Building a Transportation Program and Barriers to Transportation in Rural Areas
Kyle Kleist
Session Overview:
Additional Session Materials:
About Your Presenter:
Kyle Kleist
Kyle Kleist is the Executive Director at the Center for Independent Living for Western Wisconsin (CILWW). As a person with a disability who uses a wheelchair, Kyle has over 20 years of experience working in Independent living and understands the transportation needs of persons with disabilities. In 2004, he became the first Transportation Coordinator at CILWW and helped to start the CILWW’s New Freedom (NF) Transportation Program. Kyle left CILWW in 2004 to teach for 10 years at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in the undergraduate Rehabilitation Services program. However, during that time remained connected to CILWW, serving on the Board for 6 years, the last three years as Board President. In 2017, Kyle returned to CILWW as Assistant Director, then as Executive Director in 2020. Since 2004, the NF program has grown from serving four counties in Western Wisconsin to now serving forty-two counties or over half the state of Wisconsin, with eight full-time staff and a director overseeing the program. CILWW understands the barriers faced by persons with disabilities living in rural areas and is always working to find ways to eliminate those barriers.