Program Manager
KatyO@opendoorsnfp.org
Katy O’Reilly joined ODO in 2015 after 10 years in community-based recreation and day program
settings where she provided direct service to youth and adults with disabilities, the latter years as a
Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). As a recreation therapist, Katy was responsible for
developing programs that would address the social/emotional, cognitive, physical, and leisure needs of
individuals with disabilities in community settings, many of which involved improving functional
independence in local and long distance travel.
Katy has a thorough knowledge of best practices related to accessibility and design. In addition to
planning ODO’s industry events, she was co-author of ACRP Report 210: Innovative Solutions to
Facilitate Accessibility for Airport Travelers with Disabilities and co-investigator for ACRP 239: Assessing
Airport Programs for Persons with Disabilities and Older Adults. Other ODO airport projects to which
Katy has contributed include the SLC ADA Evaluation/Transition Plan (2023), SEA Accessibility
Assessment/Transition Plan (20i7) and PIT Wayfinding and Accessibility Assessment (2016). For the SEA
project, she organized outreach efforts that included 13 focus groups for airport departments and
stakeholders and 3 meetings with the disability community.
Katy has developed and delivered awareness/accessibility training for both U.S. and foreign carriers
including most notably Alaska, jetBlue, Air Canada and British Airways. In 2023 she assisted West Jet
and Lynx Air with community outreach for the Accessibility Plans now required by the Canadian
Transportation Agency. For Alaska Airlines, she also co-authored with Laurel Van Horn two “Accessible
Workplace Handbooks” on “Facilities” and “Employment.”
Ms. O’Reilly is an expert in accessible ground transportation, providing training and other services for
taxis, ride share companies Uber and Lyft, and Amtrak. She currently leads ODO work for the DOT
ITS4US Complete Trip Deployment Program in Buffalo, NY, a multimodal program that includes
accessible autonomous shuttles. Katy has also contributed to several USDOT FHWA including
“Intersections for Pedestrians and Bicyclists: An Informational Guide” (2021) and “Multimodal and
Accessible Travel Standards Assessment” (2020).
Katy has a Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation from Western Illinois University. She resides in Algonquin, IL with her husband, Brian, and their golden retriever, Maggie.
Sitemap