HopSkipDrive appoints Sandra Dainora Petersen to lead product strategy and innovation
HopSkipDrive, a technology company addressing complex transportation challenges, has appointed Sandra Dainora Petersen as its new Senior Vice President of Product.
In this role, Petersen will oversee the Product and User Experience teams, leading product strategy and development to enhance the company’s student transportation solutions.
Petersen’s addition comes as HopSkipDrive experiences significant growth, with ride volume increasing by 300% in the past academic year. The company’s RouteWise AI technology has helped optimize student transportation operations.
Corey McMahon, Chief Product and Technology Officer, will lead the Product and Technology team, which also includes Jacob Green, VP of Engineering, and Lacey Plache, VP of Data Science & Analytics.
Petersen previously served as Chief Product Officer at Sittercity, where she led the development of B2B care service solutions and oversaw trust and safety teams. Her experience also includes serving as Senior Director of Product at Grubhub, where she played a key role in expanding the company’s delivery services to over 200 regions. Petersen has held product management and operations roles at Harpo Productions, The Oprah Winfrey Network, Chicago Tribune Interactive, Discover Financial Services, and A&E Television Networks.
HopSkipDrive CEO and Co-founder Joanna McFarland said:
“Sandra’s exceptional ability to harness technology in solving complex operational challenges, combined with her proven track record of building delightful user experiences, makes her the perfect leader to drive our product innovation forward. Her experience scaling marketplaces and her deep understanding of the care economy aligns perfectly with our mission of creating opportunity for all through mobility.”
Expressing her enthusiasm, Petersen said:
“The opportunity to join HopSkipDrive at this transformative moment is incredibly exciting. As both a product leader and a parent of a fourth-grader myself, I deeply understand the critical role that reliable, safe transportation plays in expanding educational opportunities. I’m energized to work alongside the talented HopSkipDrive team as we continue to develop innovative solutions that help schools, students, and families thrive.”
