Kirby Wilhelm is a Program Associate working for the National Center for Mobility Management.
Kirby has been with NCMM and its lead organization, the Community Transportation Association of America, for (soon-to-be) two and a half years. During this time, he’s provided technical assistance towards improving mobility to places of all sizes; he’s worked with people from communities ranging from rural tribal nations to small metros to large urban areas. As editor of the Mobility Lines blog, he works to showcase exciting mobility practices and as editor of NCMM’s monthly newsletter helps keep mobility managers informed and aware of relevant news and initiatives. He also is FTA’s Region VI Liaison for NCMM, covering the South Central United States (please reach out if you work in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, or New Mexico!)
“I have always been fascinated by the ways in which people get around. I grew up in sprawling southwest Florida where the car is (definitely) king. Having lived in the Northeast before moving down to Florida in elementary school, I found the difficulties in getting around without a car unfair and unjust, especially considering how easy it was to move myself when visiting my grandma in Brooklyn by bus or out to family in New Jersey or Long Island by train during trips to the Northeast.
I saw firsthand the financial and emotional hardships that automobility had put on family and friends and I wanted to learn how to change the systemic reasons for these mobility and infrastructure differences. So, I pursued sociology at Ithaca College graduating with a BA in 2018.
Before coming to NCMM, I worked for an affordable housing non-profit in Ithaca, managing a small repair program for older-adults and disabled homeowners focused on health and safety repairs. Being in close contact with these groups, through the program’s application process and home visits, I realized that many would benefit from accessing other resources. The most frequent of the community resource connections I made was to transportation providers, helping them connect to paratransit and volunteer driver programs. I realized I wanted to find work that would allow me to help connect people to transportation and improve their mobility options full-time. Soon after that realization, I discovered CTAA and applied for an open position at NCMM to do so.
In the past I’ve also worked as a late-night deli worker, energy efficiency program navigator, and library circulation assistant. I’m a proud homeowner in Baltimore City, rugby player for Baltimore-Chesapeake RFC, avid cyclist, and multi-modal commuter when heading into CTAA’s DC office (I ride one of my bikes to Penn Station, bring my bike along for the ride, and head to downtown DC again by bike). I’m incredibly glad to be working for NCMM & CTAA helping to strengthen and improve community transportation for all.”
If wanting to connect about Kirby’s commute, micromobility infrastructure, strengthening the connections between housing and transportation, the Baltimore Region Rail System Plan of 2002, or anything else, feel free to reach out to him!
Have more mobility news that we should be reading and sharing? Let us know! Reach out to Sage Kashner (kashner@ctaa.org).
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