Alan Williams, founder of the John Kirby Jazz Foundation and grandson of jazz legend John Kirby, was born and raised in Winchester, VA. A former student-athlete, he studied Computer Science at West Virginia University Potomac State College and later earned a Bachelor’s in Workforce Education from Southern Illinois University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Troy State University. A Cold War and Desert Storm veteran, Alan served 20 years in the Navy, retiring in 2001. He later worked as a substitute teacher and retired from law enforcement as a Classification Specialist in 2021.