Perry’s career reflects a lifelong commitment to empowering neurodiverse individuals and transforming systems for equity and success.
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned his Ph.D. in Special Education, Dr. LaRoque has served in various leadership roles supporting at-risk youth and individuals with disabilities. Early in his career, Perry worked in an assisted-living care facility for adults with intellectual disabilities and taught special education in public schools. His dedication to mental health and education deepened while serving as a teacher and mental health specialist in a children’s residential psychiatric program at Meriter Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin.
Dr. LaRoque played a pivotal role in expanding higher education access for students with intellectual disabilities by co-authoring a grant to create Think College at Northern Vermont University, a groundbreaking program that served as a precursor to his founding of the College Steps Program. These initiatives have opened doors for countless students to thrive in post-secondary settings.