Meet the Team
Gabriel Martinez Cabrera
Executive Director/Lead Storyteller
Gabe joined C2C in August 2017. He has worked in under-served communities in New York, Boston, and San Francisco. Over the years, his work evolved into workforce development, where he was in charge of a federally funded program that helped young returning citizens find family sustaining employment. He brings to his work a belief that education is more than teaching; it is an act of building community.
Nina Pashkina
Senior Director, Data
Nina Pashkina is a Data Analyst who has worked for non-profit organizations and marketing agencies. She has an analytical background that helped her to successfully accomplish developing of databases for Coca-Cola, Unilever and Audubon Naturalist Society.
Nina holds a Bachelor of Science in social psychology, and is a cat-lover and a passion mushroom hunter from Russia.
Charles Diemert
Director, Development
After attending the University of Pittsburgh and achieving a Bachelors of Science in Computer Engineering and spending nearly 10 years in the banking industry as a systems administrator, corporate trainer, business analyst, and project manager, Charlie switched careers to Adult Education. From 2009 - 2022 Charlie worked for Orleans/Niagara BOCES in Western New York.
Since joining Classroom 2 Community in July 2022, Charlie has been focused on helping the agency grow locally to bring more educational services to more marginalized populations while positioning C2C as a nationally recognized provider of curriculum and training.
Ashley France-Howell
Assistant Director, HR & Data
Serving and giving back has been an integral part of Ashley’s life for as long as she could remember. After receiving her B.A. in Strategic Communications from Elon University, Ashley’s first look into adult education began at a small literacy council in North Carolina where she served as an AmeriCorps member for two years. While there, she worked with the workplace literacy program, where she helped students with GED prep. She taught ESL classes. Seeing the positive impact that she had on the students fueled her desire to keep giving back. After Ashley’s AmeriCorps service terms were up, she moved back to Maryland in search of the next opportunity. She found C2C, and has been here since February of 2017.
Ruth Seidenspinner
Assistant Director, Workforce Development & Training
Ruth began teaching ESL classes for Classroom 2 Community (then LCMC) in the fall of 2015. She has since taken leading roles in various projects and programs including the former tutoring program, conversation groups, ESL, computer skills and IT, Agile, curriculum development, workforce preparation, and C2C's new Career Accelerator Program. Supporting students to recognize new opportunities, gain new skills and ultimately achieve their goals is Ruth's foremost objective.
Ruth obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Master’s degree in Human Resources, and Graduate TESOL Certification. She is fascinated by human behavior, learning, culture, language and communication... and how all of these are intricately interwoven to affect how we connect with others to effect change in our worlds.
Jessica Swanson
Instructor
Jessica Swanson is a first-generation college graduate who earned her BA in International Political Economy & Diplomacy, graduating summa cum laude from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. With a concentration in East Asian Studies and a minor in Languages, Jessica was awarded an academic scholarship, which allowed her to study abroad in Brazil and South Korea. After living in Brazil as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor and competitor after college, she returned to the U.S. and began teaching English.
Jessica has experience working in nonprofits and teaching ESL both online and in the classroom. She has taught English to new immigrants and refugees in the South Loop of Chicago, helping them with language development and integration. In her spare time, Jessica enjoys volunteering to teach kids Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, spending time with her four dogs, and studying for her MBA.
Soraya Gonzalez Perez
Assistant Director of Retention and Engagement
Soraya grew up in central Florida and Puerto Rico, and relocated to. She keeps those communities close to her heart and has felt the affects of the work put in by people in her community that helped her thrive. She is passionate about helping others and finding ways to connect the gap and build community. Fluent in English and Spanish, Soraya has worked for companies such as Disney World, Morgan & Morgan, and The Student Loan Help Group. She leads with empathy at the forefront and values the diversity of experience she has been able to have. At home, she enjoys reading, playing with her two cats(Ember and Acorn), and exploring museums and galleries in the city.
Andrew Cox
Instructor
Nearly a lifetime ago, I worked as an archaeologist who traveled the world exploring the culture and remains of people throughout the world. After work in 35 counties, I felt a lack of connection to the people in the countries I was working in. I felt that a lack of communication between me and the people I was working with and working for was hurting my understanding and their understanding. I sincerely wished to make a world where everyone could communicate.
Feeling that I needed some way to assist me in this dream, I walked away from archaeology and headed to South Korea to teach and see if I could help both myself and students’ progress toward understand of each other. I was unsure about teaching at first, but after 1 year I decided that helping others to learn and develop their language and cultural skills was my life’s calling. 1 year turned into 15 years and I returned to the United States to improve my teaching and technology in teaching skill at the University of Southern California, where I not only helped students in the classroom but in helping other, foreign born, teachers to improve their English use in the classroom. Upon completion of my studies, I spent the last 6 years teaching to university, high school, and businesspersons in Beijing, China and Tengchong, China.
Now, having returned to the United States, I am discovering a new country that is not the country I left so many years ago. I have discovered a passion for helping other navigate the same new country that I am navigating. I wish to help others be able to navigate for themselves by giving them the language tools that they can use to navigate a country that is, in some ways, alien to the life we had before.
Toya Fabiyi
Toya began working as an instructor at C2C in August of 2022. She has worked in the field of education for over a decade and has had great success serving in a variety of teaching contexts across the U.S. and abroad. Although most of her professional career has been in and around the sphere of education, her experience and training has afforded her the opportunity to gain knowledge from other fields as a consultant, content developer, edupreneur, and project manager in a global product engineering company.
She holds a B.A in Psychology, Spanish Linguistics, and an M.A in Latin American Studies with a focus on Hispanic Linguistics.Toya is an avid traveler and has had the privilege of studying and teaching abroad. She believes her love for travel, languages, and cultural exchange helps her to live a life of understanding and compassion.In her downtime, she is feeding her life-long learner lifestyle and catching up on sleep.
Instructor
Fanny Fernandez
Fanny Fernandez began her role as an ESL instructor at C2C in 2024 and brings over 16 years of experience in teaching English to adult learners. She holds a Master’s degree in Education, a Postgraduate degree in TESOL, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from New Jersey City University, providing a well-rounded foundation in both language instruction and educational leadership.
Fanny has extensive experience teaching writing at Plymouth State University, where she has honed her skills in helping students improve their writing and communication abilities. Specializing in phonetics, writing, and pronunciation, she is passionate about helping students achieve proficiency in English and equipping them with the skills needed for real-world communication. Her teaching approach emphasizes practical language use, ensuring students feel confident in both personal and professional settings.
In addition to her classroom work, Fanny is an active member and facilitator of the New Hampshire National Writing Project, where she collaborates with educators from New Hampshire and the Dominican Republic to share innovative teaching strategies. This cross-cultural collaboration enriches her approach and enhances the professional development of educators on both sides. Her dedication to creating an inclusive and culturally rich learning environment helps students thrive in their language-learning journey.
Instructor
Nicole Francois
Nicole Francois is a dedicated para-educator at Montgomery Country Public Schools, where she empowers students and teachers to reach their
full potential. With a strong foundation in meteorology, Nicole holds a Bachelor’s degree in Atmospheric Science from the esteemed National
School of Meteorology in Toulouse, France. Her 15-year career as a Meteorologist in Haiti included providing expert weather forecasting services for air and maritime transport, as well as public leisure activities.
Since relocating to the United States in February 2021, she has leveraged her expertise to support education, driven by a passion to make a positive impact. Beyond her professional commitments, she leads online study groups and facilitates communication by interpreting for individuals with limited English proficiency, futher demonstrating her commitment to community support and empowerment.
Tech Support Assistant
Solal Mbangdadji
Solal Mbangdadji recently joined our Classroom 2 Community team as Part-Time Proctor & Tech Assistant. She has worked as a Sales Advisor at Air France company for almost eight years after earning a bachelor’s degree in Tourism. She is passionate about IT and helping people. She loves to travel and to listen to music.
Tech Support Assistant
Mahider Mulugeta
Mahider Mulugeta Habtemariam is a project management professional and dedicated advocate for gender equality and human rights. She holds a diverse academic background, including, a Master’s in Project Management, a Master’s in Social Work, and a Master’s in Human Rights along with a Law Degree.
Mahider has successfully led initiatives with government entities and international organizations, including the United Nations and USAID. Her work has focused on promoting gender equality, preventing and responding to violence against women and children, empowering vulnerable
population and advancing human rights, rule of law, democracy and good governance.
In addition to her professional achievements, Mahider has engaged in different volunteer activities including serving as a board member in a civil society organization and provided legal aid to underserved populations in Ethiopia. Passionate about social justice, she is driven by a commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of others.
Outside of her professional life, Mahider enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and
listening to music
Tech Support Assistant
John is an aspiring technology professional with a growing interest in cybersecurity. As an entrepreneur, he also has a passion for business and trading, That’s why, back home, he studied business management. John has been in the technology business for years and gained lots of hands-on experience along the way. Currently, he’s pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity technology at University of Maryland Global Campus. John is eager to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges. John is committed to continuously learning and staying updated on the latest trends in technology.
As a former ITF student at C2C (Classroom 2 Community), John is particularly passionate about computer troubleshooting, sharing his knowledge with others, and looks forward to gaining much more hands-on experience. And today as a Tech Support Assistant at Classroom 2 Community, giving back is a tribute to the blessings he’s been so fortunate to receive.
Outside of academics, John enjoys doing business, trading financial markets, watching movies and reading good books.