Session Speaker: Kim Rutledge, Director of the Department of Rehabilitation
Session Overview: Being a leader during difficult times requires unique skills and abilities. Some of these come from formal education and training while others come through our life experiences. Director Rutledge, who was born with a significant physical disability and has been a wheelchair user since she was a toddler, will discuss how her lived disability experience informs her work. She will also discuss how various experiences which are often seen as barriers or challenges can actually help us build skills and abilities to lead and help us to become transformative leaders for positive change. Join this dynamic session to hear how you can leverage your life experiences, including ones that seemed to be difficult, to become a more effective leader in the face of policy and other challenges.
About the Speaker: Kim Rutledge, a nationally recognized leader in the disability community, was appointed Director of the California Department of Rehabilitation by Governor Newsom in January 2025. In this role, Rutledge leads the nation’s largest vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs, which advance employment and independence for people with disabilities. Rutledge has been with DOR since May 2022, when she joined the department as Deputy Director of the Office of Legislation and Communications. Previously, Rutledge held multiple positions at the California Department of Social Services, including policy branch chief for In-Home Supportive Services and program administrator for Adult Protective Services.
Before entering state government, she was Assistant Legislative Director at the United Domestic Workers of America, which represents nearly 200,000 In-Home Supportive Services providers throughout California. She was the Sweeney Graduate Intern on Disability Policy at the National Academy of Social Insurance in Washington, D.C., and a Graduate Policy Intern at the Disability Community Resource Center in Los Angeles.
Earlier in her career, she worked as a newspaper reporter and editor at several publications, including the Sacramento Bee and the Oakland Tribune.
She earned a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Master of Social Welfare degree from the University of California-Los Angeles.