By: Dwana Pinchock
For nearly 20 years, Katrina Leader has worked in the automotive industry, a field still overwhelmingly dominated by men.
She entered a garage at 19 and earned her safety and emissions certifications by 23. What began in her father’s family-owned business became a calling.
“I really enjoyed working on the cars,” Leader said. “But I also enjoyed the customer relations side of it.”
Over time, she noticed women visibly relax when they saw her in the shop. They asked more questions and stayed longer. Many told her they appreciated how clearly she explained what was happening with their vehicles. That realization stayed with her.
After years of considering the idea, Leader launched DriveHer Knowledge, an initiative designed to invite women into the car care conversation.
Her mission is simple: Help women feel confident discussing and understanding their second-largest investment.
A Different Experience
Leader has heard countless stories from women who felt dismissed or talked down to in dealerships and repair shops. She has also seen the financial impact.
“Women will spend, on average, about $7,000 more over the lifetime of their vehicle than men,” she said. “Just because they are women.”
That difference can stem from overcharging, unnecessary services and unclear explanations. In some cases, customers are told about services that do not even exist.
“You can tell some people anything, and they’ll do it,” she said.
DriveHer Knowledge aims to interrupt that pattern.
Leader does not want to turn every woman into a mechanic. She wants women to feel empowered to ask questions and understand the answers.
“You don’t have to know everything about your car,” she said. “But feel comfortable enough to ask questions. A lot of men don’t know either. They’re just not talked to like they’re feebleminded.”
From Bills to Brake Pads
Her classes cover foundational skills such as opening a hood and checking tire pressure, along with more advanced lessons like performing an oil change.
At her first class, she realized how wide the knowledge gap could be.
“Some women didn’t know how to open their own hood,” she said.
She worries about the safety implications.
“If you’re stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire or a broken belt and you have no idea what you’re looking at, that’s scary,” she said.
Workshops also include “BYOB” sessions, short for Bring Your Own Bill. Participants bring repair invoices, and Leader reviews them line by line.
“What was necessary? What was fair? What might have been overcharged?” she said.
She believes one hour of education can save participants hundreds of dollars over time.
A Library Connection
Leader connected with the Dauphin County Library System after meeting staff at a community event last spring. She was later invited to bring DriveHer Knowledge to the library.
She calls the partnership an honor.
“I’m excited that the library is offering a free program so women can get an hour of education,” she said. The setting carries personal meaning.
“The library was my safe haven when I was in school,” she said. “It was my quiet space.”
Although her associate degree was unrelated to automotive work, the library was where she studied and focused. Now she returns not as a student, but as an educator.
Redefining the Field
Automotive repair remains male-dominated, but Leader is not content to be the exception.
She wants women to walk into repair facilities informed, confident and prepared to advocate for themselves. She wants them to know reliability matters more than cup holders. Most of all, she wants women to understand that the conversation about cars belongs to them, too.
For Women’s History Month, Leader’s work is a reminder that empowerment often begins with the basics: opening a hood, checking a tire and asking the right question.
Sometimes it begins with someone willing to say, “You deserve to understand what you’re paying for.”
Visit Katrina Leader’s Facebook page to learn more about her and DriveHer Knowledge.
