Co-Chair, Scholarship Committee
Board member since 2003

Kerry Alley was born and raised in Oak Bluffs and graduated from Oak Bluffs High School in 1955.  In 1959, he graduated magna cum laude with an AB Honors degree in English literature from the College of the Holy Cross and received his Ed. M. degree in counseling from Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1960.   Thereafter, he served as a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Airforce, working as Chief Psychiatric Social Worker at Sheppard AFB, Texas.

Returning to the Island in 1963, Kerry taught English at both Edgartown and Oak Bluffs schools.  In 1969, he became the first Director of Guidance at the Tisbury School, remaining in that role until his retirement in 1994.

Kerry has always valued his volunteer service. In addition to his over twelve years of service to The Endowment as a board appointed member, and as Chair of our Scholarship Committee, he has also served on the board of MV Community Services, Dukes County Community Action, the Oak Bluffs Finance Committee and the Oak Bluffs Library trustees.  Since his retirement, he has served as Co-Chair of the Red Stocking Fund for the last twenty years, for Vineyard Village at Home, Windemere Nursing Home, Island Elderly Housing, Meals on Wheels, and MV Cancer Support Group.

Kerry is married and has three children and six grandchildren. He spends his spare time time biking, canoeing, reading, hiking, playing tennis and especially travelling, having organized more than a dozen trips for Vineyard groups to almost every European country.

Kerry H. Alley
Portrait photo by Mark Alan Lovewell, courtesy of The Vineyard Gazette
Kerry H. Alley addresses graduates at the 2015 Scholarship Class Night.
Photo by Michael Cummo

I have lived and worked my entire life on Martha’s Vineyard and raised my family here. My volunteering service is payback for what the Island has given me. Serving on the Endowment’s board is my contribution, in lieu of the six figure check, to ensuring that the quality of life I value here will continue indefinitely.

Kerry H. Alley