Upcoming events
WOCAN hosts empowering, educational, and inspiring events in person and online for women of color in the auto industry. Check out our upcoming events below. Many are open to all but some are only available for members only. Sign up to become a member of WOCAN.
2024 WOCAN Annual luncheon
We’re so excited to be back in Miami for our 3rd Annual WOCAN Luncheon, in-person at the National Association of Minority Auto Dealers (NAMAD) Conference! This year’s luncheon will build off of the amazing success of last year’s inaugural event.
July 2024 Wocan Speaker: marita hudson thomas of cars commerce
Join us for our July 2024 WOCAN Speaker Series event featuring Marita Hudson Thomas, Chief Communications Officer at Cars Commerce. Marita is a seasoned veteran of 20+ years in communications and public relations, working for a publicly traded giant in automotive and technology, Cars Commerce, and previously working at household names like Orbitz and Vivid Seats.
This event is OPEN TO ALL people including WOCAN members, non-members, and allies (non women of color).
WED, JULY 24@ 11:00AM PT/2:00PM ET
WOCAN Breakfast and meetup at Asotu
Join WOCAN in Baltimore for a women’s breakfast and meetup at this year's ASOTU Conference, the premier event for the automotive industry. ASOTU Con is scheduled on May 14-17 with the breakfast being held from 7-8:30am on May 15th.
This intimate gathering is your opportunity to get inspired by amazing leaders like the WOCAN founders, and network with fellow members and other women in leadership, setting the stage for a collaborative and enriching conference experience at ASOTU Con.
WOCAN Speaker Series (April 2024) featuring Chase AuTO Executive Leaders
Join us for our April 2024 WOCAN Speaker Series event featuring women in leadership from Chase Auto, the automotive arm of JP Morgan Chase, one of the world’s leading financial institutions. This event is OPEN TO ALL people including WOCAN members, non-members, and allies (non women of color).
Wednesday, April 24@ 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET
Time for our Q1 2024 Meet up! - March 2024
The launch of WOCAN has attracted some amazing women from all over the country and we want to get together (virtually) and build deeper connections!
At the WOCAN Meetup, each participant will rotate through small groups in a “speed dating” style rotation that will maximize the number of WOCAN members you meet. You can expect to:
• Expand your network and create valuable connections
• Have a safe space to discuss the unique challenges you face as a woman of color
• Share your ideas to help other members succeed and prosper
This event is reserved for WOCAN Women members (members and allies) and pre-registration is required. Please register by Monday, March 11th.
jan 2024 Wocan Speaker: jing liao of solera
Join us for our January WOCAN Speaker Series event featuring Jing Liao, Chief Administration Officer at Solera. Jing is the Chief Administration Officer at Solera and also serves as Managing Director of Talent with Vista Consulting Group.
Wednesday, Jan 24@ 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET
Time for our Winter Meet up! - December 2023
The launch of WOCAN has attracted some amazing women from all over the country and we want to get together (virtually) and build deeper connections!
At the WOCAN Meetup, each participant will rotate through small groups in a “speed dating” style rotation that will maximize the number of WOCAN members you meet. You can expect to:
• Expand your network and create valuable connections
• Have a safe space to discuss unique challenges you face as a woman of color
• Share your ideas to help other members succeed and prosper
This event is reserved for WOCAN Women members (members and allies) and pre-registration is required. Please register by Monday, December 11th.
2023 WOCAN Annual luncheon
We’re so excited to be back in Miami for our 2nd Annual WOCAN Luncheon, in-person at the National Association of Minority Auto Dealers (NAMAD) Conference! This year’s luncheon will build off of the amazing success of last year’s inaugural event.
WOCAN Member Meetup - JULY 2023
The launch of WOCAN has attracted some amazing women from all over the country, and we want to get together (virtually) and build deeper connections!
At the WOCAN Meetup, each participant will rotate through small groups in a “speed dating” style rotation that will maximize the number of WOCAN members you meet. You can expect to
• Expand your network and create valuable connections
• Have a safe space to discuss the unique challenges you face as a woman of color
• Share your ideas to help other members succeed and prosper
This event is reserved for WOCAN Women members (members and allies) and pre-registration is required. Please register by Monday, July 25th.
April 2023 Speaker: Erikka Tiffani Wells - Sr. Sales Manager Walser Automotive Group
Join us for our April WOCAN Speaker Series event featuring Erikka Tiffani Wells, Sr. Sales Manager at Walser Automotive Group and Vice President/Co-founder of WOCAN.
Erikka has experienced an unbelievable trajectory in automotive, starting as a daycare worker and stumbling on automotive after needing some repairs on her vehicle. She has capitalized on the opportunity, enjoying a 18 year career in automotive, as one of the small percent of women of color in auto dealer leadership. Her career has skyrocketed and in 2021 she was recognized as an Automotive News 40 under 40 honoree.
In addition to being a dynamic leader, Erikka is a sought after thought leader and speaker that has a gift of offering wisdom and inspiration on every stage she graces. Come hear Erikka’s story on how she rose from daycare worker to Dealership leader and the lessons that she learned along the way.
This event is OPEN TO ALL people including WOCAN members, allies (non women of color) and non-members.
April 26th @ 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET
WOCAN Member Meetup - february 2023
Looking to connect with other women of color in the auto industry? The launch of WOCAN has attracted some amazing women from all over the country and we want to enable you to connect with and learn from them.
Come join us and enjoy a safe, empowering space to connect, support one another, and share information about your journey in automotive!
This event is reserved for WOCAN Women members (members and allies)
WOCAN ALLY MEETUP - Nov 2022
Hello WOCAN Allies! We are gathering for our WOCAN Ally meet-up on November 2, 2022! Thank YOU all for your patience! We’ve begun to examine our privilege and power together and our last meet-up was filled with some really authentic and intentional conversations. We are excited to keep the learning going! I really believe that together we can create some positive change for our industry and the world at large.
2022 WOCAN Connect luncheon
Join us for our very first in-person event in Miami! At the luncheon, we’ll get together to gain inspiration, connect on a deeper level, share our vision for the future, and honor some of our outstanding members who are making a difference in the industry. We’re excited to move the conversation forward and build a legacy of excellence and inclusion for all those who come after us.
This event is geared to WOMEN including women of color and our allies.
WOCAN 2nd Anniversary Celebration and Member Meetup
It’s been 2 years since we launched WOCAN and we want to get together to celebrate our accomplishments, reflect on our journey, and share our vision of what’s next. Join our WOCAN founders and members for a virtual celebration of our 2nd anniversary and to connect with other members in a virtual speed networking session.
This event is geared to ALL including WOCAN members, WOCAN ALLY members, and non-members. Register today!
WOCAN ALLY MEETUP - June 2022
Join us for our June 2022 WOCAN ALLY meeting! Together we can create positive change! We are coming together to connect, brainstorm, and learn how we can collectively support WOCAN’s mission & vision as ally members. In this session, we will begin to learn the invaluable Ally Skill of Reframing!
This event is geared to WOCAN Ally members. Register today!
May 2022 Speaker: Renée horne, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer of Chase
Join us for our May WOCAN Speaker Series event featuring Renée Horne, Chief Marketing & Customer Experience Officer of Chase Auto. In her role, she oversees marketing investments and customer satisfaction initiatives for OEM partners, consumers, and dealers.
Renée is blazing new trails in automotive and banking as one of only 4% of C-Suite executives who are women of color. She is an accomplished business executive and expert in defining comprehensive product, digital and marketing strategies.
Come hear Renée’s story on how she broke through to the C-suite, as a black woman in a predominantly male industry, and the lessons that she learned along the way.
This event is OPEN TO ALL people including WOCAN members, non-members, and allies (non women of color).
Thursday, May 26@ 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET
March 2022 Speaker: Kerri Wise, Chief Marketing officer of AutoFi
Join us for our March WOCAN Speaker Series event featuring Kerri Wise, Chief Marketing Officer of AutoFi and President/co-Founder of WOCAN.
Women of Color represent only 4% of all C-suite executives, and Kerri as a 23 year automotive veteran and CMO is trailblazing her own path, in her own authentic way. She went from intern to the C-suite, working at an impressive portfolio of innovating companies, and eventually being recognized as an Automotive News Top 100 Leading Women in North America (2020). Kerri is a well-respected speaker and thought leader, who is oftentimes the only women of color on the agenda.
Come hear Kerri’s story on how she rose from intern to the C-suite, as a black woman in a predominantly male industry, and the lessons that she learned along the way.
This event is OPEN TO ALL people including WOCAN members, non-members, and allies (non women of color).
Tuesday, March 22@ 4:00pm PT/7:00pm ET
WOCAN ALLY MEETUP - Q1 2022
Join us for the launch of WOCAN ALLY! Our WOCAN Ally members are coming together for the FIRST time to connect, brainstorm, and learn how we can collectively support WOCAN’s mission & vision as ally members. As part of the kickoff meeting, you’ll be placed in small groups where you’ll discuss key topics related to allyship. Our topic for the first event is “Ally Up! Practice Effective Allyship”.
Register today and make sure to read the article prior to the event! Please note that this event is geared to WOCAN ALLY members.
WOCAN WINTER MEETUP
Looking to connect with other women of color in the auto industry? The launch of WOCAN has attracted some amazing women from all over the country and we want to enable you to connect with and learn from them.
Come join us and enjoy a safe, empowering space to connect, support one another, and share information about your journey in automotive!
This event is geared to WOCAN women members .
October event: WOCAN “Coffee Talk” sponsored by Subaru
Join us at our October WOCAN monthly meeting where Subaru of America will be hosting a special “Coffee Talk” on “code switching”.
A coffee talk allows for perspective-sharing and perspective-hearing. Our differences enrich all of us, at least all of us who are willing to have an open mind, an open heart, and open ears. Those of us who are willing to listen and to challenge our own objectivity, grow from recognizing the differences in our interactions.
The coffee talk resembles a book club setting where attendees read an article or watch a TedTalk prior to the event and come prepared to engage in a rich dialogue with their peers. This meeting will feature a discussion on the article “The Costs of Code-Switching” moderated by Dr. Monica Curry, Ed.D, Manager, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Subaru of America. Click “learn more” to access the discussion questions and to register for the event.
Wednesday, October 20th @ 5:00pm PT/8:00pm ET
September MONTHLY SPEAKER: Jessica Gonzalez, Director of Digital Strategy at Santander Consumer USA
It’s Hispanic Heritage Month and this month’s WOCAN speaker series features an amazing Latina navigating a successful career in automotive!
Join us for our September WOCAN Speaker Series event featuring Jessica Gonzalez, Director of Digital Strategy at Santander Consumer USA, an automotive consumer finance company focused on offering vehicle finance to its more than 2.6 million customers.
Come hear Jessica’s story, lessons, and how she’s successfully rising to the top in automotive!
This event is OPEN TO ALL including WOCAN members, non-members, and allies (both women and men).
Thursday, September 30th @ 5:00pm PT/8:00 ET
August MONTHLY SPEAKER: Jenell Ross, President of Bob Ross Auto Group
Join us for our August WOCAN Speaker Series event featuring Jenell Ross, President of Bob Ross Automotive Group and one of only four black women in the U.S. that owns a franchise car dealership. Jenell, a second-generation dealer, is a trailblazer and in 2020 was recognized as an Automotive News Top 100 Leading Women in North America.
Come hear Jenell’s story, lessons, and how she’s successfully navigating her career in a male dominated space.
This event is OPEN TO ALL including WOCAN members, non-members, and allies (both women and men).
Wednesday, August 18th at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET
July MONTHLY SPEAKER: Jodi Lai, Editor-in-chief of autoTRADER.ca
Join us for our July WOCAN Speaker Series event featuring Jodi Lai the first ever Editor-in-chief for autoTRADER.ca. Come hear her story and learn how she has pushed past barriers and obstacles as an Asian woman to become one of the premier vehicle experts in the industry.
Thursday, July 22 at 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET
June MONTHLY SPEAKER: Amanda Gordon, Founder and Ceo of Gojo Auto
Join us for our June WOCAN Speaker Series event featuring Amanda Gordon, a trailblazer in the Automotive industry and the founder and CEO of Gojo Auto, a dynamic independent car dealership in Denver.
Come hear her story and learn how she rose from Gap clothing store employee to successful entrepreneur and the first black woman in the state of Colorado to ever own a car dealership.
Wednesday, June 23rd at 5:30pm PT/8:30 pm ET.
APRIL MONTHLY SPEAKER: Janae Andrews, Sales consultant - Champion Chrysler , dodge, jeep
Spring is finally here and we’re bringing you a bright young superstar to warm up your evening. Janae Andrews, QUEEN OF SALES is a salesperson extraordinaire that dominates in a traditionally male dominated industry, selling approximately 60 vehicles per month, 6X the monthly sales of the typical automotive retail salesperson. Janae is here to share her story of being a mom of three with no background in automotive industry to becoming an unstoppable auto sales powerhouse.
Janae will share her story and secrets to success, including how she sets herself apart through a differentiated customer experience, personal branding, marketing, and networking.
Thursday April 22nd at 5:30pm PT/8:30 pm ET.
See Janae’s Talk Here
UNLOCK THE POWER OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Women of Automotive is excited to share an incredible opportunity for your organization to Unlock the Power of Diversity and Inclusion. Dr. Aubrey Franklin Psychology Program Director at Keiser University will be delivering a powerful workshop Wednesday April 7th, 2021 at 1:30 PM ET that discuss bias in hiring in automotive and how to increase diversity in your workforce to better serve today’s customer needs and align with their values. Dr. Franklin give you tools to help your company adapt a culture that:
Attracts women of color and minorities to apply for automotive positions
Clears the cultural obstacles and biases associated with diversity and inclusion
Expands the development of women of color and minorities to increase performance and retention
MARCH MONTHLY SPEAKER: diane lee, ceo & co-founder of constellation agency
It’s WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH and this month we are highlighting an woman making history in automotive, Diana Lee, CEO and Co-Founder of Constellation Agency. Constellation which is a SaaS company that offers digital marketing and creative service for more than 700 auto franchises across the country, for brands including BMW, Audi, Jaguar, and Volkswagen. Dianeawill talk with WOCAN about her remarkable journey that led her to build an $18 million advertising agency in just 3 years and be listed in INC’s Magazine as the10th Fastest growing women-led company in the US! Our monthly speaker series is open to all.
March 17TH 2021 at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT.
See Diana’s Talk Here
Q1 MEMBER MEET-UP 2021
Looking to connect with other women of color in the auto industry? The launch of WOCAN has attracted some amazing women from all over the country and we want to enable you to connect with and learn from them.
We want to provide women of color with a safe, empowering space to connect, support one another, and share information about the automotive industry.
This is a Members Only Online Networking Event. Sign up to become a member of WOCAN.
Lunch & learn: google #IamRemarkable workshop
#IamRemarkable is a Google initiative empowering women and other underrepresented groups to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond. Our members will learn the importance of self promotion and the skills needed to execute it in their careers. Discover how speaking about your achievements can boost your confidence and powers of persuasion.
Grab your lunch and join us for the #IamRemarkable Workshop on Wednesday, February 24 at 10:00 AM PST/1:00 PM EST, exclusively hosted for WOCAN members by the team at Google!
This is a MEMBERS ONLY event. Sign up to become a member of WOCAN.