Dr. Bob Bridges began his teaching career in 1961 at Hunter Elementary in the Raleigh City School system. He was then promoted to teach at Ligon Senior High before becoming principal at Crosby-Garfield Elementary in 1968. By the time the city and county schools merged in 1976, Bob was already an administrator. He was named deputy superintendent in 1980 during the height of the district’s effort to integrate schools and became superintendent in 1984. After five years leading the state’s second largest public school system, Bridges went on to become provost at St. Augustine College in Raleigh, and then worked as an education and management consultant and chaired the N.C. Advisory Commission on Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps.