STN EXPO Indy Panel to Focus on Navigating Student Transportation Politics

April 25, 2023

Alexandra Robinson, president of A. Robinson Consulting and a former executive director of transportation, will be leading a panel of seasoned industry professionals who will discuss the ever-changing rules to the politics game in student transportation.

The general session, “Playing the Politics Game,” is scheduled to be held at STN EXPO Indianapolis on June 6.

Conversation topics will include transportation directors and others working with administration and setting realistic expectations within transportation departments, integrating into new departments, navigating personnel changes and handling difficult human resource situations. The panel will also discuss the wide range of different organizational structures at transportation departments and how to work towards success for all staff members.

Robinson, also an editorial board advisor to School Transportation News and a member of the TSD Conference tenured faculty, will be joined by Nicole Portee, the assistant superintendent of operations at Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District in North Carolina, and Dr. Terry Tippin, director of operations of North Putnam Community School Corporation in Indiana. Both are also former directors of transportation, and Portee was the 2018 STN Transportation Director of the Year during her time as executive director at Denver Public Schools in Colorado.

Portee and Tippin will speak on the importance of reputation within the industry and how to effectively work with management that may have different approaches or mindsets. They will address staff shortages and learning how to operate effectively with smaller staff numbers. Other topics of discussion will include building a strong relationship with parents & community members, maneuvering state and technology guidelines to find the right vendor partners, as well as financial and funding hurdles.

Those who are newer to the industry can gain a better understanding of student transportation departments’ inner workings while student transportation veterans can also benefit from tips to navigate new challenges that face student transporters across the nation.

Along with Transportation Director Summit, Green Bus Summit, and a breakout session on managing growing district operations, the navigating politics general session fulfills credits to satisfy training hours needed for the Indiana Association of School Business Officials Certification Program.

Save $100 on full conference registration with the Early Bird Registration Discount (valid through April 28). Visit stnexpo.com/east to register.