For the past eight years, School Transportation News has requested nominations of student transporters who are displaying leadership or innovation in their local school bus operation, but who may have not received the public or industry-wide recognition that they deserve.
This year, the magazine received over 50 nominations, which are listed below. Out of these, 10 individuals were selected by the editors for profiles in our October magazine Rising SuperStars feature.
Jamie Allen
Transportation Director
Herman-Norcross School District, Minnesota
Tracey Alsup
CDL Trainer/Bus Driver
CUSD 303 St. Charles, Illinois
Nathan Berg
Transportation Supervisor
Willow River Area School, Minnesota
Chandler Brown
Regional Director Safety – Southeast
(New Jersey, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama)
Student Transportation of America
Cynthia Burgess
Driver/Trainer
Lincoln County R-IV Winfield School District, Missouri
Deborah Carmouche
Trainer Specialist
Sheldon ISD, Texas
Christina Celeste-Russo
Director of Transportation
Orange Unified School District, California
John Chapman
Transportation Lead/Mechanic
Needles Unified School District, California
Latoya Crawford
Bus Driver
Dallas ISD, Texas
Paul D’Andrade
Assistant Director, Transportation Services
Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia
Carol Daily
USD 437, Kansas
Richard Davis
Director of Transportation
Tyler County Schools, West Virginia
Ryan Eberly
Transportation Supervisor
Bryan City Schools, Ohio
Tim Farquer
Superintendent
Williamsfield Schools, Illinois
Jennifer Finner
Dispatcher/Driver
Antelope Valley School Transportation Agency, California
Raymond Forsburg
Transportation Area director
Dallas ISD, Texas
Veronica Frieders
Trainer/Bus Driver
Winfield R-IV School District, Missouri
Brittany Gibson
Road Supervisor
Cincinnati Public Schools, Ohio
Tyler Hampton
Driver
College Station ISD, Texas
Kristi Hartzel
Driver Trainer/Lead Dispatch
Campbell County Schools, Kentucky
Shirley Hastie
Branch Manager
Elliott Coach Lines, Ontario
Ruedi Hauser
Transportation Safety Coordinator
Westerly Public Schools, Rhode Island
Jacqueline Hayes
Deputy Director of Transportation
Boston Public Schools, Massachusetts
Robert Hill
Transportation Supervisor
North Warren Central, New York
Ralph Hoyos
Transportation Supervisor
Auburn-Washburn USD 437, Kansas
Christina Hughes
General Manager
Lanpher’s Transport, New York
Mark Jordan
Vice President of Operations
(Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Wisconsin, and Illinois)
Student Transportation of America
Seth Kountz
Bus Driver
Calaveras Unified School District, California
Cherita Lively
Dispatcher
First Student, Texas
Felix Lombardo
Safety Trainer
Midland Independent School District, Texas
Lorie Manning
Special Needs Bus Driver
Rush County Schools, Indiana
Griselda Martínez
School Bus Driver
Jurupa Unified School District, California
Stanley McDonald
School Bus Driver & Trainer
Ashland Independent School District, Kentucky
Dawn Mills
Transportation Coordinator
Falls Church City Public Schools, Virginia
Shakita Mills
PM Dispatcher
Dallas ISD, Texas
Debbie Minniti
Bus Driver/Transportation Coordinator
Liberty Local School District, Ohio
Irma O’Connell
Bus Monitor
Widefield School District 3, Colorado
Corissa Oliver
Assistant Director
Magnolia ISD, Texas
Dane Pallotto
Director of Finance
B and B Transportation, Connecticut
Ken Parry
Bus Driver
South Sanpete School District, Utah
Alisan Powell
Transportation Trainer
Exeter Township School District, Pennsylvania
Patrick Reinard
Transportation Manager
School Bus Inc., South Dakota
Barbara Rendon
Director
New Caney ISD, Texas
Corrina Sandholm
Transportation Manager
School Bus Inc., South Dakota
Linda Schmidt
Transportation Supervisor/Bus Driver
Archbold Schools, Ohio
Mitzii Smith
Assistant Transportation Director
MSAD #6 Bonny Eagle, Maine
Alex Spann
Assistant Director of Student Transportation
Tennessee Department of Education, Tennessee
Corina Speer
Transportation Trainer
Southside ISD, Texas
Colby Stevens
Director of Transportation
Teton County School District #1, Wyoming
Shurod Swift
Director of Transportation
Clarke County School District, Georgia
Rebecca Sykes
Transportation Consultant
Colorado Department of Education School Transportation Unit, Colorado
Trystan Thomas
Transportation Director
Shasta Union High School, California
Deb Trafton
Director of Transportation
New Hanover County Schools, North Carolina
Treva Turner
Bus Driver
Champaign Unit 4, Illinois
Brianne Whitesell
Area Manager
Pasco County Schools, Odessa, Florida
Jennifer Williams
Bus Driver
Houston County Board of Education, Georgia
Danny Williams
Executive Director of Transportation
Wilson County Schools, North Carolina
