Sunset Empire Transportation District staff has selected Stephanie Rodriguez as the 2021 Employee of The Year.

Rodriguez has been an employee at the district since 2016 when she began working in Ride Care, the district’s non-emergent medical transportation brokerage service. When Ride Care was discontinued Tillamook County Transportation took over the brokerage service and hired Rodriguez.

Rodriguez worked in Tillamook for several months, but in 2018 she returned to Sunset Empire Transportation as a Transportation Support Specialist. Rodriguez has learned many jobs and her knowledge is very valuable, staff said, providing customer service for riders at the Astoria Transit Center, provides Paratransit scheduling and dispatch at operations and assists drivers and staff however she can.

Rodriguez keeps the Astoria Transit Center grounds and building clean and sanitized on an ongoing basis. She also orders and stocks supplies. In delivering the honor, staff said Rodriguez is an important asset to the district. Her enthusiastic work ethic along with her great humor is very appreciated and enjoyed by staff and riders.

Rodriguez grew up in the Seaside area and is the proud and very active mother of 5 children.