Ringling College of Art and Design is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Kinsley as Vice President for Finance and Administration (VPFA), effective November 2, 2026. His appointment follows a search supported by DSG | Global. The search drew a strong pool of more than 98 candidates.
Kinsley has strong ties to our area and formerly worked at New College of Florida under three different presidents. After his time there, he joined the Registry, a well-regarded organization that places experienced, vetted senior administrators into interim leadership roles at colleges and universities across the country. Registry appointments are deliberately short-term, interim engagements by design, not by circumstance. Registry placements allow professionals to gain broad experience quickly.
Kinsley will come to Ringling College from Portland Community College (PCC), his second Registry placement. PCC is Oregon’s largest institution of higher education, where he has been serving as Interim Vice President and CFO. Before that, for his first Registry placement, he was Interim Vice President for Administration and Finance at New Mexico State University, New Mexico’s land-grant institution, where he helped support 20,000 students, 100,000+ acres, a statewide presence, a vibrant online enterprise, and eight museums.
Kinsley holds a B.S. in Finance and a B.S. and M.S. in Accounting, all from Florida State University, and is an active Certified Public Accountant in the State of Florida. His career reflects deep and varied experience in higher education finance and administration. In addition to his roles at PCC and New Mexico State, and prior to his time as Vice President, Finance and Administration at New College, he served as Assistant Vice Chancellor, Finance and Facilities for the State University System of Florida, Board of Governors; and Chief Comptroller for the Florida Department of Education. Across these roles, Kinsley has led budget and financial operations, facilities planning and capital projects, directed the operations of multiple departments and auxiliary operations, and has guided institutions through significant financial and organizational transitions.
Kinsley is a first-generation college graduate with a strong passion for student success, and he brings robust experience with board governance and university processes and protocols. He knows both Sarasota and Florida well and is looking forward to returning to his home in the area.
