Helios Education Foundation Adds Dr. Larry Rice to Board of Directors

Helios Education Foundation has expanded the depth and expertise of its Board of Directors by appointing Larry Rice Ed.D., a devoted leader and inspirational senior administrator, based in Miami. Dr. Rice is co-owner of Northern Compass Consulting LLC, which services clients in government and commercial industries. Dr. Rice brings nearly 28 years of experience in higher education to the board, where he joins 11 other members with a strong passion for closing education equity gaps and increasing postsecondary attainment in Florida and Arizona.

“We are thrilled to add the expertise and talent of Dr. Rice on the Helios Board of Directors to help guide our future work and develop the next generation of leaders,” said Helios’s Founding Chairman Vince Roig. “He is a visionary leader and an enthusiastic motivator who will help us increase student success in the communities we serve.”

Before beginning his consulting activities, Dr. Rice served as president of Johnson & Wales University, where he also served as a professor, dean, and vice president. During Dr. Rice’s tenure as president, the school’s North Miami campus was ranked number one for diversity in the South and third nationally in the Wall Street Journal/Time Higher Education College Rankings. Dr. Rice has also developed mentoring programs that matched high school students with industry leaders and awarded them scholarships to the college of their choice. Additionally, he facilitated summer enrichment programs for elementary and middle school students who needed access to tutoring and mentoring.

“There is a tremendous amount of untapped opportunity to boost student success and supercharge educational outcomes in Florida and beyond. I am honored to join the Helios Education Foundation Board of Directors and work alongside such outstanding colleagues who share my commitment to improving education, particularly for low-income and Black students,” said Dr. Rice. “Together, we will work hard to create innovative solutions to positively impact underserved students.”

Since 2004, Helios Education Foundation has invested nearly $300 million in partnerships and initiatives dedicated to improving education outcomes for students in Arizona and Florida. The Foundation helped more than 1.4 million students participate in early learning, college and career planning, and postsecondary education programs. Additionally, the Helios Board has helped to award more than 27,000 scholarships and to provide professional development opportunities to more than 60,000 educators.

Members of the Helios Education Foundation Board of Directors have expertise that ranges from education to policy. Board members include:

• Vince Roig, Founding Chairman
• Paul J. Luna, President and CEO
• Don Aripoli, Ph.D.
• Mark Fernandez
• Tom Herndon
• Vada O. Manager
• Ioanna Morfessis, Ph.D.
• Jane LaRocca Roig, Vice Chair
• Maria Sastre
• Steven Wheeler
• Jim Swanson