Ricardo LaGrange, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Board Vice-Chair, Project Change

Dr. LaGrange is a Licensed Psychologist, applied research scientist, and public health specialist.  He received his B.A. in History from the University of Virginia, master’s degree in public health from George Washington University, and master’s and doctorate degrees in Counseling Psychology from Howard University.  Dr. LaGrange is co-founder of BASICS Group Practice, a private mental health practice in the Washington, D.C. area that provides comprehensive psychological services to children, adolescents, and adults, along with a host of other community-based health and wellness programs that drive social progress. He is currently the Vice President, US Health for ideas42, a non-profit consulting agency that uses insights from behavioral science to improve lives, build better systems and policies, and drive social change.

Previously in his career, Dr. LaGrange was a faculty member at Children’s National Health System and George Washington University where he designed and executed research studies and health communication campaigns targeted at high-risk youth for HIV/STD prevention in partnership with pharmaceutical and health IT companies and government agencies.  As a National Institute of Health-funded Principal Investigator, his research pursuits involved behavioral issues relevant to treating individuals with chronic diseases. Dr. LaGrange brings over 25 years’ experience advancing public health, educational and youth development initiatives.