Don Graves
Executive Director, President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, The White House
Don Graves is the executive director of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness at the White House. He advises President Obama on strengthening the nation’s economy and the competitiveness of the United States, and on ways to create jobs, opportunity, and prosperity for the American people. As part of his role, he has also been appointed by President Obama to lead the Administration’s efforts in the city of Detroit, coordinating and facilitating the federal government’s investment in Detroit and working with city, state, business, non-profit and community stakeholders.
Graves also currently serves as deputy assistant secretary for small business, community development and housing policy at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, responsible for managing a portfolio of policy issues including business and small business finance and development, housing finance, community and economic development, capital access, job creation and issues related to underserved communities.
In addition, Mr. Graves oversees the Small Business Lending Fund, the State Small Business Credit Initiative and the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund.
Graves has a bachelor’s degrees in political science and history from Williams College, as well as a juris doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center.