The Children’s Movement of Florida is adding a new member to its Board of Directors: Dr. Larry Rice.
Rice is co-founding partner and chief engagement officer of Northern Compass Consulting, a firm serving clients across government, education, nonprofit, and corporate sectors. A former university president and lifelong educator, he brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education, workforce development, institutional assessment, and executive coaching.
“We are honored to welcome Larry to our board,” Madeleine K. Thakur, president and CEO of The Children’s Movement of Florida said. “His leadership experience and deep commitment to building strong organizations and leaders is perfectly aligned with our own work to cultivate new leadership among parents and educators in early childhood settings and ensure every Florida child has the opportunity to thrive from the very start.”
Rice also sits on the board of Helios Education Foundation, which exists to support postsecondary attainment for all students in Arizona and Florida. Leaders at Helios know that early childhood education is an essential piece of the education system that leads to success in college and career.
“As an educator and leader, I’ve spent my career focused on building environments where people can thrive,” Dr. Rice said. “Supporting children and families during the earliest years is one of the most important investments we can make, and I’m honored to contribute to the Movement’s mission.”
Throughout his career, Rice has worked with leaders to build high-performing cultures rooted in trust, accountability, and shared purpose. His consulting engagements have included Fortune 500 companies, national nonprofit organizations, and higher education institutions. He has facilitated the PBS Learning & Development Summit for PBS and its national member stations, developed filmed training content for Temple University, conducted operational assessments for colleges and universities, and served on the consulting team that developed the Palm Beach County Tourism Master Plan.
Earlier in his career, Rice served in a number of higher education leadership roles, including professor, dean, vice president, and university president. In those roles, he designed leadership curricula, built mentoring programs, and contributed to peer-reviewed academic research.
Rice holds a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation. He is also a former Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator.
He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with his wife, Dr. Claire Michèle Rice, and they are the proud parents of two adult daughters, Claire and Victoria.
The Children’s Movement of Florida works to unite parents, educators, business leaders and policymakers to champion early childhood education. The group advocates for smart policies and investments that ensure Florida kids can thrive from birth through age 5.