Jerry Perry Joins Board of Directors

Jerry Perry (he/him/his) has been named the newest member of the Southern Arizona Senior Pride Board of Directors.

Jerry’s interest in Southern Arizona Senior Pride began a few years before his retirement from the University of Arizona, in 2023. Like many before him, at the time he considered what he would do post-work, in his case after a 40-year career working primarily in health sciences libraries. Jerry determined that a good match would be volunteering for SASP – he had attended a few of the organization’s programs and experienced first-hand their value and benefit. He then got busy with life and home improvement projects but was reminded of SASP when a “frolleague” (friend and former colleague) recommended that he pursue membership on the Board of Directors.

Jerry hasn’t given up libraries entirely. He is an Associate Dean Emeritus with the University of Arizona Libraries and continues to engage in scholarship in his areas of research interest – most recently machine learning, AI and health equity. Jerry is indeed a nerd but is also an avid baseball fan (D-Backs), enjoys basketball (Suns, Nuggets, and Knicks) and hockey (Avalanche) – teams from places where Jerry has lived. Jerry is a pretty good cook (French, Italian, and Indian) and enjoys reading (all genres). His greatest passion though is music, and his tastes are eclectic, ranging from Baroque opera and early music to prog- and math rock.

Jerry’s personal life and work occupied most of his time and attention the past few decades, but in the early aughts he was a member of the Board of Directors for Tucson’s Wingspan community center, and with his partner and a friend helped co-produce several annual iterations of the Tucson LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

Jerry looks like Santa Claus and is perfectly happy when people greet him as such. Jerry’s barber recently told him that he lives in his own little lane, by which he thinks his barber meant that Jerry is unique. His ego likes to think so, but he knows it’s not true. He knows he needs the support of the community, and he hopes to pay it forward by helping SASP.

“We are delighted to welcome Jerry to the Board,” says Executive Director Mary O’Donoghue. “His knowledge, enthusiasm, and commitment to strengthening our community will be wonderful assets to Senior Pride.”