Fleming on Accepting the TDoY Award in Texas
Teresa Fleming was originally planning to travel to Saudi Arabia during this month’s TSD Conference. Plans changed after she learned she won the 2023 Transportation Director of the Year award and what she said the recognition means for women of color everywhere. “There’s only one time that I can accept the award for the
transportation director of the year,” she said, adding that she is rescheduling her trip abroad. “And this award isn’t about me. It’s about the people that are going to come after me. Or for people that may look like me, that may one day have the opportunity to have this award.”
Fleming is also the first covered African American Muslim to win the magazine’s annual leadership award. “Accepting this award as a women of color and a covered Muslimah is extremely exciting and rewarding for me to be paving the way as the first covered African-American Muslimah to be awarded as transpor- tation director of the year,” she said. “I hope this will inspire other women, regardless of race and ethnic background to know that: Follow your passion. Whatever it is that you enjoy doing, follow that passion. I never thought in a million years that I would be awarded this. I’m thankful to God and all the folks that felt like this was something that I deserved.”
it,” Fleming said, adding it is more of a development technique. Newer employees, however, may need coaching and instruction. “I don’t think that an effective leader
can have one style,” she commented. “The same way with conversations, you have to know your audience. I feel like in leadership you must also understand your audience. Because everyone can’t be led the same way. You have some very transactional people, who must be reasonably detailed and specific when instructing them.” She added that there are times a
person or project requires microman- aging or a more hands-on approach, but that does not mean the leader needs to be a micromanager. “I think that an effective leader needs to be able to adapt to situations and circumstances,” she said.
Oz Hill, the chief operating offi-
Teresa is a one of a kind. I believe that this recognition she is receiving from STN is
well-deserved and hard-
earned. - Oz Hill, COO of
The School District of Philadephia 58 School Transportation News • NOVEMBER 2023
cer for the district, said he became familiar with Fleming’s contributions in transportation services in Octo- ber 2021, when the former executive director of transportation transitioned out of the district. He noted that at that time he served as the depu- ty chief operating officer and was assigned to make sure transportation ran smoothly. However, Hill admitted that he didn’t know much about the transportation side of school district operations.
“I began to lean on Teresa heavily,” he shared, adding that he quickly saw her extraordinary profession- alism and as an expert in various transportation-related subjects. “She was a wealth of knowledge. As a result of that, I came to depend on and trust her judgement more than I
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA
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