The younger of the two children of the late Richard and Elaine (Vaclavik) Kearns, he was born in the Empire State as was his older sister, Debra, of Cape Coral, Fla. He attended school at Merrimac Elementary and Senica Junior High School, both in Holbrook, N.Y., and Sachem High School in Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y. He is an alumnus of Tempe's Arizona State University, graduating with a degree in electrical engineering in 1992. Now retired, he previously worked at MathWorks, Natick, and Intel Corporation, Hudson. During deacon formation, he served in parish ministries of Immaculate Conception, Marlborough, among them home visitor, ministry in extended care facilities, and the parish St. Vincent de Paul Council. He also served a summer internship at Old Colony Correctional Center, Bridgewater. Married to Valerie (Ochoa) Kearns, they are the parents of three daughters: Issabella, Gabriella, and Christiana.