Kelly Johnson
Kelly Johnson
Leadership at Student Transportation of America (STA) is about more than creating and managing bus routes. It’s about managing people, empowering teams, and positively impacting the community. It takes a special skill set and an even more special individual to be a leader within this industry. Kelly Johnson, Vice President of Operations in Texas, happens to be one of those people.
As the first female Vice President of Operations across STA’s operating regions, Kelly oversees 14 locations throughout the state of Texas and doesn’t let anything or anybody stop her from doing her job to the best of her abilities. Her career as a school bus driver began in 2006 and she worked her way up to a title she proudly holds today. Kelly has always been recognized as a natural leader and grew into her position quickly. Despite a few nerves coming into the industry as a school bus driver, she knew she would love her job as soon as she got behind the wheel.
Driving school buses started as a way for Kelly to earn extra income while working part-time and spending more time with her children. However, this job soon became a passion and career path that changed her life. Being a mother of six, she extended her care and love for helping others to her career, which always keeps her going. Her enthusiasm for the job and her natural leadership skills opened many doors for Kelly at STA. Though she has many achievements under her belt, Kelly remains humble and grounded in the values that have helped her advance significantly in her career.
“There are no limits here, only the ones you set for yourself. You can go all the way to the top.”
Focusing on professional and personal development greatly shapes Kelly’s leadership style. If she sees somebody with potential, she encourages them the same way she has always been at STA. If any of her employees express interest in growing within the company, she does what she can to help them flourish. Her leadership style is also rooted in the belief that everyone, from drivers to monitors, deserves respect and encouragement for space to grow. Kelly’s advocacy for others has a trickle-down effect, which she views as a positive cycle: the trainers pour into the drivers, and the drivers pour into the students. The passion that excites you to work each day as a school bus driver ultimately plays a key role in a student’s education.
“Without [our drivers], there’s no STA.”
The drivers in Kelly’s region transport nearly 9,000 students to and from their destinations each day. Knowing how impactful her work has been for her students is incredibly heartwarming and rewarding for Kelly. In her community, Kelly is like a rock star; even years after driving school buses, she often gets greeted by former students while out and about and loves to see how they have evolved over the years. She remembers running into a former student who, as soon as he recognized her, excitedly updated her on his life and new addition to his family. Moments like this are just one of the many reasons why Kelly and many other members of the STA team do their job.
Kelly’s rise within STA reflects the opportunities available to those willing to work hard and grow. STA encourages promotion from within, offers support at the entry-level, and creates growth opportunities. This culture of advancement, passion for what you do, and hard work is what has made STA a family that Kelly is proud to be a part of.
Whatever career goals you may have can be achieved with a passion like Kelly’s. On her path to leadership, Kelly impacted many within her community. Leading with that type of commitment, Kelly continues to change the lives of others along the way.