M. Ray McKinnie, Ph.D., has been selected to lead Cooperative Extension at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University as associate dean/administrator, effective Jan. 1.
At N.C. A&T, McKinnie assumes 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 through 2013. He served as dean of the College of Agriculture at Virginia State University and as administrator for Virginia Cooperative Extension since 2016.
“Dr. McKinnie comes ready to hit the ground running,” said Mohamed Ahmedna, Ph.D., 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.”
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 received his B.S. in animal science from A&T, M.S. in animal science from The Ohio State University and doctorate in animal science from North Carolina State University. 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.
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About North Carolina A&T State University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is the nation’s largest historically Black university, as well as its top ranked (Money magazine, Best Colleges). It is a land-grant, doctoral university, classified as “high research” by the Carnegie Foundation and a constituent member of the University of North Carolina System. A&T is known for its leadership in producing graduates in engineering, agriculture and other STEM fields. The university was founded in 1891 and is located in Greensboro, North Carolina.
About North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Cooperative Extension
Cooperative Extension at N.C. Agricultural and Technical State University is a part of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, the largest college of agriculture among 1890s land grant institutions and the largest producer of Black agricultural science undergraduates in the nation. N.C. A&T Cooperative Extension serves small and limited-resource farmers in all 100 counties across the state with more than half a million contacts each year. N.C. A&T is the nation’s largest historically Black university. The university was founded in 1891 and is located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Connect with us @CooperativeExtensionatAandT.
About N.C. Cooperative Extension
N.C. Cooperative Extension is a partnership between N.C. A&T State and NC State universities, whose Extension units work with federal, state and local governments to connect North Carolinians with the state’s land-grant universities. Extension experts from both universities provide practical, science-based guidance and personalized solutions that help individuals, families, businesses and communities make informed decisions and achieve better outcomes.