Women Driven Leadership Awards

Celebrating the excellence within our industry, highlighting individuals who inspire, lead, empower and uplift those around them.

2026 Women Driven leadership awards

celebrating & amplifying excellence in the automotive industry

Help us celebrate the amazing women in automotive who have helped guide, mentor, support, and care for our industry. The 2026 MVRO Women Driven Leadership Awards are segmented into categories. Using the nomination forms below you will have 2,000 characters to outline how your nominee fits the leadership award criteria.
 You are allowed to submit more than one nomination per award category. You are allowed to submit more than one nominee per award. Winners will be announced at the 2026 Automotive Conference & Expo on October 15.

Submission Deadline April 10, 2026

select the award category to nominate your candidate

We encourage nominations to be supported by your management team where applicable. 

Fixed Operations Leadership Award

The Fixed Operations Leadership Award celebrates women working in the fixed operations and aftersales segment of the automotive industry who make a difference every day—whether they’re leading teams, solving problems, mentoring others, or simply showing up with excellence and dedication. This award is open to all levels of employment, from service advisors and parts specialists to warranty administrators, shop foremen, and senior managers. If you know a woman who: Leads by example, Introduces new ideas or improvements, Supports and uplifts her team,  Makes a noticeable impact in her role or department …then she’s exactly the kind of person this award is meant to recognize. We want to shine a light on the women who keep operations running smoothly, who inspire others, and who deserve to be seen and celebrated for their contributions—whether they’ve been in the industry for decades or just a few years.

Young Leader Award:

The Young Leader Award recognizes emerging women across all areas of the automotive industry—including technical, creative, operational, and support roles—who are making a meaningful impact early in their careers. Whether working in engineering, manufacturing, marketing, sales, design, HR, finance, logistics, or customer service, nominees should demonstrate leadership qualities, a proactive mindset, and a passion for contributing to the industry’s future. This award is open to women in their first five to seven years in the automotive field, regardless of background or prior experience, and aims to spotlight those who are stepping up, inspiring others, and showing strong potential for continued growth.

Community Leadership Award

The Community Leadership Award celebrates women in the automotive industry—at any level—who exemplify the spirit of service, advocacy, and inclusive leadership through impactful contributions to their communities. This award honors individuals who champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, use their voice and influence to advocate for positive change, and engage in meaningful acts of service—whether independently or through a dealership, company, or organization. From mentoring youth and organizing local initiatives to championing causes that uplift underrepresented groups, these women demonstrate how automotive professionals can be powerful agents of change, building stronger, more inclusive communities and shaping a better future for the industry and society.

Executive Leadership Award

The Executive Leadership Award celebrates outstanding women in senior management roles within automotive companies who exemplify visionary leadership, strategic acumen, and transformative impact. This award honors individuals who lead with integrity and innovation, drive business growth or change, and champion inclusive and empowering workplace cultures.

Nominees may come from diverse professional backgrounds, including operations, engineering, marketing, finance, human resources, or technology.

Submissions are due by April 10th 2026

Finalists will receive a complimentary invitation to the Automotive Conference & Expo

Winners will be announced LIVE on October 15 at the automotive conference & expo

Women driven community events

Join us for an evening of connections with fellow industry leaders at Women Driven events. All genders are welcome as we share insights and engage in conversations on best practices for career advancement and improvements for our industry.

Proceeds from each Women Driven event location will go towards a local scholarship

Thank you to our  Partners

Gold Partners

 
 

 Silver Partners

 
 

 Bronze Partners

 
 

Sponsorship Opportunities are available.
Contact Liz: lizk@MVRO.ca 

 

Stay Inspired

Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”

-Maya Angelou

“I started to wonder if being a project manager was for me; I looked around at all the corner offices to figure out what it takes to be in those offices, and it was all middle-aged white men in navy suits and I thought, I am never going to be a middle-aged man in a navy suit, so I basically did what I always did, I worked harder than anyone else.”

-Laura Schwab

“When you make the biggest changes in your life, you grow the most. Don’t be afraid—it makes you open to change and to incredible experiences.”

-Amy Marentic

“We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.”

– Sheryl Sandberg.

“The education and empowerment of women throughout the world cannot fail to result in a more caring, tolerant, just, and peaceful life for all.”

– Aung San Suu Kyi

“Leadership is not a person or a position. It is a complex moral relationship between people based on trust, obligation, commitment, emotion, and a shared vision of the good.”

– Joanne Ciulla.

“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.”

– Dolly Parton.

“You can do anything you put your mind to. Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it.”

-Brehanna Daniels

#WOMENDRIVEN

#WOMENDRIVEN