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2026 National APSE Board of Directors At-Large

Please describe your history/nature of involvement/interest in promoting competitive integrated employment in your state. Additionally, explain why you are passionate about competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities:

My history of promoting competitive integrated employment in Minnesota began when I entered the disability services field in 2009. At that time, I knew I wanted to help people move forward by connecting them to much‑needed services and resources. Like many people new to this work, I quickly learned that individuals—and often those supporting them—did not always know what options were truly available. Early on, I was learning alongside the people I served. One of the first individuals I supported wanted to find a job, so that became our focus. Within two weeks, he secured employment that he genuinely enjoyed. The process felt straightforward and achievable—nothing extraordinary, simply the result of high expectations and access to opportunity. Soon after, I worked with another person whose experience fundamentally changed my understanding of the system. Through her story, I learned that subminimum wage employment was not only legal, but commonplace. I was shocked. When she transitioned into competitive, integrated employment with equitable pay, the impact was immediate and profound. Through her job, she gained access to a community she had not known—or believed—was possible. She built friendships, found purpose, and, like so many of us, discovered that her work became part of her identity. These early experiences shaped my professional path and solidified my belief that employment is about far more than a paycheck. Work provides purpose, connection, economic stability, and a sense of belonging. We all take pride in what we do, and our work often helps define who we are. I believe deeply that people with disabilities have the same right to meaningful employment, fair wages, and opportunities for growth. Throughout my career, I have worked exclusively in competitive integrated employment and have seen firsthand how access to real jobs can change lives, challenge assumptions, and expand what is possible. In Minnesota, my involvement has grown from direct service into systems‑level leadership, policy engagement, and advocacy. I have served on the Minnesota APSE Board for the past twelve years, on the National Board of Directors for APSE for the past three years. Through this role, I have contributed to advancing Employment First principles, supporting provider transformation, strengthening membership engagement, and promoting evidence‑based practices that advance competitive integrated employment both within Minnesota and nationally. Board service has broadened my perspective on systems change and reinforced the importance of aligning policy, funding, and practice to create sustainable employment outcomes. From 2021 – 2024, I had served on Minnesota’s Task Force for Eliminating Subminimum Wages. This work has allowed me to engage deeply in the policy and systems changes necessary to ensure equitable access to competitive, integrated employment. While disability service systems are large and complex, this experience has reinforced my belief that we have the tools, research, and collective expertise to create meaningful change for people. My passion for this work is also informed by being a parent of a child with a disability. This perspective reinforces the urgency of building systems that are equitable, sustainable, and simply just work. Together, these experiences continue to drive my commitment to advancing competitive integrated employment in Minnesota—ensuring dignity, opportunity, and community inclusion for all people with disabilities.

What best represents your position/lived experience?

Family Member of a Person with a Disability; Service Provider or Manager

What skills, knowledge, or lived experience do you have that will contribute to strengthening and growing the financial health of APSE and promoting its mission to advance employment and self-sufficiency for all people with disabilities?

Through my service on the Minnesota APSE Board of Directors and my three years serving on the National APSE Board, I bring a combination of nonprofit governance experience, financial stewardship, and deep commitment to advancing competitive integrated employment that directly supports APSE’s financial health and mission. At both the state and national levels, I have worked at the intersection of mission impact and organizational sustainability. Board service has strengthened my understanding of fiduciary responsibility, strategic planning, and the importance of aligning financial decisions with long‑term goals. I have experience reviewing budgets, monitoring financial performance, and engaging in discussions about revenue diversification, including membership growth, conference and training revenue, sponsorships, and partnerships. I consistently approach financial decisions with an eye toward sustainability, transparency, and mission alignment. Professionally, my background in program services and compliance contributes to financial strength through a focus on accountability, risk management, and effective use of resources. I understand how strong compliance practices, outcome measurement, and data‑informed decision‑making protect organizations financially while also increasing credibility with funders, policymakers, and partners. This systems‑level perspective helps ensure that APSE investments are both fiscally responsible and impactful. Equally important is my lived experience working alongside people with disabilities, families, providers, employers, and system leaders. This experience grounds my financial decision‑making in APSE’s core purpose—advancing employment and self‑sufficiency for all people with disabilities. I consistently bring the perspective that financial growth should serve mission impact by expanding access to training and technical assistance, strengthening advocacy efforts, and supporting innovation in employment practices. My national board service has also provided a broad view of regional differences, emerging trends, and opportunities for collaboration across states. This perspective supports strategies that strengthen APSE’s value to members, deepen engagement, and position the organization for sustainable growth. Together, these skills and experiences enable me to contribute meaningfully to strengthening APSE’s financial health while advancing its mission with integrity and purpose.

How do you think serving on the National APSE Board will help you grow as a leader in the Employment First Movement?

Serving on the National APSE Board has already played a significant role in my growth as a leader within the Employment First Movement, and continued service will further strengthen my ability to influence systems‑level change. Over the past three years on the National APSE Board, I have had the opportunity to engage in national conversations that extend beyond state‑specific implementation and focus on advancing competitive integrated employment as an expectation across systems and communities. This role has expanded my leadership perspective from direct service and state‑level advocacy to a broader understanding of how federal policy, funding structures, research, and national advocacy shape employment outcomes for people with disabilities. Exposure to diverse state systems and regional approaches has helped me better understand both shared challenges and innovative solutions, strengthening my ability to think strategically and contribute to scalable, sustainable change. Serving on the National Board has also supported my growth as a collaborative leader. The Employment First Movement requires partnership across stakeholders with varying priorities, political contexts, and levels of readiness for change. Through board service, I have strengthened my ability to listen actively, engage in thoughtful dialogue, and build consensus while remaining grounded in APSE’s mission and values. These skills are essential for advancing a movement that depends on alignment, trust, and shared accountability. Continued service on the National APSE Board will further develop my leadership by deepening my involvement in long‑term visioning, organizational sustainability, and movement‑building. Board service challenges me to balance urgency with strategy, passion with discipline, and innovation with responsibility. It reinforces the importance of centering people with disabilities in decision‑making while ensuring that Employment First principles are reflected in policy, practice, and funding priorities. Ultimately, my experience on the National APSE Board strengthens my capacity to lead with integrity, humility, and purpose. It has sharpened my commitment to advancing competitive integrated employment not as a programmatic outcome, but as a civil right and a core societal expectation. Continued service will allow me to further contribute to shaping the future of the Employment First Movement while continuing to grow as a leader committed to lasting, systemic impact. The work has only begun, and simply put, I want to be able to continue.

Biography

Larissa Laramee has always known she wanted to work with and advocate for others. She graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2009 with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Ethnic Studies, focusing on theories of race and ethnicity and research methods. Through this academic and professional lens, Larissa has consistently centered intersectionality, recognizing how discrimination and lack of access shape outcomes for people who have been historically excluded. These experiences have guided her career and fueled her commitment to access, inclusion, and independence—particularly for people with disabilities. Larissa believes that when more people are meaningfully included at decision‑making tables, better and more equitable outcomes are achieved, yet access to those tables remains a persistent barrier. Larissa has worked at Reach for Resources since 2009, beginning her career as a Community Living Specialist supporting people to live independently and secure competitive, integrated employment. She went on to found Reach’s Employment Services and later served as Director of Community Living. In her current role as Senior Director of Program Services, Larissa oversees all services at Reach for Resources, including Employment Services, In‑Home Services, and Housing Services. In this capacity, she provides strategic leadership focused on systems alignment, service quality, compliance, and outcomes, while advancing competitive, integrated employment, independence, and community inclusion as core expectations across all programs. Larissa has been actively involved with Minnesota APSE since 2014, initially serving on the Community Engagement Committee and becoming Committee Chair in 2019. A key goal of the committee is to build partnerships with advocacy organizations, transition programs, self‑advocates, and community stakeholders to advance the vision and mission of Employment First. In addition to her state‑level leadership, Larissa has served on the National APSE Board of Directors for the past three years, contributing to national strategy, policy discussions, and movement‑building efforts to expand competitive, integrated employment across the country. In 2021, Larissa was appointed to Minnesota’s Task Force to Eliminate Subminimum Wages. The Task Force was charged with developing recommendations to phase out the payment of subminimum wages for people with disabilities on or before August 1, 2025. The resulting plan includes both a transition strategy for ending subminimum wages and recommendations to address systemic barriers and strengthen long‑term employment outcomes. Outside of work, Larissa enjoys spending time with her family, hosting dance parties with her kids, and embracing all the seasons Minnesota has to offer. She loves music, regularly turns her car into a concert venue, and performs with a band she sings in.