Kenny Alexander

Kenny Alexander
Born	Kenneth Cooper Alexander 17 10, 1966
Birthplace	Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, educator, entrepreneur
Title	Mayor of Norfolk, Virginia
Known for	167th Mayor of Norfolk, Virginia
Spouse(s)	Donna Burnley
Children	2

Kenneth Cooper Alexander (born October 17, 1966), known publicly as Kenny Alexander, is an American politician, educator, and entrepreneur who has served as the 167th Mayor of Norfolk, Virginia since July 1, 2016. A lifelong resident of Norfolk, Alexander has held public office in Virginia for more than two decades, first as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 89th District from 2002 to 2012, then as a member of the Senate of Virginia representing the 5th District from 2012 to 2016, before winning the Norfolk mayoral election in 2016. Outside of elected office, Alexander has served as chancellor of a system of twenty career colleges and as president of Metropolitan Funeral Services. He is the author of Persistence: Evelyn Butts and the African American Quest for Full Citizenship and Self-Determination (2021). In June 2025, Alexander announced that he would not seek re-election as mayor, having accepted a statewide educational leadership role with the Virginia Community College System. In January 2026, he was named interim president of Richard Bland College.

Early Life

Kenneth Cooper Alexander was born on October 17, 1966, in Norfolk, Virginia, where he has resided throughout his life. He grew up in the city and became involved in civic and community affairs at an early age. Norfolk, a major port city in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia, has a substantial African American population and a long history of civil rights activism — themes that would later inform Alexander's political career and scholarly interests, particularly his research into the life of civil rights activist Evelyn Butts.

Alexander's roots in Norfolk shaped his commitment to public service and education. He established a career in both the private sector and public life within the Hampton Roads area before entering electoral politics in 2002.

Education

Alexander pursued higher education at multiple institutions. He attended John Tyler Community College before earning a degree from Old Dominion University, located in his hometown of Norfolk. He subsequently attended Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the United States, located in Northfield, Vermont. He also studied at Antioch University. Alexander holds a doctoral degree and is frequently referred to as "Dr. Kenneth C. Alexander" in official communications and news coverage.

Career

Virginia House of Delegates (2002–2012)

Alexander entered Virginia politics in 2002, winning a special election in August of that year to represent the 89th District of the Virginia House of Delegates, a seat based in Norfolk. He succeeded Jerrauld Jones in the seat. Alexander won re-election to the House of Delegates in the November 2003 general election and again in 2005.

During his tenure in the House of Delegates, Alexander rose to a position of leadership within the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus. In December 2008, he was selected to serve as chair of the caucus. This role gave him a prominent platform to advocate on issues affecting African American communities across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Alexander continued to win elections in the 89th District through the 2007, 2009, and 2011 election cycles, serving a total of ten years in the lower chamber of the Virginia General Assembly. He was succeeded in the 89th District by Daun Hester upon his departure to the state Senate.

Virginia Senate (2012–2016)

In 2012, Alexander transitioned from the House of Delegates to the Senate of Virginia, winning a special election on September 17, 2012, to represent the 5th Senate District, which encompassed portions of Norfolk and Chesapeake. He succeeded Senator Yvonne B. Miller, who had been the first African American woman elected to both the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate.

Alexander served in the Virginia Senate for approximately four years, from September 2012 through June 30, 2016, when he departed the chamber to assume the office of mayor of Norfolk. He was succeeded in the 5th Senate District by Lionell Spruill.

Mayor of Norfolk (2016–present)

Alexander was elected mayor of Norfolk in a May 2016 city election, succeeding Paul D. Fraim, who had served as mayor since 1994. He took office on July 1, 2016, becoming the 167th mayor of Norfolk and the city's first African American mayor in its modern era.

As mayor, Alexander has overseen the governance of one of Virginia's largest cities and a major center of U.S. naval operations. Norfolk is home to Naval Station Norfolk, the world's largest naval base, and the city's economy and civic life are closely intertwined with the military.

In June 2025, Alexander announced that he would not seek re-election as mayor. He disclosed that he had accepted a leadership position with the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), a statewide network of community colleges. In a subsequent interview, Alexander provided additional details about the scope of his new role, stating that the position would involve statewide educational leadership across the community college system. Alexander stated his intention to serve out his full term as mayor, which is set to expire in 2028.

Alexander was one of four mayors in South Hampton Roads who announced plans not to seek re-election, a development that The Virginian-Pilot noted would open the door for a significant transition in regional leadership.

Interim President of Richard Bland College (2026)

In January 2026, Alexander was named interim president of Richard Bland College, a two-year public college in Petersburg, Virginia, that is part of the College of William & Mary system. The appointment came a few months after he had left a similar educational position. Alexander stated publicly that the role at Richard Bland College would not interfere with his duties as Norfolk's mayor. The Virginian-Pilot examined the potential impact of the dual roles, reporting on how Alexander planned to balance his responsibilities as mayor with his new educational appointment.

Career Colleges and Business

Outside of elected office, Alexander has served as chancellor of a system of twenty career and technical colleges. This system includes three primary institutional brands:

• Centura College — A healthcare, business, and skilled trades school operating four campuses in the Hampton Roads region and one in Richmond, Virginia.
• Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) — Founded in Norfolk, AIM grew to operate fourteen campuses across the United States and became the largest system of aviation maintenance schools in the country.
• Tidewater Tech — A trade school located in Norfolk offering welding and automotive mechanics programs. Tidewater Tech has been described as the largest supplier of certified welders and HVAC technicians in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The growth of this career college system led to the establishment of the only Wind Turbine Technician program in the Mid-Atlantic region, which has been offered at the Centura Norfolk campus.

Alexander also serves as president of Metropolitan Funeral Services, a business based in the Norfolk area.

Writing and Scholarship

Alexander is the author of Persistence: Evelyn Butts and the African American Quest for Full Citizenship and Self-Determination, published in 2021. The book examines the life and civil rights work of Evelyn Butts, a Norfolk activist who played a significant role in challenging Virginia's poll tax and advancing voting rights for African Americans. Butts's case, Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections (1966), reached the Supreme Court of the United States and resulted in the elimination of poll taxes in state elections.

Alexander has also been a guest columnist in Virginia newspapers and has served as a lecturer on political science and leadership studies.

Personal Life

Alexander resides in Norfolk, Virginia, with his wife, Donna Burnley. They have two sons, Kenneth II and David. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Career in Education Leadership

Alexander's career has been characterized by the intersection of politics and education. His role as chancellor of twenty career colleges provided him with substantial experience in higher education administration, particularly in the career and technical education sector. This background informed his subsequent transition into public higher education leadership roles, including his appointment to the Virginia Community College System in 2025 and his appointment as interim president of Richard Bland College in January 2026.

The career college system under Alexander's chancellorship focused on workforce development in fields including healthcare, aviation maintenance, welding, HVAC technology, and renewable energy. The establishment of the Mid-Atlantic's only Wind Turbine Technician program represented an expansion into the emerging green energy sector.

Political Career Summary

Office	District	Term	Predecessor	Successor
Virginia House of Delegates	89th	August 2002 – September 2012	Jerrauld Jones	Daun Hester
Virginia Senate	5th	September 17, 2012 – June 30, 2016	Yvonne B. Miller	Lionell Spruill
Mayor of Norfolk	—	July 1, 2016 – present	Paul D. Fraim	Incumbent

Campaign Finance

Records maintained by the Virginia Public Access Project and the National Institute on Money in State Politics document Alexander's campaign finance activity across his multiple campaigns for the House of Delegates, the Virginia Senate, and the Norfolk mayoralty.

Legacy

Alexander's tenure as mayor of Norfolk spans a period of significant change for the city, including ongoing urban development, economic challenges, and environmental concerns related to sea-level rise in the coastal Hampton Roads region. His decision not to seek re-election, announced in June 2025, marked the beginning of a transition period for the city's leadership.

His career trajectory — from the Virginia House of Delegates to the Senate of Virginia to the mayor's office, combined with his parallel career in career and technical education — reflects a sustained engagement with both governance and workforce development in Virginia. His scholarly work on Evelyn Butts and the civil rights movement in Virginia has contributed to the documentation of African American political history in the Commonwealth.

As one of four South Hampton Roads mayors who announced plans not to run again, Alexander's departure from the mayoral office is part of a broader regional leadership transition that The Virginian-Pilot characterized as an opportunity for "new blood" in the governance of southeastern Virginia's major cities.