In November 2020, William Christopher "Chris" Clarke was named associate vice president for Duke Campaigns where he is responsible for planning the institution’s next comprehensive fundraising campaign as well as designing a complimentary initiative aimed at quantifying volunteer engagement across the institution. Prior to his current role  he served as Duke’s senior assistant vice president for Trinity College and The Graduate School. Clarke assumed this role in 2016 and in that capacity led a program that represents 80 percent of Duke’s alumni and generates $75-80M per year in private support for the institution. In 2012, as the associate dean of development for the Pratt School, Clarke planned and led engineering’s Duke Forward Campaign which surpassed its goal of $161.5M by nearly $40M one-year prior to the close of Duke Forward.

Before coming to Duke in 2004, Clarke was the director of development and leadership gifts for Purdue University's School of Mechanical Engineering (its flagship program) where he led their $125M campaign. Prior to his role in mechanical engineering, Clarke served Purdue as its associate director of planned giving from 1997 to 2001, when he became the associate director of development for major gifts. In addition to his major gift responsibilities, he also served as the development liaison for Purdue's Black Cultural Center and as the Director of Alumni Outreach Programs for the Purdue Alumni Association. 

An active member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) which is the professional organization for alumni engagement, communications and development, Clarke has served as the conference chair for both District V (Midwest States) in 2001, and District III (Southeastern States) in 2013. He chaired District III’s Cabinet from 2019-21 and was named in 2022 to CASE’s U.S./Canada Council. From 2016 – 2022 Clarke served on the faculty of CASE’s premier Summer Institute in Educational Fundraising, and in 2009 he was awarded CASE's Crystal Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Clarke holds a master's degree in higher education administration and bachelor’s degrees in psychology as well as sociology and criminology from Purdue University.