Swimming Upstream

In this episode of Swimming Upstream , guest host Johnny Key, in for Tom Luna, sits down with Dr. Molly Hart, Utah Superintendent of Public Instruction for the Utah State Board of Education, for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, school choice, workforce readiness, and the enduring power of public education. Dr. Hart reflects on her personal journey as a first-generation college student...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, guest host Johnny Key sits down with Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education for the State of Tennessee, for a timely conversation recorded live at the ASU GSV Conference in San Diego. Reynolds shares her perspective on how states can better align education systems with real workforce needs, emphasizing that the goal is not to replace educators with techn...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream , former Idaho State Superintendent and host Tom Luna sits down with Wendy Horman , Chair of the Idaho House Appropriations Committee and Co-Chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC), to explore what it truly means to lead in education while swimming against the current. Rep. Horman reflects on her journey from local school board service in the...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down in New Orleans at the Excel in Education Conference with Senator Lori Den Hartog, Senate Majority Leader from Idaho, to explore how education policy, school choice, and government accountability intersect especially in a fast-growing state. Sen. Den Hartog shares her personal story growing up on a dairy farm in rural Ada County and how...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna is joined by Strategos Group Partner Johnny Key for a live conversation from the Excel in Education Conference in New Orleans with Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education for the state of Tennessee. A major focus of the conversation is literacy . Reynolds explains Tennessee’s commitment to the science of reading, the importance of early lite...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna is joined by Johnny Key live from the Excel in Ed Conference in New Orleans for a conversation with Richard Woods, Georgia’s elected State School Superintendent. Woods reflects on his path from classroom teacher to statewide office sharing how the post No Child Left Behind era pushed him to focus on what he felt was missing most: talking about ki...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with Debbie Critchfield, Idaho’s elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction, live from the Education and Excellence Conference in New Orleans. The conversation focuses on what Critchfield has prioritized during her first term: expanding opportunity for rural students, strengthening career technical education (CTE), improving tea...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, former Idaho State Superintendent and host Tom Luna sits down with Dr. April Grace, Executive Director and CEO of the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center (OPSRC) and one of Oklahoma’s most respected education leaders. With more than 35 years in public education—including recognition as Oklahoma’s 2021 Superintendent of the Year. Dr. Grace brings deep experi...

In this episode of "Swimming Upstream" host Tom Luna, sits down with Aimee Guidera, Virginia’s Secretary of Education, live from the ASU GSV conference in San Diego. As Guidera approaches the end of Governor Youngkin’s administration, she reflects on the challenges and achievements of transforming education in Virginia—a state with the unique constraint that its governor serves only one term. Guid...

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 eve...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream , host and Strategos Partner Tom Luna sits down with former Florida Education Commissioner and current University of West Florida Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. to discuss the state's bold strides in education reform. Recorded at the ExcelinEd conference in Oklahoma City, this conversation highlights Florida’s leadership in school choice, civics education, ea...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream , host Tom Luna sits down with Kathy Hoffman , former Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction and a passionate advocate for special education. Now serving as the Executive Director for Innovation and Special Education Initiatives at Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Kathy is leading Project OASIS —a groundbreaking initiative to r...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream , host Tom Luna sits down with Chad Aldis, Vice President of Ohio Policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, to discuss the pressing challenges and opportunities in American education. Aldis shares his journey from law school to the forefront of education policy, detailing his work in school choice, academic standards, and accountability systems. With experienc...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream , host Tom Luna welcomes Stephen D. Dackin, Director of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, for a conversation that dives deep into the evolving role of education in preparing students for life beyond high school. With over four decades in public education—as a teacher, principal, superintendent, and policymaker—Dackin shares how Ohio is reshaping i...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream , host Tom Luna sits down with MacKenzie Price, an innovative educator and co-founder of 2hr Learning and Alpha School, who is redefining how we approach K-12 education. MacKenzie shares her journey, from growing up in a small-town school to attending Stanford and ultimately pioneering a model that challenges the traditional education system. MacKenzie’s 2hr Le...

In Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with Dr. Carissa Moffat Miller, CEO of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), to discuss the evolving landscape of education policy, leadership, and innovation. With decades of experience shaping state and national education initiatives, Dr. Miller shares insights into the challenges and opportunities in the field today. The conversation e...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream , host Tom Luna sits down with Bill Hansen, President & CEO of Building Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting charter school facilities, financing, and services. Hansen, a veteran leader in education policy and philanthropy, shares his insights on the challenges and opportunities in expanding school choice, driving educational innovation, and ensuring e...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream , host and former Idaho State Superintendent Tom Luna sits down with Katie Jenner, Indiana’s Secretary of Education, to discuss the state’s bold initiatives to enhance education outcomes. Now in her fifth year leading the Indiana Department of Education, Katie shares insights into the state’s innovative policies aimed at improving teacher recruitment, modernizi...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna sits down with James Lane, former Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction and a key leader in U.S. education. With a career spanning classroom teaching, district leadership, and senior roles in both state and federal education departments, Lane brings a wealth of experience and insight to the pressing challenges in education today. Recorded...

In this episode Swimming Upstream, I'm your host,Tom Luna Tom Luna engages in an enlightening conversation with Gordon Jones, President of the College of Western Idaho (CWI), live from the ASU GSV Conference in San Diego. With a rich educational background spanning K-12 teaching to leadership roles at Ivy League institutions, Gordon shares his compelling journey and vision for CWI, one of the fast...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna welcomes Steve Bowen, Executive Director of the Hoover Education Success Initiative, to discuss the evolving challenges and opportunities in education policy and reform. With a rich background as a former Maine legislator, educator, and education commissioner, Bowen brings unique insights into the intersection of state leadership and education re...

In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host Tom Luna speaks with Lizzette Reynolds, Commissioner of Education in Tennessee. The discussion centers around the state's efforts to retain local talent and prevent companies from needing to recruit out of state. Lizzette highlights the importance of creating strong pipelines for local employment to ensure Tennessee's economic success. Lizzette also share...

In this episode, the host Tom Luna dives into a conversation with Lisa Coons, the superintendent of public instruction for the Common Wealth of Virginia. Lisa shares her remarkable journey from a high school English teacher to key educational leadership roles across Tennessee and Virginia. We dive into her experience with modernizing the funding formula in Tennessee, tackling literacy challenges,...

In this episode, host Tom Luna is joined by a familiar face, Ellen Weaver, the State Superintendent of South Carolina. Ellen sits down with Tom at the Excel in Ed conference to reflect on her first year in office and the strides her state has made in education. From the sense of urgency she brought to her role to the transformative focus on literacy through the science of reading, Ellen shares her...

In this episode, I'm Tom Luna, your host, and today we have an insightful conversation lined up with the distinguished state superintendent of public instruction from Idaho, Debbie Critchfield. Debbie shares her experiences over the past year, from the whirlwind transition into office to the significant accomplishments in her first year.  We'll delve into her on-the-ground approach to underst...