Russell Carey’s career path has included several years at a retail giant, a summer in South Africa, studies at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service and research work on foster care placement.
His varied work experiences have left Russell well prepared for his current role as a program associate at the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he has numerous responsibilities.
“I get to work on a large number of projects, including our statewide Expect More initiative, technical and capacity assistance for individual nonprofits, leadership development, and grants management,” he said. “I work on removing barriers to nonprofit success, increasing philanthropic transparency, and making connections between business, government, education, and communities that will lead to family-supporting careers and prosperity for all Arkansans.”
The latest stop on Russell’s journey is as a member of the 2015-2016 Class of Hull Fellows.
“The Hull Fellowship is a fantastic opportunity to engage with my peers who are working on a broad range of missions with organizations that represent the spectrum of philanthropy,” he said. “As a fellow, I’m building my own leadership skills, and strengthening relationships across states and organizations.”
While Russell is relatively new to Southern Philanthropy – he joined the staff of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation in 2013 – he’s well-versed in the ideas and skills that drive the sector today: data, research, evaluation, technology, development of best practices and more.
During his first year at the Clinton School, Russell helped the Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services research national and international best practices for placement and services for teens and young adults in the foster care system. He spent the summer of 2012 in Cape Town, South Africa, as a social media consultant for the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre. He also spent several years at the corporate offices of the Dillard’s department store company, analyzing and interpreting merchandise sales data.
Studying at the Clinton School exposed him to the philanthropic field he now considers home.
“At the Clinton School, I was able to take courses on leadership and transformational philanthropy, and during these studies I was blessed to connect with the amazing organization that would become my job,” he said.
Russell, who lives in Little Rock, earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Arkansas and a master’s degree in public service from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. His interests include running, soccer, graphic arts and design.
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