Interchange November 2021
Vol. 49, Iss. 11
Photo: Rick Carpenter
Service with a smile
Laura Whalen-Steege was presented the IDEC Examiner of the Year award by Director Luke Reiner (left) and Driver Services Program Manager Misty Dobson (right).
Laura Whalen-Steege wins Wyoming IDEC Examiner of the Year award By Jordan Achs Annually, the International Driver Examiner Certification (IDEC) Board and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) recognizes outstanding examiners through the IDEC Examiner of the Year award. States and Territories within each member jurisdiction nominate one examiner for outstanding performance as a driver’s license examiner. Laura Whalen-Steege, supervisor of the Cheyenne Driver Services location, was named Examiner of the Year in Wyoming this year. Wyoming is part of
Region 4, which also includes Utah and even portions of Canada. To qualify, she 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. Those were easy qualifications for Whalen-Steege to meet; her peers and supervisors have commended her excellent customer service, innovative ideas and professionalism, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact
on Driver Services. “She always serves with a smile,” said Misty Dobson, Driver Services program manager. “Even if someone has just been incredibly rude to her, she responds with a smile on her face.” Whalen-Steege was the sole nominee in Wyoming, and while she didn’t win the international award, being a representative for her jurisdiction was a prize itself. The longest tenured Driver Services employee, she’s seen a thing or two in her 37 years with the organization. “WYDOT has been a wonderful place to work,” she said. “It’s been a great career,
