LISA DRAKE: FORD ENGINEER CLIMBS TO NEW HEIGHTS
- Lisa Drake, 36, is one of the youngest chief engineers at Ford Motor Company, responsible for leading the company’s Global Hybrid and Battery Electric Vehicle programs
- Drake takes pride being involved in Ford’s electrification process, with the first pure battery electric Ford Focus due to launch in 2011
- Outside of her work at Ford, Drake is an avid mountain climber
Lisa Drake is on her way to the top, both professionally and personally speaking.
At the age of 36, Drake is one of the youngest chief engineers at Ford Motor Company, responsible for leading the company’s Global Hybrid and Battery Electric Vehicle programs. She currently is managing the development of a pure battery electric Ford Focus for 2011, as well as another advanced hybrid plug-in vehicle, which is still under wraps but scheduled for release in the 2012 model year.
"We are on the edge of unprecedented change in the automotive industry as we move towards electrification, and I’m honored to have an opportunity to be a part of that change," said Drake, a recipient of the prestigious Automotive Hall of Fame’s Young Leader and Excellence Award, which recognizes achievements of today’s automotive innovators who have demonstrated significant potential as future industry leaders.
"My job is extremely rewarding because we are demonstrating with real products our leadership in putting fantastic and fun-to-drive hybrids and battery electric vehicles on the road," she said. "Twenty-five years from now I can imagine being able to tell stories about how I was on the team that delivered the first battery-powered production vehicle for Ford."
Personal Insights and Fun Facts
- In her free vacation time, Drake is an active "high pointer," a member of an informal group of enthusiasts who set out to climb the highest mountain in every state. To date, she has successfully reached the peak in 16 states. "The highest peak I’ve ever climbed is Mt. Hood in Oregon, which is approximately 11,245 feet," she said. "We had to train for two days to learn how to ice climb. It took us seven hours to get up the mountain and five hours to come down.
- Whether she’s at work or climbing up the side of a mountain, Drake says the motivation is the same. "I like a challenge. I like to set my sights on something and then move towards it," she said. "And once something is done, it’s on to the next thing. There’s no rest."
- Drake was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pa. She currently resides in Royal Oak, Mich.
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 201,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.
Oct. 5, 2009
