From engineering and manufacturing to operations and executive leadership, women across Singer’s U.S. and U.K. facilities are shaping the future of one of the world’s most celebrated luxury automotive brands.
As International Women’s Month shines a spotlight on the achievements and contributions of women across industries worldwide, it also provides an opportunity to recognise those helping redefine what leadership, craftsmanship, and innovation look like in fields historically dominated by men. Within the automotive world—long perceived as one of those spaces—the transformation is steadily underway.
At Singer Vehicle Design, perfection isn’t simply a goal—it’s a philosophy. The California-born luxury automotive brand has become globally celebrated for reimagining the legendary Porsche 911, blending timeless design with cutting-edge engineering to create some of the most coveted automobiles in the world. Each commission is a meticulous collaboration between passionate craftspeople, engineers, and visionaries committed to a simple mantra: Everything is Important.
Yet the story of Singer’s success is not only about extraordinary machines—it’s about the people behind them. Across Singer’s facilities in the United States and the United Kingdom, women are playing an increasingly vital role in shaping the company’s culture and craft. From the factory floor to the executive office, they are helping guide the evolution of a company that has become not only a global icon within car culture, but also a bespoke luxury brand admired around the world.
Singer’s culture is one that values inclusiveness, collaboration, and opportunity—an environment where individuals are encouraged to bring their passions, perspectives, and expertise to the table. For many women at Singer, it has become a place where talent and determination matter far more than tradition or stereotype. The result is a growing community of female leaders, engineers, specialists, and innovators whose contributions are shaping the future of the brand and the industry.
The main photograph above shows the women of Singer Vehicle Design gathering at the company’s UK home facility to celebrate International Women’s Day 2026—honouring the talent behind a culture where ‘Everything is Important.’
Here are some of the women helping drive that future forward.
Brittany Van Horn – Production Supervisor, Operations Data Analyst
For Brittany Van Horn, a career in cars was almost inevitable. She began working in a racing shop in Whittier, California, managing inventory and preparing parts shipments, but quickly found herself drawn deeper into the technical side of motorsports, even assisting with tuning injector hats for Funny Cars.
Now nearing her fourth year at Singer, Van Horn has steadily expanded her role and influence. She joined the company as a production supervisor in Sub-Assembly before moving to Interiors, where she became known for developing detailed data tools that helped teams track performance and improve efficiency. Those analytical skills ultimately led to the creation of a new position created specifically for her, working directly with Singer’s Vice President of Operations as an Operations Data Analyst supporting the entire facility.
Away from Singer, Van Horn’s passion for performance continues on the drag strip. She races a 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme in a highly competitive class dominated by men and has already claimed multiple victories—including defeating a national champion in a Summit Series race. Whether analysing production data or launching down the quarter mile, Van Horn thrives on pushing limits.
Lesley Mendoza – Team Lead, Fabrication
Lesley Mendoza’s journey into fabrication began with grit, long hours, and a determination to build a better future. While working full time to help support her family, she enrolled in trade school to study welding, often balancing early morning shifts with classes that ran late into the night.
When Mendoza joined Singer two years ago with just nine months of welding experience, she entered a field where women remain rare—especially inside fabrication shops. Yet her work ethic and skill quickly set her apart. In just two years, she progressed from Fabricator I to Fabricator III and recently earned promotion to Production Lead of the Fabrication Department.
Today, Mendoza not only helps guide the team responsible for shaping critical metal components, but also serves as an inspiration to new hires. She frequently shares her story during orientation, encouraging others to pursue opportunities in the automotive trades. Her presence has helped open the door for more women in the shop, where four now work alongside the team.
She credits much of her determination to her mother, whose perseverance shaped her outlook on life. “Si caes, levántate y vuelve a intentarlo, no tengas miedo al éxito,” which translates to, “If you fall, get up and try again, don’t be afraid of success.” Her mother would say this and it’s a lesson Mendoza carries with her every day.
Ellie-May Smith – Material Control Director, Operations (UK)
For Ellie-May Smith, the thrill of automotive craftsmanship happens long before a car reaches the workshop floor. As Material Control Director at Singer’s UK facility, she oversees the complex flow of parts and materials that ensures every bespoke restoration has exactly what it needs—precisely when it needs it.
Smith began her career as a graduate material planner in the fast-paced world of consumer goods before moving into automotive manufacturing. After more than three years with Singer, she says the company’s environment offers a very different challenge. While previous roles focused on high-volume production, Singer’s highly bespoke commissions demand meticulous coordination and adaptability across engineering, procurement, and supplier teams.
“Singer’s culture also inspired my move, it was a growing business that had kept its collaborative, close-knit feel. I enjoy supply chain and doing it somewhere that cares deeply about what it produces made it even more appealing. I love being part of the Singer family.”
One of Smith’s favourite moments comes when a finished car is “clapped out” of the facility—a tradition where colleagues gather to celebrate the completion of a build and hear the story behind its unique specification.
Outside of work, she enjoys unwinding with music and podcasts and is currently spending much of her free time renovating her newly purchased home—another project requiring careful planning and patience.
Kaylee Quilling – Chief of Staff
Kaylee Quilling’s path to Singer began far from the automotive industry. A Wisconsin native and graduate of Harvard University with a degree in psychology, she spent more than fifteen years working in the fashion world with prestigious brands, publications, and retailers before co-founding a technology startup and later moving into business management.
But during those years in design and product development circles, she repeatedly heard one name referenced with admiration: Singer.
When the opportunity to join the company arose four years ago, she immediately recognised parallels between the craftsmanship of Singer’s restorations and the meticulous artistry found in haute couture. Today, as Chief of Staff, Quilling works closely with the executive team to help advance strategic initiatives while ensuring daily operations remain aligned with broader company goals.
“Maz and Rob made an early commitment to a product that feels California laid back and easy (even if executing on it is anything but..) I think that product direction has informed our culture today.”
Within Singer, she’s also become known for rallying colleagues to join the company’s informal triathlon team. While the group may not always match Singer’s relentless pursuit of perfection on the racecourse, the camaraderie reflects the culture she values most: one built on collaboration, humour, and shared ambition.
Fun fact: she’s a bit humble, as not only did she and the Singer team (comprised of Kaylee and two male colleagues) take first place in the LA Triathlon 2025 Championship Super Sprint Relay, each individually competing as one team for swimming, biking and running – under Kaylee’s leadership, they continue to earn participation medals in the Zuma Beach Triathlons annually.
Macie Legaspi – Manufacturing Engineering Co-Op
Macie Legaspi’s connection to cars began in childhood. Growing up in West Los Angeles in a household where repairs were often handled in the garage, she learned to change brakes and spark plugs long before she was old enough to drive.
Now a mechanical engineering student at California State University Long Beach, Legaspi joined Singer in 2025 after meeting the team at a career fair hosted at the Petersen Automotive Museum—an institution that had long fueled her fascination with classic cars.
She initially arrived as a summer intern but soon became Singer’s first Manufacturing Engineering Co-op, balancing her studies with hands-on experience inside the company’s fabrication and body departments. There, she works alongside technicians and engineers solving challenges unique to restoring decades-old Porsche chassis, where creativity and problem-solving often replace traditional parts catalogs.
When she’s not studying or working, Legaspi can often be found exploring off-road trails in her lifted Toyota FJ Cruiser or designing and building vehicles with her university’s Baja SAE engineering team.
Deanna Roll – Executive Director, U.S. Programs – Quality and Engineering
Deanna Roll’s path to automotive leadership began with a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut. Growing up on a small farm in Ohio, she pursued that ambition academically, earning a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering from Ohio State University before later completing a Master of Business Administration at the University of Michigan. At the time, however, astronaut candidates were largely drawn from the ranks of fighter pilots—a path unavailable to women then—leading Roll to channel her passion for exploration and innovation into engineering.
She began her career at Ford Motor Company as a Ford College Graduate in design engineering, spending nearly half her career there in a variety of roles across product development and engineering. Her time at Ford culminated in leading the product programs for two of the company’s flagship vehicles—the Navigator and Expedition— guiding complex development efforts from concept to production.
Since joining Singer in July 2025, Roll has brought that breadth of experience to her role overseeing U.S. programs in quality and engineering, helping ensure every commission reflects the meticulous standards that define the brand.
“Singer’s philosophy that ‘Everything is Important’ resonates deeply with me,” Roll says. “Quality isn’t something that happens at the end of a process—it’s something you build into every decision, every design, and every step along the way.”
One of her most memorable moments so far came during a management meeting in the United Kingdom, where she had the opportunity to drive examples of Singer’s restorations on track—an experience that offered a powerful reminder of the craftsmanship and passion behind every vehicle the team creates.
“What makes Singer special is the people,” she adds. “There’s a shared determination here to keep improving and pushing the work to the next level.”
A Future Driven by Talent
As Singer continues to grow its global presence, the contributions of women across the organisation are helping shape not only the company’s future, but also the evolving face of the automotive world itself. Their leadership, creativity, and expertise reinforce a simple truth: excellence thrives when diverse perspectives come together.
During International Women’s Month—and throughout the year—their work stands as a reminder that the future of innovation, craftsmanship, and luxury performance is being driven by a broader and more inclusive generation of talent.
If your passions and ideals share in any of the Singer philosophy and culture – and you can picture yourself contributing to this extraordinary community of builders, thinkers, and innovators—Singer continues to welcome new talent – view Singer’s career page at, www.singervehicledesign.com/careers. The next chapter of Singer’s story is still being written, and its next rising star could be you.
Photographs Supplied by Singer Vehicle Design.