Ray McKinnie ’76 has been selected to lead Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T as the associate dean/administrator, effective Jan. 1. McKinnie served as dean of the College of Agriculture at Virginia State University and as the administrator for Virginia Cooperative Extension from 2016 - 2022.

McKinnie will assume leadership of more than 110 campus and county Extension staff who provide education throughout North Carolina including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Each year, Extension at A&T makes more than 500,000 contacts with North Carolinians living in limited resource communities, providing education related to small-scale farming, nutrition health and wellness, and environmental sustainability. Extension at A&T also reaches about 15,000 youth each year through its 4-H programs.

The appointment marks a return to N.C. A&T Extension for McKinnie, who served as associate dean and associate administrator from 2002-2013.

“Dr. McKinnie comes ready to hit the ground running,” said Mohamed Ahmedna, dean of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, of which Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T is a part. “He will provide a smooth transition and can bring a wealth of knowledge about our organization’s mission and purpose to the position.”

In the role, McKinnie’s short-term goals will be to recruit new staff to Extension, enhance program delivery/efficiency, and build a greater footprint for Extension, said Ahmedna.

McKinnie holds a Ph.D. in animal science/reproductive physiology from North Carolina State University, and is also an N.C. A&T alumnus, with a bachelor’s degree in animal science in 1976. He chaired the Extension Commission on Organization and Policy (ECOP) in 2010 and 2019 and is a graduate of both the Food Systems Leadership Institute Program and the National Extension Leadership Development Program. As an Extension leader, he has been devoted to hiring talented county and campus-based staff and developing high-quality educational programs that utilize cutting-edge technologies. His experience with Extension at A&T dates to the 1990s, when he served as an Extension specialist and researcher helping small and limited-income farmers.

“We are fortunate to have a leader like Dr. McKinnie come on board to help us chart the course  relevant for us at this time,” said Barbara Board, Ph.D., outgoing interim associate dean and Extension administrator. “His experience will serve us well.”

In addition to his Extension administrative and outreach work, McKinnie is a researcher who has published extensively on swine, goat, and small ruminant production and on issues that impact small farmers, minority farmers and underserved communities. He is a North Carolina native born in Wayne County whose research and Extension work has taken him to Brazil, South Africa, and Ethiopia.