Meet the CFR Team
The Corporate and Foundation Relations team can help your company or foundation find strategic alignment with Clemson University programs, faculty research projects, student initiatives and other university priorities to drive innovation and economic development for the state and the region. Please contact us to learn more about ways to partner with Clemson.
Jovanna King
Senior Associate Vice President for Development
Corporate and Foundation Relations
Phone: 864-656-0663
jovanna@clemson.edu
JoVanna J. King is the Senior Associate Vice President for Development at Clemson University. She has over thirty-seven (37) years of leadership experience in development, advancement services, planned giving, major gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations. She currently oversees Clemson’s principal and transformational gift program, planned giving, corporate relations and foundation relations. Mrs. King has extensive management and campaign experience, thirty-two (32) of which she has gained at Clemson University. JoVanna started her career with Anderson University where she served as the Director of Alumni and Development from 1983-1988. She has served as a fundraising consultant for various organizations and has lectured on a variety of fundraising and advancement topics throughout the country. She is a past-president of the South Carolina Planned Giving Council, and currently serves on various boards and committees in the Anderson community. In 2006, JoVanna was honored with the Clemson University Thomas Green Clemson Award for Excellence, recognizing outstanding faculty and staff who have made significant contributions to academic life at the University. Most recently, the Clemson Alumni Association named JoVanna an Honorary Alumnus of Clemson University in 2016.
Jordan Perkins
Executive Director
Corporate and Foundation Relations
Phone: 864-656-9925
japerki@clemson.edu
Jordan A. Perkins is the Executive Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Clemson University. Prior to taking his position at Clemson, Jordan worked for the American Council on Education (ACE) in Washington D.C., an association that represents 80% of the nation's public and private universities. There he oversaw the corporate relations efforts, special event sponsorships and managed a portfolio of select foundation partners and major donors. Prior to ACE, he served as the founding executive director for Solutions for Urban Agriculture (SFUA), a midsize non-profit organization in southern California -- where he led extensive public-private partnership negotiations to create the country's largest urban agricultural educational showcase. Additionally, as Program and Projects Officer for the City of Irvine, Jordan drove strategic planning for partnership development through fundraising, grant applications and business planning. In addition to both he and his wife being proud graduates of Clemson University, Jordan is a Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) and holds a law degree from Whittier College.
Cindy Barnes
Administrative Coordinator
Phone: 864-656-5538
Cindy Barnes is a versatile member of the Foundation Relations team. She provides administrative support through her communication and organization skills, positive attitude and willingness to help others. Cindy holds a BA in English from Clemson University, and prior to joining the team in 2019 gained valuable experience through customer service and volunteer roles. She is a proud member of the Clemson Family and is committed to doing her part to make Clemson a better place for generations to come.