By Ashley Reyes
The SEMA Businesswomen's Network (SBN) has named Melissa Wahe, CEO and founder of CarmaCare California, as the network's newest #SheIsSEMA spotlight member.
Wahe was nominated by her peer, Jennifer Daggolu. Get to know Wahe through Daggolu's interview with SEMA News below.
SEMA News: How has Melissa contributed to her company?
Jennifer Daggolu: She founded CarmaCare California on a mission to impact communities, specifically towards safety and empowerment for female drivers. She is the initiator and generator for every move made by Carmacare California.
SN: How has Melissa shown leadership in the industry or business?
JD: Melissa leads with accessibility, compassion and action--qualities that make her not only a founder, but a true community leader.
Melissa shows leadership by meeting people where they are. When a group of young women purchased a workshop but couldn't attend, she didn't just refund them--she offered to bring the class to them, teaching privately in their own driveways.
That choice reflects her leadership philosophy: true leaders remove barriers, make education accessible and ensure no one is left behind. Melissa leads not only with vision, but with action, proving that leadership in business is about lifting others up, one driver at a time.
This is why Melissa stands out: her leadership isn't about position or title, it's about creating real change in people's lives.
SN: Tell us a success story that you can share about Melissa.
JD: Melissa's success is best measured by the confidence she instills in others.
One powerful example came on Christmas Eve, when a participant's car suddenly showed dangerously low tire pressure. Instead of panicking, she used the tools and confidence gained from Melissa's workshop to safely check and fill all four tires--getting her family home without incident.
Her words say it best: "I wouldn't have been able to do that had I not taken your class. Your class was a game changer."
That story captures Melissa's success: transforming everyday drivers into capable, confident people who turn potential emergencies into moments of strength. This is why Melissa is deserving of recognition: her success is measured not only in workshops taught, but in lives made safer.
SN: How many years has Melissa been in the industry?
JD: More than five years.
SN: What quality do you admire most about Melissa and why?
JD: The quality I admire most about Melissa is her visionary energy. In human design, people like Melissa are known as manifesting generators--remarkable individuals who combine big-picture vision with the ability to act quickly and effectively. They don't just imagine change; they create it, often turning challenges into opportunities at a pace that inspires everyone around them.
Melissa embodies this quality through the creation of CarmaCare California. She saw that drivers--especially women and mothers--lacked access to practical, hands-on car safety education. Instead of waiting for change, she built a program to fill that gap and rapidly expanded it, partnering with community leaders and law enforcement to increase reach and impact.
Her visionary drive also shows up in small, personal ways. When a group of young women couldn't attend a workshop, Melissa didn't let them miss out--she offered to bring the class directly to their homes and driveways. That flexibility and dedication reflect her natural ability to generate solutions and manifest possibilities that others wouldn't even consider.
Melissa's ability to envision, create and deliver solutions at scale is what sets her apart as a leader. She exemplifies the rare combination of vision and execution--qualities that define the most impactful innovators in any industry.
SN: Why do you think Melissa is a role model in the industry?
JD: Melissa is a role model because she has redefined what leadership in automotive education looks like. In a male-dominated industry, she created CarmaCare California to make car safety accessible, practical and empowering, especially for women and families. By leading with vision and compassion, she shows that real role models don't just excel themselves, but also inspire confidence, safety and strength in everyone around them.
Fill out a #SheIsSEMA spotlight form to submit a self-nomination or nominate a colleague and highlight how you or she is contributing to the specialty-equipment industry. Selected candidates are automatically eligible to be considered for SBN's #SheIsSEMA Woman of the Year award, featured on SBN's social media, SEMA News and recognized on the sema.org/she-is-sema website.
