Cindy Burkhour is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and Certified Park and Recreation Professional who has consulted around the country on a variety of recreation issues.
Cindy has been consulting in the areas of inclusive recreation and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
She is assisting recreation providers to comply with the ADA and to include persons with disabilities in typical recreation programs. She has worked with many municipal, county and state agencies as well as school districts, private industries and advocacy organizations.
Cindy has worked as a professional in the field since 1978. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Grand Valley State University and a Master of Arts Degree in Parks and Recreation Administration from Central Michigan University.
She has been the director of a community recreation department and coordinator of therapeutic recreation services for a community recreation program. Cindy has taught Therapeutic Recreation and Adapted Physical Education on the adjunct faculties of Grand Valley State University, Aquinas College and Wayne State University and as a Visiting Professor at Eastern Michigan University.
She has volunteered and consulted with a variety of sports organizations for persons with and without disabilities including the National Alliance for Youth Sports, National & Michigan Disability Sports Alliances, Paralympics and Special Olympics.
In the past Cindy has chaired several leisure and recreation related committees for state and national disability advocacy and recreation organizations including TASH, NRPA, ARC, & MRPA.
She also served on the U.S. Access Boards’ Recreation Accessibility Advisory Committee and the Regulatory Negotiation Committees on Access to Play Facilities and Access to Outdoor Developed Areas to establish the ADA compliance rules for recreation facilities.
Cindy has had many articles on the inclusion of people with disabilities in recreation and sports published by a large variety of recreation, sport and advocacy organizations.
She has also written a guide book for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to assist communities in including persons with disabilities in their programs. Cindy developed and has directed "Access Recreation: Creating Access to Community Recreation Opportunities for ALL Kids!" projects in several states including Michigan and Missouri where, through inservice training she's assisted in the development of collaborative relationships between schools, families and recreation providers to support the inclusion of students with disabilities in sports, leisure and recreation activities.
Cindy also served as Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and Adaptive P.E. consultant for Jenison Public Schools providing direct service and consultation to facilitate the inclusion of children with many different disabilities in art, music, physical education, recess, and extra-curricular activities.
She is currently directing the “Access to Recreation Initiative” funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and implemented through the Michigan Recreation and Park Association, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Midwest Community Foundations’ Ventures. The $15 million dollar “Access to Recreation Initiative” is designed to assist local, regional and state level recreation providers to develop universal access to all recreation opportunities for all people, of all abilities, together.
She is also conducting ADA self-evaluations and developing transition plans for park and recreation facilities, programs and services to facilitate compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act in several communities in Michigan and Illinois.
Cindy has been active in working with persons with disabilities her entire life. She has a sibling, who has multiple physical and mental impairments and she is also the parent of a child who faces a variety of challenges after experiencing several massive strokes. She advocates professionally and personally for the rights of ALL people to be included in all aspects of community life.
Please visit www.cilsflablog.org
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