Growing up with a sister with Down syndrome, watching her grow and thrive while advocating for her rights to be treated as everyone else, made Kayla Cary, Sedgwick County Infant/Toddler Services Coordinator, want to be more involved in the special needs community. “Always being a big part of my sister’s life increased my capacity for empathy and gave me a greater appreciation for individual differences and resiliency,” said Kayla.
After earning her degree in Social Work from Wichita State University, Kayla worked at the Kansas Children’s Service League supervising the Parent Engagement and Leadership Team. The Parent Engagement Coordinators served parents through education classes with children birth to 5-years-old in the TOP schools in the Wichita and Topeka areas. Some of the support groups included caregivers of children with special needs, kinship, Spanish speaking parents, and moms just needing extra support.
When the opportunity came up to join the Rainbows’ team, Kayla didn’t hesitate. The mission of the organization to make a difference in the lives of children with special needs and their families aligns perfectly with her passions.
“Kayla leads our largest program, serving more than 2,000 children and their families,” said Lindsay Kral, Vice President of Programs and Services. “Her experiences both professional and personal make her a great asset for Rainbows.”
Kayla and her husband, a cinematographer with many hobbies, have two teenage boys who are very involved in sports such as track, cross country, baseball, and football. It is the family goal to visit every baseball stadium in the United States. They also have a 5-year-old, spoiled terrier rescue mix, Herbie. He likes to snuggle and go for walks.
Kayla enjoys working out, reading, and watching anything sports related, especially Nebraska Football! “One day I would love to have either a dog rescue or a useless farm,” she laughed.
