We are C2C: Community Highlights | Quarter 2 | April 2026
Mike Schnell
Role within C2C:
I currently serve on C2C’s Data and Research Subcommittee. I am also Southeast Minnesota's Regional Data Coach for Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System (SLEDS) and Early Childhood Longitudinal Data System (ECLDS). That means I work with schools and partners across the region to help them access and make sense of longitudinal education data, from early childhood through post-secondary and into the workforce. The goal is simple: use the data to make better decisions for students.
Professional or organizational affiliation outside of C2C:
I work for Southeast Service Cooperative (SSC) as a Career-Connected Learning Specialist. In that role, I help schools around the region with their career and technical education (CTE) and workforce needs, and I connect those goals to real student outcomes using hard data from SLEDS. I also serve as the Statewide FutureForward™ Lead for the Minnesota Service Cooperatives.
What have you learned from your time with C2C?
The work matters most when education and the workforce are connected. Data without relationships stays on the dashboard. Relationships without data miss the full picture. Lasting change takes both, and that is what C2C does. Change doesn't happen immediately. This work takes partners who show up and keep showing up for the long term.
What are your hopes for C2C’s work?
I want every student in Southeast Minnesota to see a path, from their earliest years through a career that works for both them and the region. The data we track through SLEDS and ECLDS tells an important part of that story. My hope is that the opportunities available to students here are limited only by their ambition, not their zip code.
Ahmad Al Sabbagh
Role within C2C:
I am a student volunteer.
Professional or organizational affiliation outside of C2C:
Student at the University of Minnesota Rochester.
What have you learned from your time with C2C?
I’ve learned that providing a service is only half the battle; the real impact comes from helping individuals navigate the complex social and administrative systems.
What are your hopes for C2C’s work?
I hope to see C2C evolve into a permanent, self-sustaining pillar of the Rochester community, where the bridge between institutional resources and individual needs is seamless. I hope we can scale our successful models to reach underserved populations who may still be under the radar, ensuring that no one in the region feels they have to navigate their challenges alone.
Dawn Lubahn
Role within C2C:
I serve on the High School Graduation Network and help coordinate the work with FAFSA completion and work-based learning.
Professional or organizational affiliation outside of C2C:
Rochester Public Schools, Career & Technical Education Instructional Facilitator.
What have you learned from your time with C2C?
I was around Rochester when C2C was formed, and it is incredibly rewarding to see how the organization has evolved over the past few years.
What are your hopes for the work of C2C?
Rochester is an incredible community with a strong commitment to youth. I hope that C2C is able to continue serving as a convener and connector between the schools and all of the organizations that support youth when they are out of school.