Dr. Lawrence Paska is the Executive Director of National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), the largest professional association in the country devoted solely to social studies education. NCSS represents K-12 classroom teachers, college and university faculty members, curriculum designers and specialists, district and state supervisors and administrators, and educators from around the world focused on social studies learning. As NCSS’ chief staff executive, he is responsible for implementing the strategic priorities, policies, and actions approved by the NCSS Board of Directors, and expanding a network of social studies professionals nationwide.

Larry began his career as a middle school social studies teacher in New York State public school districts. He later served in multiple roles at the New York State Education Department (Albany, NY). He led New York's standards and assessment programs for P-12 social studies education as a state social studies specialist, established the Office of Educational Design and Technology in P-12 Education, and implemented the Board of Regents' Statewide Learning Technology Plan and regulations for online and blended learning as the Coordinator of Technology Policy. Larry returned to schools as the Director of Social Studies for the Harrison Central School District (Harrison, NY), leading K-12 social studies, business, and library media departments. He then served as the Director of Professional Development for the Southern Westchester Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), where he and his team provided instructional programs and services for 32 public school districts in the greater New York City region, supported data-driven instruction, developed instructional leadership seminars, and implemented New York State's K-12 Social Studies Framework. He has taught social studies education methods at the university level.

Within the NCSS community, Larry served as the 2015–2016 President of the New York State Council for the Social Studies (NYSCSS), and received NYSCSS' Distinguished Social Studies Service Award in 2017. He also served as the House of Delegates' Resolutions Committee Chair, and was a member of the College and University Faculty Assembly (CUFA), Council of State Social Studies Specialists (CS4), and National Social Studies Supervisors Association (NSSSA). 

Larry holds permanent 7–12 social studies education and school district administrator certifications in New York State, and a Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). He earned a B.A. in History and an M.A.T. in Social Studies from Union College (Schenectady, NY) and a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University at Albany (Albany, NY). 

Larry serves on the Executive Committees for CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation), the National Coalition for History, and the Title IV-A Coalition. He represents NCSS on advocacy and education coalitions including the CivXNow Coalition and the National Media Literacy Education Alliance.