For the past four years, School Transportation News has requested nominations of student transporters who are displaying leadership or innovation in their school bus operation, but who may have not received the public or industry-wide recognition that they deserve.
This year, we received 93 nominations, which are listed below. Out of these, 10 individuals were selected by the editors for profiles in STN’s October magazine Rising Superstars feature.
- Patricia Almaraz, Director of Transportation, Channelview ISD, Texas
- Dave Anderson, Sales Manager, The Lion Electric Co. West Team, California
- Nathan Baguio, VP of Sales, The Lion Electric Co. West Team, California
- Marie Bedard, Business Development Manager, The Lion Electric Co. Bus Team, California
- Elizabeth Berner, Supervisor of Transportation, Ithaca City Schools, New York
- Jason Binder, Assistant Transportation Director, Toledo Public Schools, Ohio
- Keith Brown, Transportation Director, Gordon County Schools, Georgia
- Clint Bryer, School Bus Sales Manager, Safety Vision, Houston
- Brandon Bryson, President, Bryson Sales and Service, Utah
- Glen Cameron, School Bus Driver, Wheelchair Accessible Transit Inc., Toronto
- Angelo Caputo, Director of Transportation, Parma City School District, Ohio
- Chris Carpenter, Route Coordinator, Augusta County Public Schools, Virginia
- Christina Celeste, Transportation Supervisor, Orange Unified School District, California
- Kevin Conkin, Assistant Director of Transportation, Springdale Public Schools, Arkansas
- Jose Delgado, Bus Driver, Merced Union High School District, California
- Dawn Eagleton, Dispatcher, Walled Lake Schools / Dean Transportation, Michigan
- Kimberly Ellis, Director of Transportation, Marietta City Schools, Georgia
- Lori Fanger, Bus Driver, Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools, Ohio
- Linda Flynn, General Manager, Dufour Escorted Tours, Massachusetts
- Patricia Fuller, Operation Manager, Birdville ISD, Texas
- Rob Goolsby, Sales Professional, Northwest Bus Sales, Washington
- Josh Hinerman, Transportation Supervisor, Robertson County Schools, Tennessee
- Mary Holsinger, Director of Transportation, Antioch School District 34, Illinois
- Holmes Hummel, Founder, Clean Energy Works, Washington D.C.
- Mark Hunt, Bus Sales Director, White’s International & IC Bus, North Carolina
- Hannah Hunt, Technician, New Albany-Floyd County School Corporation, Indiana
- Quentin Hutchins, Transportation Specialist, Atlanta Pubilc Schools, Georgia
- Walter Hutchison, Bus Driver, Northeast Vernon County R-I, Missouri
- Greg Jackson, Executive Director, Jefferson County Public School, Colorado
- Pete James, Owner/Operator, Chautauqua Transportation Services, New York
- Kristy Johnson, Maintenance, Operations & Transportation Assistant, Thermalito Union Elementary School District, California
- Keith Kaupp, Transportation Director, Spring ISD, Texas
- Matt Kearns, Transportation Director, RSU 57, Maine
- Bob Kenna, SVP Operational Improvement, National Express, Illinois
- Debra Kinemond, Terminal Manager, Cherry Creek School District, Colorado
- Kevin Knuckles, Driver Trainer/Road Supervisor, Special School District, Missouri
- Russell Lee, Transportation Director, Uvalde C.I.S.D., Texas
- Tiffany Lilly, Transportation Director, McDonald County R-1 Schools, Missouri
- David Limoges, Business Development Specialist, The Lion Electric Co., Quebec
- Nicole Lopez, Director of Safety and Compliance, Zum, California
- Melissa Lowery, Bus Driver, Richland Bean Blossom School Transportation, Indiana
- Nick Martini, Transportation Coordinator, Osseo Area Schools, Minnesota
- Vincent Marziano, Operating Manager, West Berlin Bus Service, New Jersey
- Chris Mather, Training Coordinator, Bend La Pine Schools, Oregon
- Joanna McFarland, Co-Founder and CEO, HopSkipDrive, California
- Corey McMahon, Sr VP of Product, Operations & Safety, HopSkipDrive, California
- Michelle Metdepenningen, Director of Transportation, Romeo Community Schools, Michigan
- Robert Mitchem, Assistant Director of Transportation, Roanoke City Public Schools, Virginia
- Kyle Mohre, Lead Mechanic, Dean Transportation, Michigan
- Cindy Mooneyham, Transportation Director, Magnolia ISD, Texas
- Bob Morse, Sales Manager, The Lion Electric Co. Bus Team, California
- Tyfani Nagy, District Manager, First Student, Missouri
- Angel Negron, Fleet Tech IV, Orange County Public Schools, Florida
- Holli Norris, Lead Driver, Huffman ISD, Texas
- Marc-Andre Page, Business Development Director, The Lion Electric Co., California
- Jessica Palmer, Director of Transportation and School Safety, Tempe Elementary, Arizona
- Deborah Patterson, Bus Driver, MNPS, Tennessee
- Dan Payne, Transportation Coordinator, ESD 105, Washington
- Patricia Peterson, Transportation Manager, Clayton County Public Schools, Georgia
- Barb Platko, Bus Driver, Toronto City School District, Ohio
- Susana Rabin, Transportation Manager, North Shore School District 112, Illinois
- Michael Ramsay, Field Safety Coordinator, Marietta City Schools, Georgia
- Danielle Renzelman, Dispatcher, Dysart Unified School District, Arizona
- Josh Rice, Director of Transportation, Klein ISD, Texas
- Alex Riley, Manager Safety & Training, Dekalb County School of Transportation, Georgia
- Ariel Rodriguez, Fleet Manager, Humble ISD, Texas
- Malinda Sandhu, Director of Sales, The Lion Electric Co. Bus Team, California
- Jenevie Serrano, Special Education Bus Driver/Supervisor, Kea’au, Pahoa, Ka’u, Hawaii
- Marian Shade, Director of Transportation, Othello School District, Washington
- Adam Shaffer, Lead Driver Training Specialist, Santa Fe ISD, Texas
- Tim Shannon, Director of Transportation, Twin Rivers Unified School District, California
- Julie Shotnokoff, Transportation Administrative Assistant, Great Falls Public Schools, Montana
- DJ Shrider, Lead Vehicle Technician, Huron Valley Schools, Michigan
- Shannon Skalisky, Operations Supervisor, Transportation, San Juan Unified School District, California
- Shawn Smith, Transportation Director, Aurora Public Schools, Colorado
- Derrick Smith, AV Tech, Metro Schools, Tennessee
- Scott Sochaki, Director School Bus Sales, Midwest Transit Equipment, Illinois
- Mary Spagnola, Transportation Director, Barker Busing, PA
- Peggy Stone, Supervisor of Transportation Exceptional Students, Kanawha County Schools, West Virginia
- Rebecca Sykes, Director of Transportation, Sargent School District Re-33J, Colorado
- Glen Sykes, Director of Transportation, Alamosa School District, Colorado
- Matt Thomas, Director of Transportation, Anaheim Union High School District, California
- Peter Tunny, Director of Transportation, South Colonie Central School District, New York
- Terri Turner, Transportation Supervisor, Alvin ISD, Texas
- Nicholas Vallone, Business Manager and Development, VP Buses, LLC, New York
- Jose Villarino Fierro, Site Supervisor Safety and Training, Mesa Public Schools, Arizona
- Mary Walke, School Bus Driver, Chula Vista Elementary School District, California
- Stephanie Walker, Transportation Coordinator, Habersham County Schools, Georgia
- Christopher Walls, Director of Transportation, Kansas City Public Schools, Missouri
- Glenda Watkins, Sub Driver/Trainer, Alvin ISD, Texas
- Lori Wells, Driver/Trainer/CPR-First Aid Instructor, Edkey Inc., Sequoia Charter School, Arizona
- Lonnie Whitten, Owner/Instructor, CalPros California Professional Drivers, California
- Shannon Wilson, SCRCO Director, Sussex County Regional Cooperative, New Jersey
