• Age: 32

• Role: Director of Marketing & School Bus Sales / EV Program Manager

• Employer: Sonny Merryman

• Location: Evington, VA

It was a full-circle moment when Whitney Kopanko fell into her role in student transportation nine years ago. A well-known employer in her area, Sonny Merryman, was hiring, and she jumped at the chance to join the company that provided the very buses she rode as a kid.

One common theme to her weeks are leading Thomas Thursdays meetings, where the team reviews sales activities, customer needs, and industry trends, ensuring all internal teams are aligned. She also visits customers, analyzes data, researches and applies for electric school bus funding, manages sales contracts, and strategizes how to enhance the customer experience.

“I have the opportunity to work across multiple areas,” Kopanko says of her position. “It’s a dynamic, fast-paced role — and that’s what makes it exciting.”

She’s also a tireless clean energy advocate, serving as chair of the board of directors for Virginia Clean Cities.

What she loves more than anything is giving students the opportunity to learn, grow, and expand their horizons by providing a safe, reliable ride to school. 

“The saying ‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take’ comes to mind,” she said. “If students can’t get to school, they miss out on opportunities to reach their full potential. The school bus is more than just transportation; it’s a yellow beacon of opportunity.”

One thing she’s learned is to be prepared to pivot and adapt as industry needs continue to evolve. “Buses now need Wi-Fi to support connected learning, customers require charging infrastructure for electric fleets, and during COVID, school buses even became meal delivery services,” she said. “Change is constant, and the ability to embrace new challenges and innovate solutions is key to staying ahead and supporting the students, schools, and communities that rely on us.”

Kopanko hopes that as an industry, we retain the incredible people around us and continue to raise the bar for safety so that the industry remains strong for years to come.

Regarding the latter, she says: “I hope we never stop improving when it comes to safety. Whether through technology, training, or policy advancements, we must always prioritize making student transportation as safe and reliable as possible. The yellow school bus is already the safest way for students to get to school, but there’s always room to innovate and do even better.”

A key to success for those new to school transportation is to come in with a curious spirit and ask questions. 

“There’s a vast amount of institutional knowledge in this industry, and the best thing you can do is soak it up like a sponge,” she advised. “The more you learn, the more respect you’ll earn from your peers, and the better you’ll be at what you do. You’ll also find that people want to share their knowledge—they’re passionate about what they do and glad to pass it on to those eager to learn.”

Sonny Merryman’s President and CEO Caley Edgerly called Kopanko a rising star and a prominent voice in the industry. “She has continually taken on increased responsibilities, demonstrating exceptional skill and an unwavering commitment to delivering results for our customers,” he wrote. 

Among the kudos Edgerly shares for her work is her ability to distill complex information into actionable insights, providing improved organization and communication, and her skill in grant writing and tax rebate programs that lead to remarkable outcomes.