Sharon Gauci's Journey From Australia to Michigan and the Top of Automotive Design | Hail to Her

From Australia to Michigan, Sharon Gauci built an extraordinary 32-year career in automotive design, rising to become Executive Director of Design for Buick and GMC. Now, she's sharing how she broke barriers in a male-dominated industry, helped shape iconic American automotive brands, and found success by leading with creativity, confidence, and purpose. On this episode of Hail to Her, host Haley Polk sits down with Sharon Gauci to discuss her unconventional journey from Australia to Detroit, her rise through the automotive industry, and the lessons she learned as one of the only women in the room. Sharon takes us behind the scenes of Buick and GMC design, discussing the GMC Sierra EV, the Buick Wildcat EV concept, and what it takes to lead creative teams responsible for shaping the future of automotive design. She also reveals why she once questioned whether her team had pushed GMC's design too far. Beyond the automotive industry, Sharon shares her family's special connection to the University of Michigan through her son, former Michigan football punter Isaac Gauci, and explains why Michigan became her permanent home. The conversation explores handling criticism, overcoming setbacks, building trust, embracing leadership challenges, and finding new purpose after retirement. Sharon also reveals what she actually drives, her favorite automotive brands, and her advice for the next generation of women leaders and athletes. Chapters: 00:00 Leadership Lessons from Automotive Design and Sports 01:06 Meet Sharon Gauci 01:56 Moving from Australia to Michigan Twice 05:13 Why Michigan Became Home 06:34 Izaak Gerkis and Michigan Football 08:00 Her Unconventional Path to Leading Buick & GMC Design 10:50 Designing Cars Four to Five Years Into the Future 14:10 The GMC Sierra EV and Buick Wildcat EV Concept 16:02 When GMC's Design Pushed the Limits 16:43 Handling Pressure, Perfectionism and Feedback 18:24 Learning to Handle Criticism Without Ego 21:18 Being the Only Woman in the Room 25:48 Retirement After 32 Years in Automotive Design 28:03 Finding Purpose Through Gratitude and Journaling 30:45 Building the Buick and GMC Brand Identity 32:10 Sharon's Advice for the Next Generation of Women 33:10 What Does a Former Buick & GMC Design Executive Drive? 35:43 The Different Design Philosophies of Buick and GMC 37:10 Aston Martin, Audi TT and Her Favorite Car Designs 38:38 Her Perspective on China's Automotive Industry 39:38 Final Leadership Lessons for Women and Athletes Subscribe for more Hail to Her conversations celebrating women in athletics, business, leadership, and life beyond sports. Learn more about our partnership with Champions Circle: https://www.collegesportsco.com/news/... FOLLOW CHAMP MEDIA HERE: ► TWITTER | https://x.com/ChampMediaCo ► TIKTOK |   / champmediaco   ► INSTAGRAM |   / champmediaco   ► YOUTUBE |    / @champmediaco   ► SPOTIFY | ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2tW4bh8... ► APPLE | ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... ► FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dr7P6... #SharonGauci #WomenInLeadership #HailToHer