Beth Paretta

While working for many years in the automotive and motorsports industries, there were times I was the only woman in the room or at the table. While those moments first felt like an achievement, I soon realized that it is incumbent upon all of us to not let that be the norm. Successful leaders and businesspeople know that collaboration and including diverse perspectives is a critical element for success. 

In racing, we strive to have diverse paddocks and teams made up of talented competitors which will, in turn, help us broaden our fan base. This audience growth will attract more participants and sponsor partners, thereby truly making motorsport for all. 

This growth through diversity must be done with deliberate and thoughtful action. It is important to note that this is not about taking someone else’s proverbial seat at the table; our success will come from building a longer table for all. We need our senior, experienced motorsport professionals working together to identify, train, and support new talent to populate our continual pipeline for our collective good: the future health of the sport we love and are privileged to make our living. 

Motorsport team members can enjoy long careers while many of the learned skills can translate to other industries. For this reason, it can and should be an attractive opportunity to many people and we hope WIMNA will introduce women to our sport and be a trusted resource throughout their careers. 

We have created WIMNA to unify our collective efforts, share best practices and be a resource for our members. I am proud to be working with Lyn and we are excited for what’s ahead. 

The strength of WIMNA is in its members: our experience, our knowledge, and our network. We all work hard. Now, let’s work together for a better future for all of motorsport. 

See you at the track!