Kyle joined the U.S. Botanic Garden in 2001 after pursuing a master's degree in systematic botany at the University of Oklahoma. Kyle was born in Lafayette, Indiana where he took an early interest in the flora and fauna of the Eastern Deciduous Forest and tallgrass prairie biomes, learning the families and scientific names of plants he encountered. His initial academic path was in the field of theology and biblical languages, receiving a B.A. at McGill University and master's degree at the University of Chicago. Kyle would later return to his hometown and the department of horticulture at Purdue University after receiving life-changing advice from Dr. Harrison Flint to explore a career in public horticulture. His professional career began at Toledo Botanical Garden.

Kyle has been a member of the Botanical Society of America, American Society of Plant Taxonomists, and the Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries.