Larry directs health-related policy, opinion, and communication research studies. He is a specialist in survey as well as mixed methods research and its application to communications campaign, program, and policy development.

Since 2014, Larry has directed the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) American Health Values Survey (AHVS) and related studies examining health value and belief differences among U.S adults. The centerpiece of the work has been the development of a typology of adults based on their views about issues central to the promotion of population health and health equity in the nation. Most recently, Larry and his team have been focused on reanalysis of the AHVS data to better understand the relationship between health values/beliefs and political culture, race/ethnicity, and urban/rural differences. He also led a similar RWJF sponsored effort to develop a typology based on the values and beliefs of U.S. adults as they relate to child and family health promotion. Since 2012, he has led a contract providing policy and market research support to Covered California, the largest and most successful of the state health insurance marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act. He has directed California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) studies informing policy development and advocacy efforts related to better meeting the health care needs of low-income Californians and those with dual diagnoses of mental illness and substance use disorder. Since 2020, he also served as co-director of the annual CHCF California Health Policy Poll. Other recent work includes assisting the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in efforts to improve the public reporting of health care provider quality information to American consumers and CMS Office of Minority Health communications initiatives addressing health equity issues impacting Medicare beneficiaries.   

Larry is one of the nation’s most experienced social marketing researchers and strategists. His work spans more than 30 years and campaigns addressing a wide range of health issues including HIV/AIDS, obesity prevention, mental illness stigma and discrimination reduction as well as promotion of health care access and quality. Clients include the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes for Allergy and Infectious Disease, and numerous foundations, universities as well as state and local health jurisdictions. Prior to joining NORC in 2012, Larry served as Vice President of Field Research Corporation and, before that, as founder/CEO of Communication Sciences Group and Survey Methods Group.