Nancy Gioia (’82 CECS) is director of global electrification at Ford Motor Company. During her 29 years at Ford, she has held 17 different leadership roles. 

Upon graduation from UM-Dearborn, Nancy earned a master’s degree in manufacturing systems engineering at Stanford University. She was named one of Automotive News “Top 100 Women” in 2005 and 2010, and among its “Electrifying 100” in 2011. She is a board member for the Electric Drive Transportation Association and California PEV Collaborative, and serves as an advisor to the UC Davis PEV Center and Wayne State University’s Electrification Center.

Nancy has not only addressed the US Congress and British Parliament on the emergence of Hybrid Vehicles, she has served as the Ford representative in meetings with President Clinton and Prince Charles. She was recognized by Governor Granholm in the State of the State Address for her work in bringing business to Michigan. And as an active member of Inforum, Nancy helped launch AutomotiveNEXT which seeks to help automotive sector companies attract and retain talented women.

Nancy credits UM-Dearborn for teaching her the importance of teamwork. She said that while on campus, she learned “Individually, you may survive, but with a good team, you will deliver great results.”