Education: Bachelor's, industrial engineering, University of Illinois; Master's mechanical engineering, Syracuse University; M.B.A., Massachusetts Institute of Technology

What your college professors didn't teach you: "That a lot of your learning won't come from textbooks."

First automotive job: Director of fuel storage and delivery at Visteon in 2000

Most fun automotive job: "Every assignment I've had has been fun. I've learned from it. I think working with a dedicated group of people to build a high-performance team is one of the rewarding elements. When you work with a team that learns to achieve together and trust one another, it's great."

Proudest achievement: "I felt really good about the educational achievements and some of the team achievements. For 2003 our air-induction team won the (Automotive News) PACE award. That was very rewarding. There's nothing like seeing a customer's eyes light up when you bring a solution to them.

"Looking back at my family - sharing in my husband's success and watching our children grow to maturity has meant a lot."

Current challenge: "Working with my team to deliver fuel economy, emissions and performance solutions for powertrain. I think the challenge, which also makes it interesting, is there are so many technologies to draw down from."

On being successful: "I have downplayed the gender focus and focused on gaining confidence. What really applies is focusing on what you can contribute and always seeking to deliver more than is expected. Everything else will follow."

What about the auto industry surprised you: "When I arrived here, I had experiences in other industries. I was really surprised at the level of talent, dedication and experience in our company. Dedication - this is an industry that requires a lot of that. It's very demanding."

Job to which you aspire: "I've been more or less in the operational and technical field, and I enjoy that very much. Leading to positions with increased responsibility would be great, but I'm rewarded by what I'm doing today."

What you do to relax: "I have three children and my husband. We like outdoor activities: downhill skiing, boating, hiking, bicycling, a lot of activities outdoors."