04/30/2026
The Rotary Club of North Shelby Inverness is very proud to introduce you to our Club President:
John Roper
Chief Executive Officer
Disability Rights and Resources | Birmingham, Alabama
(Pictured with Dr. Mary J Sanspree, PhD)
John Roper is the Chief Executive Officer of Disability Rights and Resources (DRR), a Center for
Independent Living serving a 20-county region of Central Alabama. In this role, he leads the
organization’s efforts to advance independence, accessibility, and community inclusion for
people with disabilities. DRR provides independent living services, home modifications, benefits
counseling, youth transition programs, and community education designed to remove barriers
and improve quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
Mr. Roper brings more than 19 years of senior nonprofit leadership experience and over three
decades of public service across law enforcement, human services, housing, and community
development. Since joining DRR in 2022, he has overseen the expansion of multiple federal and
community programs that improve housing accessibility, support youth with disabilities
transitioning to adulthood, and strengthen independent living services across urban and rural
communities.
Prior to DRR, Mr. Roper served as Chief Executive Officer of The Arc of the Emerald Coast in
Florida, where he led programs supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental
disabilities. His earlier leadership roles include Executive Director of Lighthouse Counseling
Center in Montgomery, Executive Director of the Alabama Chapter of the U.S. Green Building
Council, and Vice President of Southeast Affordable Housing for Volunteers of America. Earlier
in his career, he served with the Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention
and spent 14 years as a law enforcement officer with the City of Clanton.
Mr. Roper holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice
from Troy State University. He is a graduate of both the Nonprofit Executive Leadership
Institute and the Rotary Leadership Institute.
Throughout his career, Mr. Roper has been actively engaged in community leadership and
nonprofit governance. His service has included board and advisory roles with organizations such
as One Place Family Justice Center, the Okaloosa County Early Learning Coalition, the
Montgomery Homeless Coalition Affordable Housing Committee, and The Arc of Florida State
Board of Directors. He is a Charter Member and current President of the North
Shelby–Inverness Rotary Club and has previously served as President, Sergeant at Arms, and
Secretary of the Fort Walton Beach Rotary Club.
His service and leadership have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Paul
Harris Fellow Award and selection as an Olympic Torch Bearer during the 1996 Olympic Games.
Mr. Roper remains deeply committed to advancing opportunities for people with disabilities to
live independently, participate fully in their communities, and achieve their personal goals.
