Women Automotive Summit: DETROIT

3rd June 2025, Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi, MI

2025 DETROIT AGENDA

One last on stage speaking slot and private workshop option is available. Contact us at hello@womenautomotive.com for speaking and sponsorship opportunities or book a call here.

8:15 AM

08:15- 09:00 ET

Registration & Coffee

8:30 AM

08:30 - 09:10 ET

Morning Masterclasses

Kick-start your day with high-impact workshops built to sharpen your skills and mindset. Expect engaging discussions, real-world insights, and practical takeaways to help you lead with purpose and thrive in your career.

Workshop 1: (Invite Only) What Does It Take to Lead in an Automotive Industry That Won’t Sit Still?

The automotive industry is evolving at breakneck speed—driven by electrification, digitalisation, and shifting consumer expectations. Layer on growing tariff tensions, increasing regulatory complexity, and the transformative impact of AI across manufacturing, mobility, and customer engagement, and it's clear: the demands on today's leaders have never been greater. This workshop will introduce CliftonStrengths-based techniques to help leaders navigate change with greater clarity, confidence, and impact — by unlocking what they naturally do best.
Workshop 2: Success and Parenthood: Do You Really Have to Choose?

Parenthood can reshape your ambitions, priorities, and definition of success — especially for women pursuing high-performance careers, where expectations are high and flexibility is limited. This workshop explores what it takes to thrive in both demanding roles and intentional parenting. Through honest reflection and practical strategies, we’ll challenge outdated narratives and empower you to embrace success in both — not by choosing one over the other, but by redefining what it means to lead in both spaces.
Workshop 3: How Do We Reconnect Workplace Culture with Purpose in an Evolving Landscape?

As political, social, and business landscapes continue to shift, organisations face increasing pressure to respond with clarity, authenticity, and strategic alignment. This interactive session invites participants to reflect on how they’re navigating change—both internally and externally—while keeping workplace culture meaningfully connected to their organisation’s core values and long-term purpose.

9:15 AM

9:15 - 9:25 ET

Chair's Welcome

Meshell Baker

Chief Confidence Ignitor

9:25 AM

9:25 - 9:50 ET

Leading in Times of Change: How do we stay focused as female leaders and help our teams when the future is uncertain

Teresa Thiele

SVP - Global Purchasing Programs

Stellantis

Amelia Dalgaard

QBIC

Motorhead Mama

9:50 AM

9:50 - 10:10 ET

Importance of Allyship

Speaker to be announced soon...

10:10 AM

10:10 - 11:00 ET

Panel: "Empowerment in Action: Creating Cultures Where Everyone Can Thrive''

Empowering employees goes beyond policies and job titles — it’s about building a workplace where people feel seen, supported, and connected. In this discussion, we’ll explore how organisations are shifting focus from terminology to tangible inclusion, strengthening culture through community, and fostering allyship across all levels. Discover practical ways to create environments where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, grow, and succeed.

Geralyn Gaines

Founder

Keeping It G™

Sandy Ilievski

Plant Manager

Ford Motor Company

Kat Thompson

Head of HR, Audi of America & Head of DEI, Volkswagen Group of America

Julie A. Inderlied

VP Legal Compliance & Privacy

LKQ Corporation

11:00 AM

11:10 - 11:40 ET

Networking Coffee Break

11:40 AM

11:40 - 12:00 ET

My automotive career: lessons learnt from a global perspective

Jaclyn McQuaid

Global Vice President, Buick and GMC

General Motors

12:00 PM

12:00 - 12:30 ET

Understanding global industry trends and how to remain competitive

Yvette Zhang

Partner and Advanced-Mobility Segment Co-Leader

AlixPartners

12:30 PM

12:30 - 12:50 ET

Leveraging Your Unique Strengths in an AI-Driven World

As AI continues to reshape the automotive industry, the value of unique perspectives has never been more critical. In this keynote, we will explore how expertise outside traditional AI fields can offer a distinct advantage in shaping the future of AI. Dr. Charlene Wu will share stories and how her first-hand experiences as a behavioral scientist has influenced human-centered AI strategy and research programs at the Toyota Research Institute. Join us for a stimulating discussion which will explore how discovering and leveraging your background and expertise can position you as a leader in the AI-driven automotive landscape.

Dr. Charlene Wu

Vice President, Human-Centered AI

Toyota Research Institute

12:50 PM

12:50 - 14:00 ET

Lunch

2:00 PM

14:00 - 15:00 ET

Workshops* (For in-person attendees only)

"How to Be Your Best Self and What’s Stopping You"

Group breakout session in main conference room, deep diving into obstacles such as confidence, imposter syndrome, unconscious bias, mentorship, allyship...

Amanda McPherson

M.A., Coach, Speaker, Facilitator

Breakout Rooms
Breakout Session 1: Empowering Women in Automotive: Unlocking Potential through Principle Based Management

Carolyn Moore

Vice President, Customer Success

Infor

Tara Merry

Vice President, Solution Consulting

Infor

Amanda Johnson

Vice President, Enterprise Sales - Automotive

Infor
Breakout Session 2: "Beyond the Glass Ceiling: How Women Can Create Their Own Opportunities"

Rachel Blatt

CEO

Royalty Logistics
Breakout Session 3: “AI in Motion: Accelerating the Future of Automotive”

Sreelakshmy G

Managing Director, Technology Growth Executive - Auto & Mobility

Accenture

Joyce Kline

Managing Director, Data & AI Executive – Industrials

Accenture

3:00 PM

15:00 - 15:45 ET

Coffee Break - Networking

3:45 PM

15:45 - 16:05 ET

Reserved for Flex - speaker and topic to be announced soon...

4:05 PM

16:05 - 16:25 ET

"Our perspective": a unique interview with local student

4:25 PM

16:25 - 16:45 ET

Gold Sponsor

Interested in showcasing your expertise to our audience of 400+ automotive professionals?
Please reach out to Gary@WomenAutomotive.com for more details

4:45 PM

16:45 - 17:30 ET

Panel: Importance of partnerships and collaboration to drive industry innovation

Innovation doesn’t happen in silos. In today’s competitive landscape, it’s the strength of your partnerships that drives progress. In this panel, we’ll explore how strategic collaboration fuels innovation and accelerates results. From aligning partners around shared goals to leveraging complementary strengths, we’ll unpack what makes partnerships work — and why they’re essential for driving sustainable success.

Join us to discover how different experiences, skills, and ways of thinking can unlock bold ideas, sharpen strategies, and spark meaningful change across the industry.

Denise Barfuss

President OEM Solutions & Principal Consultant

AutoMobility Advisors

Rebecca Saletta

Alliance Lead, Corporate Strategy & Sustainability

American Honda Motor Co.

Cimi Thomas

Chief Information Security Officer

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Americas

5:30 PM

17:30 ET

Chair's Closing Speech

6:00 PM

18:00 - 20:30 ET

Awards & Networking Cocktail Reception

As part of the Women Automotive Summit, all our in-person attendees and sponsors are invited to the AutoTech Awards & joint networking. The Women Automotive Network will present the 'Automotive Woman of the Year' and 'Leadership in Workplace Transformation' awards.

LEARN MORE

June 4th 2025

11:45 AM

11:45 - 12:30

Women Automotive Network Panel Discussion at AutoTech

New ways of working: how to attract and retain talent, understanding DE&I policy changes, evolving business structures

Stephanie May

Director

Women Automotive Network

Jennifer Goforth

Executive Director North America Customer Care & Aftersales - Sales and Marketing