Rachel DeBarros

Rachel De Barros is the chief marketing officer, host and executive producer for Gearhead Diva, a DIY car building community and network producing edu-tainment style videos for today's social generation. From installing bolt-on products, wiring electronics and rebuilding an engine to bodywork and paint, Rachel empowers young and "young-at-heart" everyday enthusiasts to achieve their goals using common tools in a home garage environment. From a young age, Rachel was curious about how things worked, which led to a household of disassembled appliances and electronics. She spent the summers as a young teen helping out at her uncle's collision shop in Washington D.C. where she was introduced to bodywork and paint. Later in college, although she was pursuing a career in marketing, she continued doing her own car maintenance and repair to save money, which inadvertently turned into her first business with a base of student-customers who found it convenient to have her come to their residences to fix their cars. While operating her boutique design and interactive marketing company, Purple Star Media, for a number of years, Rachel continued to build her technical skill set by completing the Automotive Training & Repair Program at the Philadelphia Automotive Training School. This allowed her to combine her lifelong passion for cars and hands-on technical knowledge with her 10+ years of marketing experience to create highly engaging content strategies for the aftermarket industry in emerging web, mobile, application and other on-demand technologies. As an active contributor to a variety of automotive forums, online publications, social media networks, shows and community events, Rachel is proud of the relationships she has fostered throughout her career, and she continues to represent many aftermarket companies as a spokesperson and product expert. Rachel is a member of the SEMA Businesswomen's Network and SEMA Young Executives Network. She has participated in a variety of high-profile car builds including the SEMA Mustang Build Powered by Women that showcased talented women working in the auto industry, where 50 aftermarket parts sponsored by 30 manufacturers were installed to create "High Gear." This modified 2013 Ford Mustang debuted at the Ford booth at SEMA 2012, and it was later auctioned off to support a scholarship fund to help foster the next generation of industry leaders.