Patrice Banks, founder.CEO.author

Patrice Banks, founder and CEO of Girls Auto Clinic (GAC) and the Shecanic® brand, is shaking up the male-dominated automotive industry with her inspiring story of going from auto airhead to creating a business whose mission is to educate and empower women through their cars. Women are the #1 customer in the auto industry and Patrice is inspiring them to become #sheCANics, confident, educated drivers, and smart consumers!

Banks once dreaded both car buying and repairs. Unhappy with her experiences, she left her career, enrolled in automotive technology school and created a unique business model - auto repair catering to women. Girls Auto Clinic is an auto repair shop that hires women mechanics and offers a nail salon for customers while they wait.

Patrice Banks and Girls Auto Clinic have been recognized by numerous media outlets such as NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, Washington Post, TIME, Good Morning America, Glamour, Car & Driver just to name a few. Patrice has partnered with Ford, Dell, Honda, Girls Scouts, is a TEDx speaker and was featured in a national commercial with Lean Cuisine. 

Banks graduated from Lehigh University with a BS in Materials Engineering where she was a Varsity Rower. She was recently awarded with Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Year by the Lehigh University Alumni Association in 2019. She is the author of Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide. Patrice is working as a producer with Warner Bros and Elizabeth Banks’ Brownstone Production to create a scripted comedy series about Girls Auto Clinic.

Amanda Gordon, founder and ceo

Amanda Gordon is the founder and CEO of GoJo Auto, a top-rated and dynamic independent car dealership located in the heart of Denver, Colorado. From humble beginnings in retail at The Gap clothing store, she has broken through barriers and climbed her way to the top, becoming the first black woman in the state of Colorado to own a car dealership.

Amanda crashed into the auto scene in 2002 and has not looked back in the rear-view mirror since. With over 18 years of experience in the automotive industry, in all positions ranging from sales to finance to management, she has solidified herself as a highly respected subject matter expert and leader.

Amanda’s commitment to her business ventures, but also her community plays a major role in her lifelong mission. She is a 2020 winner of the Auto Remarketing’s “40 under 40,” Urban Leadership Foundation of Colorado’s “2020 Leader of the Year,” and a 2019 New Leader honoree for the Colorado Black Chamber. Amanda is a current member of the National Association of Auto Dealers (NAMAD), the Colorado Women’s Chamber and a lifetime member of The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Amanda’s passion for empowering women translates into everything she does. She is an advocate for diversity in the workplace and makes it her mission to mentor women and help them realize their full potential in positions of power in the automotive space.

Erikka Wells, general manager

Erikka Wells is a General Managers at Walser Automotive Group and an Automotive News 40 under 40 award recipient. Born and Raised in California, Erikka is a dynamic speaker and automotive enthusiast with over 15 years of experience. She enjoys sharing transparent messages of triumph in overcoming adversity, while encouraging others to “just keep driving.” Prior to becoming a GM, she has worked in dealerships as a sales manager, finance manager, and marketing and business development coordinator.

Ms. Wells developed the first pilot BDC for Audi of America in 2014. With her diverse tenure working in automotive, she understands what drives digital conversions, and is able to implement strategies that create consistent retention building, and raving client loyalty. In 2016 Erikka she was recognized as one of the Top Sales Manager for Audi of America, and enjoyed a week long stay in Budapest. In 2019 she was awarded the Flo Kennedy award by Real Women Atlanta Magazine and was Nominated for the Rice Award (Rising in Community Excellence Award) for contributions to women in the automotive field.

With a background in media production Ms. Tiffani developed and produced the Adam Goldfein Show, a car buying consumer advice/lifestyle show for News Talk WSB in Atlanta, and appeared as a guest host for the CW show AutoShopper and CBS Radio’s AutoNsider in Atlanta. A guest speaker for the Texas Independent Dealers Association, Erikka has shared her life experiences in automotive across the country at workshops, roundtables and special events.

Her personal experiences with rejection, sexism, and discrimination have become the catalyst for her movement to change the way women are viewed and treated in the automotive space. Erikka’s passion for helping women in non-traditional career roles is founded upon her own experiences in the automotive spectrum, working around men who didn’t always appreciate her voice, insight, and opinions.

With her Buy Here Pay Here and New Car franchise retail experience she has gained the support of industry leaders, mentors and organizations that share in her mission to encourage more women to join STEM related career paths. Passionate about all things automotive Erikka spends her free time mentoring young women with her leadership development program “Car Girls Rock”.

Kerri Wise, Chief Marketing Officer

Kerri Wise is Chief Marketing Officer at AutoFi, a leading commerce platform for end-to-end digital automotive sales and financing. Her career spans 25 years in automotive, a decade of which in technology.

In her current role, Kerri oversees AutoFi’s marketing and training initiatives focused on automotive dealers, OEM, and enterprise accounts. She is recognized as a thought leader and regular speaker at major industry conferences and events and has received significant recognition for her career achievements including being honored by Automotive News as a 2020 Top 100 Leading Women in North America and a 2021 Notable Champion of Diversity.

She is also the co-founder and President of Women of Color Automotive Network (WOCAN), a non-profit organization that seeks to improve diversity and inclusion in the automotive industry.

Prior to joining AutoFi, Kerri worked at TrueCar, Edmunds, and J.D. Power. She was a collegiate basketball player and graduated with a B.S. in Marketing from California State University, Northridge.