Executive

Bob Craves
Chair and CEO
Bob Craves co-founded the Washington Education Foundation (now the College Success Foundation), a public/private partnership committed to providing college scholarships and mentoring to low-income, high-potential students.

Prior to that, Mr. Craves was appointed to chair the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board in 1997, which oversees budgets and policies of four-year public institutions and distributes financial aid to all eligible students, both public and private.

In 1998, Mr. Craves was appointed co-chair of the 2020 Commission on the Future of Post-Secondary Education. At the conclusion of the Commission, Craves and Ann Ramsay-Jenkins founded the Washington Education Foundation, bringing together community leaders from across the state of Washington to help the thousands of students who are left behind - the ones not adequately served or supported by existing government and scholarship programs.

Mr. Craves is a member of the Board of Trustees of Catholic University in Washington D.C., the Arizona College Success Foundation and the LeMay Museum.

He is married to Geraldine Maloney Craves of San Francisco, a registered nurse, and has one daughter, Dr. Stacie Vaughn Craves.

Susan Byers
Chief Academic Officer
Sue came to the Foundation in December, 2004. Sue joins us with extensive experience working in schools, as a school administrator and with programs aimed at keeping students in middle and high school, preparing them for high school graduation and then to enroll in college. In Seattle, Washington she co-founded Middle College in 1990, a program designed to recapture students who dropped out of school and provide them an early college experience and the opportunity to complete their high school education and led the Seattle Schools GEAR UP Program until her departure.

Sue leads efforts in national replication of the Foundation in the United States and provides leadership, direction and supervision to staff members who represent Washington State Achievers Scholarship programs and activities in 22 high schools and over 30 middle schools and staff who manage programs directed at high school Achievers Scholars Candidates. Email Sue with ideas or information you might have about students being served by the Achievers Scholarship program and about providing hometown mentor support to the Achiever Scholars, including names of potential mentors at sbyers@dccollegesuccessfoundation.org.

Herbert Tillery
Executive Director, DC College Success Foundation
Herb joined the DC College Success Foundation in December, 2006. Most recently, Herb served as Deputy Mayor for Operations for the District of Columbia. Herb launched his extensive career in leadership and management through a long and successful career in the military. After retirement, he became the Deputy Chief Operating Officer and then the Chief of Staff for the District of Columbia Public Schools. Herb also served as Executive Director of the George Washington University Center for Excellence in Municipal Management. In this program, Herb delivered high quality executive leadership and management training. Herb's extensive leadership experience extends to the community where he currently serves as President of the Board of Mentors Inc. Mentors Inc. mission is to help prepare young people to go to college by providing them meaningful adult support through volunteer mentors. Email Herb with ideas or information you might have about students being served by the Achievers Scholarship program and about providing Hometown Mentor support to the Achiever Scholars, including names of potential mentors at htillery@dccollegesuccessfoundation.org.

Karen Edwards
Executive Assistant to Herb Tillery
Karen joined the Foundation in July of 2007. She is a graduate of Southeastern University in Washington, DC, with a BS in Business Management. Prior to joining DC CSF, Karen was a Retail Coordinator for the Washington Redskins Pro Football, Inc. Karen brings over seven years of administrative, operations and customer service experience. Karen is excited to contribute to the important mission of the District of Columbia College Success Foundation. Email Karen at kedwards@dccollegesuccessfoundation.org.