Ruperto M. Perez, Ph.D.

Associate VP for Student Health and Wellbeing, The University of Alabama

Dr. Perez is a licensed psychologist and former Director of the Counseling Center at Georgia Tech. He previously worked at the University of Florida Counseling Center as Assistant Director for Clinical Services/Clinical Assistant Professor, and as Counseling Services Coordinator and Training Director at the University of Georgia Counseling and Testing Center. During his tenure as Director at Georgia Tech, Dr. Perez spearheaded numerous campus-wide efforts, including the establishment of a peer counseling program, a collegiate recovery program, and a campus-wide zero suicide education and prevention initiative.

He received his master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston College and his doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri, Columbia. His scholarly and research interest areas include racial and ethnic identity development, working with sexual-minority and gender-diverse communities, and curriculum development related to diversity and inclusion. He has authored a number of articles and book chapters on counseling LGBTQ+ persons and is the co-editor of the Handbook of Counseling and Psychotherapy with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Clients (2nd ed.) and the Handbook of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity in Counseling and Psychotherapy, both published by the American Psychological Association.

Dr. Perez is Board Certified in Counseling Psychology, a Diamond Honoree recipient of the American College Personnel Association, and a Fellow in the American Psychological Association.