I wish more people knew that CCHE supports and encourages members of our community to teach at our facility. If you are an expert in a field or have a passion to share, we can help create a class or workshop for you to lead.
Karen Blackburn, Executive DirectorI wish more people knew about the program scholarships. No one should let finances be a barrier in attending workshops and events at CCHE.
Kelsey Rogers Kennedy, Program DirectorDoing the research for going back to school can be difficult and time-consuming – that’s why the Student Services Specialist position exists. I wish the community knew that and took advantage of this FREE resource!
Lenna Stever-Sobanja, Student Support SpecialistI wish that more people knew that CCHE applies for funding and requests donations to help provide college scholarships to those that want to stay and learn in our community. Each year we give out over $40,000 in college scholarships!
Adrea Beres, Administrative Assistant
Karen Blackburn (she/her/hers)
Executive Director
The Executive Director’s role runs the gamut from changing lightbulbs to testifying at the Minnesota State Legislature. As Karen sees it, her job is to keep the organization running smoothly: secure funding, lead the fantastic staff, make the hard decisions, maintain the campus, manage the financials and interact with the Board of Directors. Karen has worked for CCHE since 2017.
Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm
Kelsey Rogers Kennedy (she/her/hers)
Associate Director – Program Director
CCHS Graduate
Kelsey works with businesses and the community to help assess programming needs and wants, then develops events, workshops, and classes based on those requests. She continually looks for ways CCHE can offer you the education you want where you live! Kelsey has worked for CCHE since 2012.
Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 9 am – 5 pm
Lenna Stever-Sobanja (she/her/hers)
Student Services Manager
CCHS Graduate
Lenna focuses on making school accessible. This means something different to everyone, but it can include FAFSA assistance, researching online courses or programs, choosing a major, editing essays, paying back student loans, and more. Whatever challenge you are facing as a student or potential student, she is here to assist you. Lenna has worked for CCHE since 2019.
Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 8 am – 3:30 pm, and by appointment
Adrea Beres (she/her/hers)
Office & Website Administrator
Adrea manages event registration, provides administrative support for events, and manages the website. She has worked at CCHE since 2019.
Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 8 am – 4:30 pm
