ABAC announces Dr. Raymond Carnley as Vice President of External Affairs

ABAC President Tracy Brundage recently announced the selection of Dr. Raymond E. Carnley as Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s next vice president of External Affairs.

Carnley brings more than two decades of leadership experience in higher education advancement, fundraising, governmental relations, and institutional strategy. A seasoned executive and trusted advisor to college presidents and governing boards, he has built a distinguished career focused on strengthening institutional visibility, cultivating strategic partnerships, and advancing mission-driven initiatives.

Most recently, Carnley served as principal and senior vice president with Winkler Consulting Group, where he advised organizational leaders, foundation boards, and executive teams on advancement strategy, governance, and external relations. Throughout his career, he has helped secure more than $275 million in philanthropic support and played front-line leadership roles in campaigns totaling more than $2 billion in fundraising efforts.

“ABAC has experienced tremendous positive momentum in recent years, and Dr. Carnley’s experience and leadership will help us continue building on that success,” Brundage said. “His record of strengthening institutions through strategic partnerships, philanthropic support, and external engagement makes him uniquely positioned to help ABAC reach new heights. I am excited to welcome him to our leadership team and look forward to the impact he will make on our students, alumni, and communities.”

Carnley previously served as vice president for University Advancement and executive director of the Foundation at Middle Georgia State University, where he led fundraising and external engagement initiatives, cultivated relationships with legislators and community leaders, implemented institutional branding initiatives, and increased foundation support. He has also held leadership positions at Georgia Highlands College, Presbyterian College, Emory University, Habitat for Humanity International, and several other mission-focused organizations.

As vice president of External Affairs, Carnley will serve as a member of the president’s senior leadership team and oversee the college’s advancement and external engagement efforts. His responsibilities will include providing executive leadership for fundraising initiatives, alumni and donor engagement, government relations, corporate partnerships, and oversight of the ABAC Foundation. He will also serve as the college’s chief external relations officer and principal advisor to the president on matters involving philanthropic, public and private partnerships that support ABAC’s mission and strategic priorities.

A key component of Carnley’s work will include strengthening connections with ABAC alumni and cultivating relationships that support student success and long-term institutional growth. Throughout his career, he has emphasized relationship-building and engagement strategies designed to create meaningful partnerships among alumni, donors, community leaders, and institutional stakeholders.

“ABAC’s mission, values, and commitment to preparing students for meaningful careers deeply resonate with me,” Carnley said. “I am honored and excited to join President Brundage and her leadership team and look forward to working alongside alumni, donors, community partners, faculty, and staff to make a lasting difference in the lives of our students and the industries and communities they will ultimately serve.”

According to Keri Jones, a Stafford School of Business alumna and member of the ABAC Foundation Board of Trustees, Carnley’s leadership will strengthen an area that has become central to ABAC’s growth and impact.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Carnley to ABAC and eager for his leadership in External Affairs,” Jones said. “The ABAC Foundation’s impact on student success, particularly through scholarships, has become synonymous with the ABAC experience. We are proud that 55% of ABAC students graduate without student loan debt, and we know strong leadership and strategic partnerships will help us continue expanding opportunities for future generations of our students.”