Smith wins Wyoming IDEC Examiner of the Year award

By Jordan Achs Mikaela Smith, a driver license examiner at the Cheyenne Driver Services Exam Station, was named 2022 Examiner of the Year in Wyoming by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators International Driver Examiner Certification Board.

“I feel honored to receive this award,” Smith said. “There are a lot of misconceptions out there about ‘the DMV’ and I like to prove them wrong.”

Annually, the AAMVA IDEC Board recognizes outstanding examiners through the Examiner of the Year award. States and Territories within each member jurisdiction nominate one examiner for outstanding performance as a driver’s license examiner.

“Mikaela handles her workload in a manner that is above and beyond what is expected,” said her supervisors in her award nomination form. “Throughout 2022, in a five person office, in addition to performing the second-most road skills tests, Mikaela constantly completed more than 30 percent of the transactions in her office.”

Smith has been with Driver Services for five years and has made a big impact during that time, assisting with difficult customers and working with drivers of all ages, from new teen drivers to senior citizens.

Renee Kocina, deputy program manager for Driver Services, said on Smith’s nomination form that she considers her to be “a

To qualify, Smith had to be IDEC certified for a minimum of one year. Selection criteria also considers the person’s excellence in adhering to the Examiner’s Code of Ethics, as well as demonstrating outstanding performance as a driver’s license examiner through integrity, professionalism, and treating customers equitably and respectfully.

Smith said some of her favorite parts of working with Driver Services was helping teen drivers get their licenses and seeing people gain citizenship to the United States.

This isn’t the first time a WYDOT examiner has been praised