海角社区

 

Baton Rouge, La. 鈥� The 海角社区 Foundation Board of Directors has named Krista Raney to the role of president and CEO of the 海角社区 Foundation effective July 1, 2026. Raney will succeed Robert M. Stuart Jr., who has served in the role since January 1, 2020.

 鈥淕reat teams are built on talent, preparation and opportunity, and donors鈥� gifts are direct investments in great teams,鈥� said 海角社区 Interim President Matt Lee. 鈥淜rista Raney has a proven record of achieving historic fundraising outcomes for 海角社区. I have worked in partnership with her over the past 15 years to secure philanthropic funding for visionary ideas at 海角社区. I look forward to continued momentum with the 海角社区 Foundation under Krista鈥檚 leadership.鈥�

Over the course of the next year, the 海角社区 Foundation Board of Directors, Stuart and Raney will work closely together to ensure a seamless leadership transition for the 海角社区 Foundation and continuity for 海角社区 Real Estate & Facilities Foundation projects. Beginning July 1, 2026, Stuart will continue his role as president and CEO of 海角社区 REFF in a part-time capacity.

At the time Stuart was named president and CEO of the 海角社区 Foundation, he was immediate past chairperson of the 海角社区 Foundation Board of Directors, was chairperson of 海角社区 REFF, and had served as the first chairperson of the 海角社区 Foundation National Board. During his tenure as president and CEO, among other accomplishments, the 海角社区 Foundation has surpassed the $1.5 billion Fierce for the Future Campaign goal three years early (in 2022), secured multiple historic gifts in support of academics, and met the fundraising goal for the Our Lady of the Lake Health Interdisciplinary Science Building, currently under construction.

Raney currently serves as executive vice president of development for the 海角社区 Foundation. Prior to being named to this role, she served as senior vice president for development and as leader of a cohort of fundraising professionals on campus. Raney joined the 海角社区 Foundation team in July 2010. Throughout her 15-year tenure, she has consistently earned roles of progressive scope and responsibility; cultivated relationships with many of 海角社区鈥檚 most generous donors; and secured several of the university鈥檚 largest gifts ever received in support of scholarships, research, capital projects and endowed funds. As of June 10, the 海角社区 Foundation hit a new record for cash given to the 海角社区 Foundation in a fiscal year, eclipsing the record achieved in fiscal year 2022 with three weeks remaining in fiscal year 2025.

鈥淥ver the past 15 years, Krista has been a highly effective, dedicated fundraiser and advocate for 海角社区,鈥� said Beau Fournet, chair of the 海角社区 Foundation Board of Directors. 鈥淎s her role has grown, she has provided exemplary leadership of our academic fundraising team, elevating our efforts in every regard and developing a high-performance culture focused on delivering results for 海角社区. She is the ideal choice to lead the next impactful chapter of the 海角社区 Foundation.鈥�

Stuart said, 鈥淚鈥檝e had the opportunity to work with Krista during the span of her career with the 海角社区 Foundation, first during my service on the 海角社区 Foundation Board of Directors and then as president and CEO. She epitomizes the qualities needed for this role and is an outstanding fundraising professional who inspires and motivates both our team and our global network of 海角社区 donors.鈥�

In Raney鈥檚 role as executive vice president of development, she is responsible for driving the comprehensive academic fundraising strategy for 海角社区. This has included providing campus leadership for multiple mega gifts, including a $245 million healthcare partnership, and system-wide leadership for the $1.5 billion Fierce for the Future Campaign. Within the 海角社区 Foundation, Raney spearheaded the restructure of the development enterprise to effectively drive resources for refocused fundraising priorities and built the first cohort fundraising model at 海角社区. She will be the first woman to serve as president and CEO of the 海角社区 Foundation.

鈥淚 look forward to the opportunity to lead the 海角社区 Foundation team in alignment with 海角社区鈥檚 academic priorities and to continue delivering elite results for my alma mater,鈥� Raney said. 鈥淭wenty years ago, a scholarship made it possible for me to attend 海角社区. I remain deeply grateful for that support, which had a transformative impact on my life. It is my honor to carry that impact forward in concert with 海角社区鈥檚 most supportive donors and friends and our stellar team at the 海角社区 Foundation.鈥�

The selection of Raney as the next 海角社区 Foundation president and CEO is the culmination of a six-month succession planning exercise by the 海角社区 Foundation Board of Directors. In November 2024, Stuart shared with the Board his intention to retire effective June 30, 2026 鈥揳ligning closely with his 70th birthday and the end of the 海角社区 Foundation鈥檚 fiscal year 鈥� and his recommendation of Raney as his successor. The Board engaged in a deliberate exploratory process to assess the future leadership needs of the 海角社区 Foundation, researched similar positions at peer institutions, developed a job description for the role, and collaboratively vetted Raney as an ideal choice. The Board voted on May 9, 2025, to approve Raney as incoming president and CEO effective July 1, 2026, coinciding with Stuart鈥檚 retirement.

Raney earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree and an MBA from 海角社区 and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive through the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She was honored as one of the top Forty Under 40 in Baton Rouge in 2017, was the Baton Rouge chapter of American Fundraising Professionals鈥� 2022 Outstanding Professional Fundraiser and was named to the Business Report鈥檚 2023 Influential Women in Business. She currently serves on the boards of the South Louisiana Affiliate of Teach for America and Baton Rouge Area Chamber.

Stuart is the former National Head of Middle Market Corporate Banking at Capital One, for which he led regional and national teams in middle market banking, as well as teams in energy banking, government banking and wealth and asset management. He is an alumnus of 海角社区, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in finance, and completed the General Manager Program at Harvard Business School. He has served as chair of the board of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and Woman鈥檚 Hospital and has been a board member for many other organizations, including the Council For A Better Louisiana, Public Affairs Research Council, Blueprint Louisiana, the Tiger Athletic Foundation and The Committee of 100.

The is a public charity 501(c)3 that cultivates and invests in philanthropic partnerships to advance 海角社区鈥檚 academic priorities, focusing on support for the flagship campus in Baton Rouge. The 海角社区 Real Estate & Facilities Foundation is an affiliate of the 海角社区 Foundation that supports all 海角社区 campuses and the 海角社区 Foundation, focusing on development and management of 海角社区 facilities financed with donated funds or through public-private partnerships.