Washington, D.C. — College Bound, Inc. announces the appointment of Michelle Asha Cooper, Ph.D., President of the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP); Timothy Woods, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Washington Gas Energy Services; Eugene Dewitt Kinlow, Public Affairs Director for DC Vote; and William Alan Begal, President of Begal Enterprises, Inc. to its Board of Directors.

Cooper oversees IHEP’s expansive research portfolio and innovative programmatic activities focusing on access and success, accountability, diversity, finance, and global impact. Before joining IHEP, she served as the Deputy Director for the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance at the U.S. Department of Education and has held various leadership positions at the Association of American Colleges and Universities, Council for Independent Colleges, and King’s College. She is also the recipient of the National Education Association’s Excellence in the Academy New Scholar Award.

Woods has been promoted to Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Washington Gas Energy Services. Prior to his promotion, Tim led the Finance division for Washington Gas where he oversees the redesign initiatives to improve the company’s financial systems and processes where he oversees the redesign initiatives to improve the company’s financial systems and processes and has also served as Vice President of Finance Transformation for Freddie Mac. Woods was recognized by the DC Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants as the 2007 Outstanding Business Leader and was named one of the 40 most influential leaders under the age of 40 in Boston in 2005.

Kinlow serves as the Public Affairs Director for DC Vote where he manages communications initiatives for the more than 85 member organizations. He served as a Principal of Kinlow & Associates before joining DC Vote. Kinlow serves as a Trustee and is the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia and is a Board Member and Vice Chairperson of the Washington East Foundation.  

Begal leads Begal Enterprises, Inc. as the President of the Rockville, MD, Fire & Water Damage Disaster Restoration Company. He was awarded The Restoration Industry Association Phoenix Award, the highest honor bestowed to a restoration company. In 2008, he co-founded “The Mitzvah Heroes Fund, Inc.,” an international 501(c) (3) that funds innovations around the world.

“The outstanding talent and breadth of knowledge that the new board members bring to the table will be instrumental in advancing the mission of College Bound in ensuring the students of the District of Columbia receive the right tools to transition to and to succeed in college,” commented Michael S. Warsaw, Chairman of College Bound’s Board of Directors and Partner at Ernst and Young, LLP.

About College Bound, Inc.

College Bound, Inc., a Washington, D.C. based, 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, offers public and public charter school students in grades 8-12 academic enrichment and resources to prepare for and succeed in college. Founded in 1991, the organization offers tutoring, mentoring, SAT preparation, and academic and career guidance free-of-charge to assist students in the District of Columbia metropolitan area in meeting their post-secondary educational goals.