HopSkipDrive Welcomes Loni Mahanta to Executive Team as Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer

We are thrilled to announce that Loni Mahanta has joined HopSkipDrive’s executive team as our first Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer. In this role, Loni will oversee the leaders and functions of the Legal, Policy, Communications, and Safety teams. Her experience on our Board of Directors since 2021 provides her with a unique strategic insight into the company. This perspective, paired with her deep operational expertise, makes her the ideal leader to help accelerate our next chapter of innovation and growth.

Strategic Leadership for Our Next Chapter

Loni has built her career at the intersection of law, emerging technology, and mission-driven organizations. Her experience spans some of the most innovative companies in the tech sector, including executive roles at Lyft, OpenSea, and Zillow, where she guided companies through complex regulatory challenges and shaped national policy conversations.

Most recently, as COO and General Counsel at the education nonprofit aiEDU, Loni partnered with states and school districts to advance AI literacy for students nationwide. Her cross-functional expertise will be invaluable as HopSkipDrive continues to scale and navigate the evolving landscape of technology and student transportation.

“My time on the board gave me a firsthand look at HopSkipDrive’s incredible impact, and I’m thrilled to now step into an operational role to help accelerate the mission,” said Loni Mahanta. “This is a pivotal moment where technology, policy, and a deep commitment to care are converging to solve systemic transportation challenges. I look forward to helping the team navigate this landscape and expand access to opportunity for students everywhere.”

“Having benefited from Loni’s wisdom on our board, we are incredibly fortunate to bring her expertise in-house,” added Joanna McFarland, Co-Founder and CEO of HopSkipDrive. “Her understanding of our business is already so deep, and her recent work in the AI and education space is especially relevant as we continue to build out category-defining tools like our RouteWise AI™ platform. Loni is exactly the leader we need to help us navigate our next phase of growth, ensuring we scale our impact responsibly and always keep safety at the core of everything we do.”

Strengthening Our Foundation to Drive Momentum

Loni’s appointment comes at a time of significant growth for HopSkipDrive. With partnerships now spanning over 13,500 schools, the need for safe, reliable, and innovative transportation has never been greater. Loni’s leadership is a catalyst for our next stage of innovation, strengthening our ability to solve increasingly complex transportation challenges for our partners — from designing solutions for diverse student populations to scaling our industry-leading specialty transportation offerings. This strategic addition to our executive team ensures we are well-equipped for our next phase of growth as we continue to create opportunity for all through mobility.