In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with Cheryl Carrier, Executive Director of Ford Next Generation Learning (Ford NGL), for a thought-provoking conversation recorded live at the ASU+GSV Summit. With a career rooted in public education and corporate innovation, Carrier brings a unique lens to one of education’s biggest challenges: how to make high school relevant for every student.

Carrier shares the origin and evolution of the Ford NGL model—a nationally recognized framework designed to transform teaching and learning through career-themed academies that connect schools with local businesses, civic leaders, and community stakeholders. Drawing from years of implementation across diverse regions—from rural Idaho to urban Nashville—Carrier outlines Ford NGL’s three-part transformation framework and its five-phase roadmap, offering a blueprint for sustainable, community-driven school reform.

This episode dives deep into how Ford NGL helps districts shift from siloed instruction to collaborative, real-world learning environments that spark student engagement, boost graduation rates, and create stronger pathways to college, career, and life. Carrier also opens up about her personal connection to the work, her roots in Michigan's auto industry, and the formative experiences that shaped her passion for authentic education.

Key Moments

05:10 Career Academy Model Benefits Students

08:35 Self-Discovery and Career-Aligned Academies

11:15 Transforming Education Through Collaboration

13:43 Navigating Education Policy Barriers

18:52 "Community Feedback on Transformation"

21:00 "High-Level Executive Community Tracks"

26:13 "Success of Career Academy Model"

27:18 Community and Hands-on Learning

30:15 Rural Education Challenges

33:33 Community-Driven Educational Change

Connect with Cheryl Carrier

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryl-carrier-fordng

Website: https://fordngl.com/cheryl-carrier/