McRaynor Consulting was founded on a simple belief: meaningful change happens when organizations have the capacity to move strategy into action.

Led by Samantha Raynor, Ed.D., McRaynor Consulting partners with colleges, universities, systems, associations, foundations, and mission-driven organizations seeking to improve student outcomes through thoughtful, sustainable change.

Over the course of her career, Samantha has worked across multiple sectors of higher education, including small private liberal arts colleges, large public research universities, a state system office, and regional comprehensive institutions. She has partnered with institutional leaders, Boards of Trustees and Governors, faculty, staff, and cross-functional teams to navigate complex challenges and advance strategic priorities.

This breadth of experience provides a unique perspective on the interconnected systems that shape the student experience. It also informs a practical approach to change. One that recognizes that lasting improvement requires more than good ideas. It requires leadership, alignment, organizational capacity, and sustained action.

Today, Samantha works with institutions and organizations across the country on initiatives related to student success, academic support, curricular redesign, gateway course transformation, course scheduling reform, institutional effectiveness, and organizational learning. Her work includes designing and facilitating multi-institutional learning experiences, supporting statewide and system-level initiatives, and helping organizations translate insights into meaningful action.

As a consultant, Samantha has partnered with organizations such as the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), Sova, state systems, and institutions nationwide to support strategic initiatives that improve outcomes for students and strengthen institutional capacity.

At the heart of McRaynor Consulting is a commitment to helping organizations create conditions in which all students can thrive. Particular attention is given to students who have historically faced barriers to opportunity and success—not because they lack talent or potential, but because the systems around them were not designed with their needs in mind.

Through collaboration, facilitation, strategic planning, and capacity building, McRaynor Consulting helps organizations navigate complexity, strengthen their ability to lead change, and move strategy into action.