Direct from the Exec | Quarter 2 | April 2026

Spring is in the air, and so is a fresh wave of energy across our work and community! We’re excited to kick off this season by celebrating a big milestone, a ribbon-cutting of our new office, facilitated by the Rochester Chamber of Commerce. Our new space is more than just a place to work. It is a hub for collaboration, connection, and the bold ideas that move our shared vision forward. Please stop by and visit us at Suite 130 in the United Way Building.

We’ve also just completed a fantastic Day on the Hill at the Minnesota State Capitol with our Education Partnership Coalition colleagues. We joined partners and champions to lift up our work and connect with policymakers. Thank you to Senator Carla Nelson, Senator Liz Boldon, and Representative Andy Smith for taking the time to meet with us and hear about the collective impact work we are doing from cradle to career! It was an inspiring day filled with meaningful conversations and a shared commitment to creating lasting, systems-level change.

In this issue, you’ll find updates from across our departments focusing on the ways we are transforming the way partners work together, a look ahead at upcoming events, and highlights of some of the incredible people and organizations who make this work possible in our We Are C2C spotlight. Thank you for being part of this journey. We’re excited to share what’s ahead!

In partnership,

Julie Ruzek
Executive Director

Celebrating our office ribbon-cutting with the community

Meeting with Senator Carla Nelson, Senator Liz Boldon, and Representative Andy Smith at EPC Day on the Hill