Another incredible woman on Influential Innovators is Mary Barra, the chief executive officer at General Motors. Her story showcases how she was able to break into a male-dominated field and rise to the top with her incredible leadership skills. Barra’s journey into the automotive industry began when she got her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Kettering University in 1985. She later attended Stanford Graduate Business school, obtaining her MBA. Barra began working for General Motors at the age of 18 and slowly worked her way to vice president of Global Manufacturing Engineering, and later to Chief Executive Officer.
As the first ever female head of an automobile manufacturer, Barra was able to pave the way for incredible endeavors. She helped launch the electric car initiative at GM, which later led to the creation of the low-cost, high-mileage Chevy Bolt. In addition, she was Forbes fourth most powerful woman in 2018. Throughout her career, she has taken strides in ensuring that the culture at General Motors is inclusive and respectful to all workers. I chose Mary Barra as one of the influential women for this site because she serves as a leader in the technology industry through her work ethic and meaningful impact on the Michigan community.