Carla Gipson Van Farowe
About Carla
Gipson Van Farowe is an education leader and consultant who most recently served as Ed Tech Director and Director of Curriculum, Professional Learning, and Systems Development at Benzie County Central Schools. She previously taught ecology and biology at Interlochen Center for the Arts, where she designed experiential science curriculum that connects environmental systems, inquiry, and the northern Michigan landscape. Gipson Van Farowe is the founder of Beyond Brick & Mortar, an international education consultancy, and holds a B.S. in English and Biology and an M.A. in Communications, along with a K–12 Administration endorsement and doctoral work in Education Leadership.
My teaching philosophy is grounded in the scientific method and experiential learning, inviting students to observe, question, test, and reflect in authentic contexts that matter to them. I design learning experiences that engage head, hand, and heart—cultivating rigorous thinking, practical skill, and compassionate awareness—so that students not only understand complex systems, but also feel responsible and empowered to act within them.
Carla Gipson Van Farowe is the Michigan Policy Director for the National Shattering Silence Coalition (NSSC), where she advances research-informed school safety and mental health policy and supports statewide advocacy efforts. Building on extensive experience in grant writing and program development—including successful 99b grant funding for K–8 computational thinking and the Seabury Foundation grant for the Benzie Youth String Program—she is also a co-author of Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education with the Sherpa Institute, founder of Beyond Brick & Mortar LLC, an international education consultancy, a past president and treasurer of the Benzie County chapter of DKG International Society for Key Women Educators, and a Naturalist at Interlochen Center for the Arts.
- B.S., English and Biology – College of Education at Eastern Michigan University
- M.A., Communications – College of Communication, Media and Theatre Arts at Eastern Michigan University
- K–12 Administration Endorsement – College of Leadership and Counseling at Eastern Michigan University
- Doctoral work, Education Leadership – College of Leadership and Counseling at Eastern Michigan University