A native of the Bayou State, where he was born in Sulphur on May 17, 1964, a son of Lorna (Andrews) Larson and the late Melvin, he has a younger brother, Eric. He was raised in Maryland, attending public schools in Fort Washington, Rosecroft Elementary, John Hanson Junior High, and Oxon Hill High School. The area of southern Maryland bordering on the Potomac provided easy access to the nation's capital and views of Mount Vernon across the river.

In 1986, he was awarded a bachelor of science degree in ocean engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London, Connecticut, and a master of science degree in computer information systems from the University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Ariz., in 2003.

He and his wife Rebecca (Keene) Larson are the parents of Rachel, who lives in Hollywood, California, and Elrick and Victoria, both living in Marblehead.

Currently employed at Bluestone Consulting Group in Acton, he had previous jobs across the country and locally: Zdata, Boise, Idaho; Aginity, Evanston, Illinois; DMC, Hopkinton; Edgewater Technology, Wakefield; and Process Software, Framingham. During his Coast Guard career, he was assigned to postings in Kodiak, Alaska; Clearwater and Pensacola, both in Florida; Portland, Oregon; and here in Boston.

During his deacon formation, he had pastoral experience at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, Melrose.