Charles Aaron Ray is an American former diplomat who acted as the U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe between 2009 and 2012. He is a former Foreign Service officer and career member of the Senior Foreign Service who held the position of U.S. ambassador twice, and retired with the rank of minister-counselor. He is also a retired U.S. Army officer who was decorated twice for his actions in combat during the Vietnam War, and later served as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for POW/missing personnel affairs.