DENSO recently celebrated International Women’s Day by convening a panel discussion and networking event featuring influential women in the automotive industry. The event was part of DENSO’s larger commitment to promote diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace and automotive industry at large.
The panel – moderated by Terry Barclay, president and CEO at InForum Michigan – featured female leaders who reflected on their successes, challenges and personal experiences in the automotive industry. During the conversation, Kara Grasso, VP of Strategic Operations at DENSO, and the panelists discussed the importance of D&I in automotive, how it improves business and innovation, and how companies can address the issue with passion and sensitivity. Other speakers included:
• Julie Fream, president and CEO, OESA
• Kristen Tabar, VP, Technical Strategy Planning Office Division, Toyota
At the event, 25 female high school students from Southfield Public Schools participated in mentoring sessions with the panelists and professionals in attendance. The sessions provided these future leaders the opportunity to discuss potential career paths in the automotive industry, as well as gain insights on how to navigate the professional world.
“I am honored to share the stage with other industry leaders to put a spotlight on how we can create better, more dynamic workplaces, and share with young people how they can jumpstart their own career journeys,” said Grasso prior to the event. “At DENSO, we prioritize diversity and inclusion because we understand how impactful it can be at all levels of the business. By fostering a company culture that values all backgrounds and experiences, we enable innovative thinking, stronger team dynamics and create more opportunities for success.”
Last year, Grasso and her fellow panelists contributed to the book, “The Road to the Top is Not on the Map: Conversations with Top Women of the Automotive Industry,” published by SAE International. The book offers women in all professional stages insights on career challenges, education and lifelong-learning, mentorship and sponsor relationships, personal satisfaction, resilience and work-life integration.
