Perry Gorrell has spent his entire career helping Missouri students succeed—starting in the agriculture classroom and eventually moving into statelevel educational leadership. After growing up in Hughesville, Missouri on a family farm, he began his education journey at State Fair Community College before earning his agriculture education degree from Central Missouri State University. He later returned to the University of Central Missouri for both his master’s in Secondary School Administration and his specialist degree in School Superintendency. Perry started teaching Vocational Agriculture in Marionville and then Cole Camp, where he discovered a passion for supporting students and shaping school culture. That passion led him into administration, first as an assistant administrator and then as a high school principal in Otterville and Cole Camp. From there, he stepped into district leadership, serving as superintendent at Cole Camp
R-1 and then Cole R-1, Russellville.

In 2022, Perry went to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, where he served in the role that focused on career pathways. While in this position, he worked closely with secondary programs, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Governor’s office and business partners to create a systems approach to registered apprenticeships for students while still in high school. From there he served as the department’s chief of governmental relations and now as the program administrator for career and technical education for the state of Missouri. His work continues to center on expanding opportunities for Missouri students and strengthening educational systems across the state. When not at work, you can find him tending to his cow-calf operation or spending time on the water of the Lake of the Ozarks.