Mike Schmidt has worked on education, entrepreneurship, and workforce development issues in both the
public and private sectors. He joined Ford Motor Company in July of 1996, and currently serves as
Director of Economic Mobility and Global Community Development for Ford Philanthropy. In this
capacity, Schmidt oversees Ford’s major national and global partnerships with K-12 and post-secondary
education focused on preparing young people for the Future of Work and providing pathways to the new
economy. He also manages social enterprise initiatives, as well as a new focus area on entrepreneurship
and the skilled trades. He also directs all of Ford Philanthropy’s grantmaking outside of the U.S., reaching more
than 30 markets around the world.

Before coming to Ford, Schmidt worked on national education and workforce development issues as a
Senior Policy Analyst on President Clinton’s White House Domestic Policy Council in Washington DC
from 1993 to 1996. In that position, he worked to develop and implement a number of national programs,
including the President’s Technology Learning Challenge, GOALS 2000, and School-to-Work initiatives.
Before that he worked on federal training and development policy for the U.S. Office of Personnel
Management and as a staff member for the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills
(SCANS) at the U.S. Department of Labor.