Kevin is a native of central New York, who grew up in Marcellus and attended college at Canton SUNY and Clarkson University. Upon graduating from Clarkson with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1981, Kevin served in the United States Army before returning to Clarkson in 1984 to pursue a Master of Science in Geotechnical Engineering. From 1987 to 1989, Kevin worked for a civil engineering firm located south of Boston, Massachusetts, before settling in the Rochester area and working for 2 local geotechnical engineering firms. In March 2002, Kevin formed Tierney Geotechnical Engineering. Kevin has acquired over 20 years of experience in geotechnical and site civil engineering, as well as environmental engineering.

Kevin and his wife Maribeth live in the town of Pavilion with their daughter Elizabeth, where they reside in a rural setting much like the area in Marcellus where he grew up. This has led to several annual events such as bunny nests in the flower beds, turtles migrations to lay eggs in the yard, and the yearly heron gathering.

Kevin continues to pursue his interest in military history and model making which he first experienced as a young boy, as well as firearms collecting, target shooting and hunting.