Larry’s UU Bio

Larry Ladd is a third generation Unitarian Universalist who first became active in Unitarian Universalism as a teenager, both as a youth leader and anti-racist activist.

His spiritual practice is grounded in the 160-member UU Fellowship of Falmouth, MA (“UU Falmouth,”), which he first joined in 2003.  A former president of the congregation, he recently chaired its ministerial search committee. He serves as a welcoming greeter, as chair of the denominational affairs committee, and as an occasional preacher. UU Falmouth has been an honor congregation with the UUA since that designation was created.

His wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law are UU ministers.  He received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Meadville/Lombard Theological School in recognition of his service to Unitarian Universalism. In 2025, he received the UUA President’s Award for Volunteer Service.  He currently serves on the UUA Bylaws Renewal Team (a special committee of the UUA Board), the UUA President’s Council, and the Board of Trustees of the UU Service Committee.

He served three terms as Financial Advisor of the UUA, one of the three elected officers of the Unitarian Universalist Association, most recently from 2013-16.  He also served as Chair of the UUA APF Task Force from 2014-17.

From 2011-13 Larry served as chair of the UUA Nominating Committee and as a member from 2007-13.  During his tenure, the Nominating Committee actively recruited highly qualified and diverse leaders to serve the UUA in volunteer governance roles.  The Committee also focused more intensively on its longstanding anti-racism, anti-oppression and multicultural commitment.

From 2007-2012 Larry served as chair of the board of trustees of the Meadville Lombard Theological School, having been elected a trustee in 2005.  During his tenure as board chair the school transformed its educational, financial and governance models. 

From 1997-2005 Larry served his first two terms as the Financial Advisor of the UUA.  His tenure saw the introduction of performance metrics, significant real estate transactions, a stable church staff compensation program, a structure for socially responsible investing, an outsourced pension plan, a preferred vendor for church insurance, and new systems of financial reporting and accountability including the establishment of an audit committee.   From 1999 to 2001 he participated actively in the negotiations that led to the separation of the Canadian congregations from the UUA.

Larry’s denominational service includes the UUA Commission on Appraisal, the Fulfilling the Promise Committee, the Distinguished Service Award Committee (which he chaired), the Audit Committee (which he served as the first chair), the UUA President’s Council, the UUA Ministerial Scholarship Committee, Starr King School for the Ministry (as an advisor),  the Liberal Religious Charitable Society, the endowment committee of the Liberal Religious Educators Association, the boards of the Connecticut Valley District and Ballou Channing District, treasurer and investment committee chair of the Church of the Larger Fellowship, and continental president of Liberal Religious Youth (the predecessor of YRUU). 

He is a member of the UU Allies for Racial Equity (ARE), the UU Service Committee, the UU Studies Network, and the UU Christian Fellowship. He and his wife, Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman, are monthly sustaining donors to the UUA, ARE, Meadville Lombard Theological School, Starr King School for the Ministry, and UU Service Committee.