Dear students, faculty, and staff,

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Dain LaRoche has been appointed Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, effective July 1, 2026. Dr. LaRoche is a proven leader and change agent committed to excellence. He has an outstanding vision for CNHS and we are confident that under his leadership the college will further support our students, the state, and the region.

Currently the Associate Dean for Research in the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) and Professor of Exercise Science at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, Dr. LaRoche oversees the college’s $30 million annual research portfolio from sponsors such as NIH, NSF, CDC, HRSA, USDA, and PCORI and has co-developed the college’s first interdisciplinary PhD program.

Dr. LaRoche earned his PhD in Exercise and Sport Science at the University of Utah. The focus of his research is the interplay of neuromuscular, metabolic, and biomechanical function in the limitation of mobility of older adults. Over the last five years, he has worked with an interdisciplinary team to develop assistive robotics, smart-home and wearable technologies for dementia care, exercise program delivery, assistance for independent living, and rural health. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts and he and his collaborators have garnered approximately $7 million in extramural funding. 

Upon joining the Dean’s Office at UNH in 2022, Dr. LaRoche established the CHHS Research Office and has provided exceptional strategic leadership in support of faculty, staff, and students as they advance scholarship, secure external funding, and develop their professional identities. Dr. LaRoche is a scientist at heart and a committed mentor whose deep expertise in human physiology and biomechanics, research methods, and grant writing has helped CHHS investigators advance their programs of research and increase their competitiveness on the national landscape. 

Prior to his role as Associate Dean for Research, Dr. LaRoche has held various leadership roles at UNH, including Chair of Kinesiology, Faculty Fellow for Academic Affairs, Chair of the CHHS Academic Affairs Committee, and Program Director for M.S. and B.S. in Exercise Science. He is a native Vermonter; his first faculty position was at Johnson State College, now Vermont State University.

We are so pleased to welcome Dr. LaRoche aboard as the new dean of our College of Nursing and Health Sciences. His impressive work on groundbreaking methods and technologies for improving health care is just one example of the kind of forward-thinking approach we need in our university leadership and in the critical fields served by CNHS.

Thank you to all the members of the search committee, ably chaired by Richard Page, MD, Dean of the Robert Larner M.D. College of Medicine and UVM Chief Medical Affairs Officer, for volunteering their time and expertise in identifying an excellent pool of applicants for this role.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. LaRoche and welcoming him to the University of Vermont. We look forward to working with Dr. LaRoche as a member of the university’s academic leadership team.

Dr. Marlene Tromp

President

Linda S. Schadler

Interim Provost and Senior Vice President