MIKE SCHMIDT Mike Schmidt has worked on education and workforce development issues in both the public and private sectors. He joined Ford Motor Company in July of 1996, and currently serves as the Director, Education, and Community Development for the Ford Motor Company Fund. In this capacity, Mike oversees Ford's major national partnerships with public K-12 education, -- including the Henry Ford Academy and the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS) – as well as the company's relationships with colleges and universities. Before coming to the Ford Fund, Mike worked on a number of educational initiatives for the company, including managing the design and launch of the Henry Ford Academy, serving as the chair of the National Employer Leadership Council, and working as a member of the joint UAW/Ford team that designed the UAW/Ford Family Service and Learning Center initiative.