In the United States, the automotive industry employs more than 1.7 million individuals, and historically, most of those people have identified as male. While some progress has been made in recent years, the industry is still heavily male-dominated, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics citing the following:
Automobile dealers are 21.7% female
Automotive parts, accessories, and tire store workers are 17.2% female.
Automotive equipment rental and leasing workers are 24.0% female
Automotive repair and maintenance workers are 12.3% female.

According to Synchrony, this gender gap is important to address because there’s currently a high demand for skilled labor. The site writes, “A study by the technology company MarketScale found that the demand for auto technicians outpaces supply by a ratio of nearly 5-to-1.” More women in the field can help fill this gap and meet labor demands.
The industry is also expected to face a significant labor shortage in the coming years, thanks to workers reaching retirement age. Nearly 2.1 million manufacturing industry workers across various industries are expected to retire by 2030.
Synchrony states, “Right now, the majority of women (6 out of 10) work in a handful of fields: education and health; leisure and hospitality; and retail and wholesale trade. These silos limit their career possibilities and put them at risk when the industries hit hard times. As more women join the auto industry—and other industries where they’ve been historically underrepresented—they have additional, profitable career paths.” Now is the time to bring more women into the automotive industry, and there are a few trailblazers leading the way.
Challenges for Women in the Automotive Industry
There are many challenges women face in male-dominated industries; this list is not exclusive to the automotive workforce but includes:
Lack of advancement opportunities
Pay inequity
Hostility
Microaggressions from teammates and customers
Imposter syndrome
Female Leaders in the Automotive Industry
Representation matters, and these three female leaders have beat the odds and work each day to empower other females across the industry.

Sam McClellan
Sam McClellan is the dynamic force steering the business side of Elite Customs. As the wife of owner Rich, McClellan married into the automotive world. However, her keen business acumen and eye for detail soon revealed that her contributions could drive Elite Customs to new levels of success.
After recognizing the need for organization, delegation, expansion, branding, and marketing for Elite Customs, McClellan closed her businesses in 2022 and started carving out her role at Elite Customs, quickly immersing herself in its daily operations. Equipped with her high school diploma and a team of underdogs, McClellan began working tirelessly for the brand, striving to treat as many clients as possible with the joy that comes from seeing their own luxury custom car unveiled.
Beyond her strategic approach to business, McClellan is known for her collaborative and empathetic leadership style. She leads with the philosophy that the Elite Customs team moves as a unit, not individually. Her ability to listen, adapt, and make decisions empathetically has fostered a positive work environment where creativity and innovation flourish.

The secret to McClellan’s success is her keenness to surround herself with a team of people with strengths beyond her own. She helps nurture each team member’s talents and allows them to shine. By trusting her team to deliver, she enables skilled artisans and designers to concentrate on what they are best at—creating luxury custom vehicles—while she manages the business.
McClellan’s influence on Elite Customs is profound. Her vision and leadership have driven the company to exceed the expectations of its clientele, setting new standards in the industry. Through her dedication and strategic insight, McClellan has positioned Elite Customs as a leader in the luxury custom car scene, proving that behind every successful business is a leader with the foresight to see the potential in her team, turning everyone’s dreams into reality.
Kathy Gilbert
Kathy Gilbert is the Senior Director of Minority Dealer & Women in Retail at CDK Global, Inc.

She has worked in the automotive industry for over 25 years in various roles, but for the last three years and change, she has held her current position. In this role, Gilbert has national responsibility for the minority dealer business, representing over 1,500 customers across the United States. Additionally, she is responsible for building customer advocates and growing CDK’s brand and market share within the women’s retail business segment, representing over 2,000 customers across the country.
On top of all that, Gilbert’s segment provides support for dealer associations, industry allies, and OEM partners. Her work touches many facets of the industry, so in her free time, Gilbert supports Women in Automotive. She was a founding member of the organization and has served as a keynote speaker at its annual conference, as well as regularly leading breakout sessions to help attendees meet their personal and professional goals.
Bobbie Heron
Bobbie Herron has served in leadership roles across the automotive industry for more than 20 years. A few short years ago, she transitioned from her role as an Executive Leader for the Garber Automotive Group, a privately-owned organization operating 16 new car dealerships and 30 BHPH independent operations, into the Director of Dealer Performance role within the Cardinale Group of Companies. The Cardinale Group operates 19 retail locations and is recognized as the #1 Wards e-Dealer in North America.
Today, Heron serves both Dealers and Vendors as the President & Founder of The Bees Knees Agency, a premier automotive operations agency specializing in digital marketing, dealership training, and operations consulting with an emphasis on CRM, high-performance culture, leadership, lead generation, lead conversion, process improvement, and ultimately increased sales. Heron is also a regular speaker at numerous conferences, including Digital Dealer, Women in Automotive, and Driving Sales. She serves as a guest lecturer at Northwood University and is a named winner of the 2015 Automotive News 40 Under 40 award.
What’s Next?
There are several ways women can get connected to others in the automotive industry. Women in Automotive is a community and mentorship program that offers conferences, educational resources, and social events to support women in the industry. The organization “dedicates all efforts into helping organizations hire, develop, retain, and promote women in every role, from entry-level to executive.” This is a great place for women new to the industry to start and get connected to other like-minded women.
Check out the Women in Auto Care Facebook Group, as well as other local groups, to chat with other women in the industry and ask them your pressing questions.
Finally, look into the Women in Automotive Network for additional resources and in-person networking opportunities. When women come together, they can change the industry–and the world!
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