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| John E. Kyle Retires From NLC |
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The so-called ?godfather? of NLC?s work on youth, education and families retired earlier this month after more than 17 years of connecting cities and families.
John E. Kyle joined the National League of Cities in May 1987 as a consultant. His job was to explore local roles in dealing with kids and families ? working on what Kyle called ?a little planning grant.?
?It seemed like a great opportunity for me to continue to focus on children, youth and families in a very different venue,? Kyle said when asked what attracted him to NLC.
He had previously worked on youth programs at the state level in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Kyle said his initial focus at NLC was figuring out what, if anything, municipal governments were doing on children and family issues and how NLC might support and enhance those efforts.
?I discovered very early that cities were doing a lot and had a lot to say about local roles in supporting kids and families,? Kyle said.
Kyle described his work at NLC on children and families as ?solo? for the first 10 years ? working on a variety of grants to build and sustain a municipal presence on children and families issues. In 1993, then-NLC President Donald Fraser, former mayor of Minneapolis, Minn., raised the profile of NLC?s work when he made children and families his highest priority for the year.
During that year, Kyle organized the first Your City?s Families conference, which attracted more than 200 municipal leaders who were committed to improving the lives of children, youth and families in their communities.
Kyle described that event ? and the six increasingly larger conferences and summits since then ? as a real highlight of his NLC experience.
?The fact that that initial event really caught fire and has grown and continued to succeed makes me feel great,? Kyle said. ?From the start, the conference has focused on teams and collaboration among municipal officials and nonprofits. It always amazed me how hard participants worked to create interesting teams and to make real hometown plans during the conference.?
He said the philosophy of teamwork and collaboration on behalf of children and families has carried over to programs now offered by NLC?s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families.
YEF Institute Director Clifford Johnson said Kyle?s solo work during his first 10 years at NLC provided the ?framework that made the institute possible.?
?John frequently talked about a paper he intended to write highlighting the blind spot that many municipal leaders have about their roles and responsibilities on behalf of children and families,? Johnson said. ?While John never wrote that paper, it has become clear over the years that his work at NLC helped municipal leaders get past that blind spot and embrace this important role.?
Kyle said he was leaving feeling very good about his work at NLC.
?NLC as a whole allowed me to grow over these 17 years,? he said. ?Kids have been the thread in my professional life ever since college and the support I got at NLC to do something for kids and families was great.?
Kyle said he was retiring from commuting more than anything else. As a resident of Baltimore since his days working for Maryland Governor Harry Hughes, Kyle has faced a daily round trip commute of at least three hours. Because he said he ?fell in love? with Baltimore when he first moved there, relocating closer to Washington was never an option.
?I hope to recalibrate my life and reclaim that time,? he said. ?I plan to indulge in some foolish past times, engage in fruitful relationships, travel, volunteer and use my talents in new ways.? |
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