Dame Kerry Prendergast was the mayor of Wellington for three terms until 2010 and before that she served as deputy mayor between 1995 and 2001. In addition to her career in local government, Kerry has a professional background in the health sector as a registered nurse and midwife for 30 years.

She is chair of the New Zealand Film Commission, Wellington Opera Trust, Wellington Free Ambulance, and the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Kerry is a trustee of Capital Kiwi, Katherine Mansfield Birth Place Endowment Trust, Victoria University Foundation, and Wellington International Arts Foundation, and a board member of Wellington Phoenix Football Club.

She is a director of Oceania Healthcare, and Commercial Fisheries Service. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Wellington, and Centre for Women's Health Research Advisory Board. She is also patron of Wellington High Performance Aquatics, and Mary Potter Hospice. She has an interest in the Boulcott's Farm Heritage Golf Club. She is a Life Member of the Royal NZ Plunket Trust.

In 2011 Kerry was made a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary and a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen's Birthday Honours.