Dr. Barbara D. Dilligard is President and CEO of a management consultant firm, Karaton Services, LLC and is the former Deputy Superintendent for the Charleston County School District (CCSD). During her tenure with the CCSD, she led many successful campaigns and programs that received state and national recognition. She also authored and co-authored a number of competitive federal, state and foundation grants totaling more than $80 million for the school district, non-profit organizations, health agencies, and other community-based organizations to serve students, staff, faculty and community service organizations.

One major initiative of which she is most proud is the creation of the Military Magnet Academy, the first public military middle/high school in the Charleston County School District and the nation. Barbara Dilligard is a true entrepreneur and a lifelong learner who received her doctorate degree from Vanderbilt University, an MBA from The Citadel, and a BS degree in Mathematics from Johnson C. Smith University. She has done further study at Harvard University and the College of Charleston and continues to learn through certification programs and specialized training seminars. 

She also continues to serve as an education consultant, program evaluator and grant writer for school districts across the nation, helping schools and districts redirect their resources and programs to achieve student success. Her school district client list includes DeKalb County School District in Atlanta, Ga.; Lorain City Schools and Cleveland City Schools in Ohio; Los Angeles Unified School District; Kansas City School District, and Horry County School District in South Carolina. Developing curriculum aligned with the common core standards, project evaluation for the magnet school programs, salary schedule overhaul and development, managing a Race-to-the Top grant, and developing the D20PCP grant, an $8 million grant for the Charleston County School District are among her more recent school district services. At her retirement, the Charleston County School Board of Trustees named the Burke High School Media Center in her honor. Subsequent to that, the Fine Arts building at the Military Magnet Academy is also named in her honor.