Kara Gerry grew up in East Fishkill. She is a graduate of St. Denis-St. Columba School, Our Lady of Lourdes High School, and Marist College. After graduating from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, Kara joined the Orange County District Attorney’s office as an Assistant District Attorney. She gained invaluable training and experience prosecuting thousands of criminal cases but also developed a deeper understanding and awareness of what it truly means to act in the best interest of the public and to pursue justice. Ethical considerations, protecting victims, and acting with integrity must be balanced with upholding the constitutional protections of the accused and simultaneously holding them accountable for criminal actions. As a prosecutor, Kara developed a true sense of what it means to seek justice and not merely obtain convictions. ​

 

After leaving the Orange County DA’s office, Kara partnered with her father at the law firm of Buckley & Gerry, handling civil litigation, personal injury, and real estate matters. Working with her father was an amazing experience, but Kara felt called to serve her community, and shortly after her son was born, she joined the Dutchess County Public Defender’s Office as a Night Arraignment Attorney. In 2014, Gerry was appointed as a Senior Assistant Public Defender in Dutchess County, where she handled a very heavy caseload. In 2018, she was promoted to Bureau Chief of the Criminal Unit, where she supervises six attorneys in addition to handling her own caseload. 

 

Kara’s husband, Niles Gerry, grew up in Pawling, New York, and is an attorney with the Department of Homeland Security. They live in Lagrangeville with their son and two daughters. Outside of work hours, they attend their children's hockey games, dance recitals, and many school events.