campaign aimed at enhancing NDA's facilities to better serve its students and enrich the educational experience. In recognition of her outstanding contributions and unwavering commitment to advancing NDA's mission, Maryann was honored in 2014 with the St. Julie Award.
Currently, Maryann works at Alston & Bird, applying her legal expertise in various practice areas. She resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband and three children, and continues to make meaningful contributions both professionally and within her community. Maryann’s deep connection to NDA is further enriched by the fact that her mother Jean Egan Horton '65, aunts, Mary Egan Aleksiwicz '63, and Rachel Kenary Egan '77, and sisters Margaret Horton Apgar '94, and Patricia Horton '99 are also all proud graduates of the school.
2015 & 2016 Golf Teams
Notre Dame Academy (NDA) 2015 and 2016 Golf Teams
The 2015 and 2016 Notre Dame Academy (NDA) Golf Teams were a dominant force in Central Massachusetts, establishing themselves as one of the top teams in the region from start to finish. Their journey to success began in 2014, when they finished a strong second in the state championship, losing by just twelve strokes to the NDA Hingham team—an opponent that had won twelve of the last fourteen state titles. That 2014 team, led by seniors Lindsay Sullivan, Emily Helenius, Hannah Dowd, and Hillary Murray, set the stage for what would be an extraordinary series of seasons.
In 2015, NDA Worcester claimed the state title by a narrow single stroke victory over NDA Hingham, finishing the season undefeated with a perfect 16-0 record. The team also won the district tournament, with Lauren Fantaroni, a junior, taking the district individual title by shooting a 79 at Holden Hills. In 2015, Lauren was also named the Central Massachusetts Player of the Year.
Coached by Dennis Streeter and assisted by Tom Coburn, Shawn Cooksey, and Jaron Valukis, 2016 was perhaps the most impressive yet. With a strong core of players, including Lauren Fantaroni '16 and Annie Spellane '17, Ashley Coburn '17 , and Madison Streeter '17, the team dominated both the district and state tournaments. In the district tournament, the team won by an incredible thirty-seven strokes, and in the state tournament, they emerged victorious by thirty-five strokes—solidifying their place as one of the most powerful teams in the region.
Adding depth to the team was the fifth player, Molly Cloutier, while several talented players rotated in and out of the sixth position, including Martha McDonald, Morgan Pierce, Annabelle Smith, Faith Duquette, Gabby Minet, and Natalie Tewksbury. The team's exceptional performance was reflected in the accolades they earned, with Lauren Fantaroni, Annie Spellane, Ashley Coburn, and Madison Streeter all being named to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette Super Team—four out of the eight athletes selected for this prestigious honor.
The 2015 and 2016 NDA Golf Teams are remembered for their remarkable talent, teamwork, and dominance. The 2016 team stands as one of the most successful and accomplished teams in the school's athletic history setting a high bar for future golfers at the Academy, and laying the foundation for continued success in years to come.
