Innovation Steward Profile:
Jet Johnstone, District 6

In the five-year history of Innovate ITD, the department has achieved great success. ITD can achieve even greater success if all employees are aware of the innovation stewards in their own division or district that can assist them with the process. To help achieve that, we are profiling each of the stewards in a series of articles to create greater visibility. This week, it’s Jet Johnstone of District 6.

Johnstone (he can be reached at extension 5319) took over as the D6 steward in December 2017 from Josh Sprague. Johnstone was unsure about taking on the new role at first, but has greatly enjoyed it.

“I was initially torn on whether I should take the opportunity or pass on the offer,” he said candidly. “I was unclear on what a steward was if some introvert who makes maps was able to take up the role of being an Innovation Steward. Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to become a steward because a colleague went out of his way to express that I would be a great fit.”

“I have to give lot of credit to Laura Meyer, who saw that I had the skills and the potential to take on the role and fulfill the needs of the Innovation effort. I chose to take the soft skills that I had learned producing hardcopy maps and apply them to something that I have never done.”

Empowering individuals, the hallmark of the ITD innovation effort, really speaks to Johnstone.

“By far, my favorite thing about being an Innovation Steward is helping individuals who are enthusiastic about their ideas and innovations,” Johnstone said. “I get great satisfaction from connecting those with ideas to the resources that can help turn the idea into an implemented innovation.”

“It was a great inspiration to see DJ Price from the Declo maintenance shed take his idea of remaking a snowplow coloring book, and with the help of the amazing employees at ITD, create an entire snowplow safety outreach kit,” he said.

Johnstone offers these words of encouragement for those who are hesitant to participate or simply unaware of who can help:

“For those that are hesitant to submit their ideas or implemented innovations to the Innovate ITD funnel, don’t be afraid. No one is ever going to judge your hard work in a negative way. It is a tool to help empower you to take your ideas and turn them into a reality.”

Here are all of the innovation stewards across the state:
DMV - Beth Thompson
Administration - Angela Monson
Aeronautics & Public Transportation - Shauna Miller
Highways - David Coladner & Eric Dahlinger
D1 - Junior Williams
D2 - Bud Converse
D3 - Lori Copeland
D4 - DJ Price
D5 - Evan Snow
D6 - Jet Johnstone

Published 11-22-19