Jessica A.

About Jessica A.

I hold high expectations for my teams because I hold myself to the same standards. I’m motivated by hard work and energized by complexity — the challenges others see as work nightmares are often the puzzles that excite me most.I’m most often called into moments of scale, change, and pressure: fixing broken processes, aligning cross-functional teams, leading high-stakes launches, and navigating high stake situations. I’ve also built and grown new departments from the ground up, and helped teams move from reactive to scalable.At the core of my leadership is a deep commitment to people. I’m passionate about helping my team grow, developing future leaders, and creating environments where individuals are trusted, challenged, and supported to do their best work.Leadership Philosophy:I believe great leadership starts with accountability and trust. I set high expectations, support my teams fully, and invest deeply in helping people grow into confident, capable leaders — especially in complex, high-pressure environments.I measure success not just by outcomes, but by the leaders my teams become along the way.

Experience

1. Senior District Manager

   First Student

   Dec 2021 — Present · Houston, TX, US

   Services Sr. Director, FirstAltFirst Student, Inc.| 2021–PresentHelping build First Alt from the ground up — a new division with no existing technology, or operations. Today, I lead the Services department and technology strategy, supporting rapid growth while maintaining strong standards across safety, operations, and execution.Leadership & Impact•Built and scaled the Services organization from inception, establishing the operational, safety, and technology foundations needed to support a fast-growing business.•Serve as product owner and product manager for First Alt’s end-to-end technology ecosystem, guiding strategy and delivery across multiple platforms.•Provide executive oversight for Dispatch, Client Services, Safety, and Transportation Partner Services, ensuring alignment and consistency as the organization scales.•Led the launch and stabilization of a comprehensive technology suite, including:•Driver mobile applications•Internal platforms for trip creation, data management, and operational workflows•Partner portals for transportation providers•Client and parent-facing applications to improve visibility and communication•Established and continuously refined SOPs, standards, and operating models to keep pace with rapid growth while maintaining quality, compliance, and safety.•Built and developed leaders across four departments, creating resilient teams capable of operating effectively in complex, high-pressure environments.