ODE/OASBO/OAPT: T-2 Transportation Expense Reports Training

Jason D. Heilman, Program Administrator in the Center for Advancing Professional Supports, Office of Field Services and Transportation.  13 overall years of student transportation experience, 4.5 years with the Department of Education & Workforce (previously Ohio Department of Education). 

Along with a doctorate in Education Administration and Policy Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Bowlin also obtained a BS in Biology, an MSEd. in Biology Education and an MSEd. in Education Administration (7-12). Following a brief stint in healthcare, Dr. Bowlin began his education career as a Biology teacher in a large comprehensive high school teaching courses such as AP Biology, Biology 2, General Biology, and Anatomy and Physiology.  Having a great administrative mentor, he advanced quickly into education administration and became an Assistant principal and Principal spending 12 years at the High School level. He also held school district positions as Director of Online Learning, Director of Curriculum and Professional Development, Assistant to the Superintendent, Chief Academic Officer and Superintendent. Currently, Dr. Bowlin serves as the Director within the Unit of Field Relations for the Department of Education & Workforce (previously Ohio Department of Education).   With over 28 years in public education, Dr. Bowlin also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Baldwin Wallace University, the University of Mt. Union and Youngstown State University.

Carolyn "CJ" Thornton recently retired from Mason City Schools this year with 45 years experience in the pupil transportation field. Her previous position was with Princeton City Schools. She has served on the Regional and State Roadeo Committees, chairing the event at both levels. She has been an active member of the Ohio Association for Pupil Transportation since 2001 serving as Regional Representative several terms and as Director at Large. She has been a member of OASBO since 2002 and is a graduate of the Leadership Academy class VII.

CJ believes in sharing her extensive knowledge of the transportation industry with her peers and newcomers to the industry. She has mentored several new transportation directors during her tenure.  A firm believer in "you don't know what you don't know," she tries to help people fill in the gaps and learn what they need to know to be successful in the transportation field.

Randy Snyder is Transportation Manager for Westerville City Schools, accountable for the overall transportation operation of the district, which is located in Central Ohio. Mr. Snyder has almost twenty years of experience in pupil transportation of which eighteen have been in administration and department management. Westerville’s transportation department is comprised of 101 school bus routes, twenty MyVan routes that serve students with specialized transportation needs, four office support staff, eight mechanics, and three assistant managers.

Mr. Snyder believes that a safe and successful transportation operation must include excellent recruiting, training, equipping, and the empowering of its employees. Transportation professionals play a vital role in the educational process and are important members of the communities in which they serve. He also believes that all school business professionals should seek to better understand their district’s transportation operations and find ways to support and encourage their team members whose charge is to oversee their transportation operations.

Currently, Mr. Snyder serves as Immediate Past President of the Ohio Association for Pupil Transportation (OAPT). He continues to serve as the communication and technology committee chair and serves as the election committee chair. Along with the other OAPT Board members, he helped lead their association and its members through the COVID-19 pandemic.