Sandra and Lauren first connected during the 2024 Rebelle Rally, where Lauren played a role supporting the Toyota teams with vehicle preparation. Sandra competed as a Navigator in both the 2023 and 2024 rallies, while Lauren working behind the scenes—but was eager to step into the competition herself. As a new team, we’ve spent the year training together and exploring how our strengths complement one another. Through seat time, shared strategy, and a mutual passion for adventure, we have decided to make this a year of firsts with Sandra as the Driver and Lauren as the Navigator! For Team 182, this year is all about embracing new challenges, growing through experience, and pushing both personal and vehicle limits. We’re proud to represent Toyota at this world-class event and are excited to see what the 2025 Rebelle Rally has in store.
Toyota
I am an Advanced Technology Engineer at Toyota, where my focus is driving innovation in manufacturing. I am able to bring new ideas to life and finding more effective, efficient ways to build the future.
Lexington, KY
Rochester Institute of Technology
“People are going to judge you anyway, so you might as well do what you want.”
I craft my own beer and enjoy experimenting with different flavors!
I am fortunate enough to be able to compete in the Rebelle Rally through Toyota who supports Women in Engineering. The Rebelle will challenge me to get out of my comfort zone. I am excited to find out what situations & obstacles we will get into and how we will work together as a team and what I will learn about myself from this experience!
My family inspires me the most because they showed me all aspects on how I should live my life through their experience, work ethics and sacrifices. They motivate me to strive to always be the best and to work hard because it will always pay off in end.
Survivor, Grey’s Anatomy, Law and Order
Never in a million years did I think I would ever leave the Big Apple, but moving from NYC to Kentucky was definitely the greatest adventure to date.
2023, 2024
To do the best we can, learn new skills and gain perspective as a driver this year, and also support my teammate as a rookie through the entire experience. I want to grow, adapt, and make sure we both come away stronger and more confident from the rally.
Outside of work, I'm passionate about adventure and the outdoors. I love spending time off-roading and exploring new trails, hiking to discover new views, and sharing those moments with my husband and two fur-babies, Xena and Milo! Whether it's behind the wheel or on foot, I find joy in new adventures and the challenges they bring.
My first real introduction to motorsports came in collage, when I was part of the RIT Baja team. That experience taught me the fundamentals of vehicle dynamics, teamwork under pressure, and the grit it takes to keep moving when things don't go as planned. Since then, I've continued through personal off-road adventures with my husband's Tacoma. Learning recovery skills, exploring trails, and gaining confidence across different terrains. These experience shape how I'm approaching the Rebelle, relying on preparation, adaptability, and trust in both the vehicle and my teammate.
Taking a t-bar to the top of Breckenridge Mountain, the view, the rush, and the sense of accomplishment made it unforgettable.
Surprisingly, my favorite terrain was the sand dunes. If you had asked me during my first year, I would have said I was absolutely terrified of them. Now, I love the challenge they present with navigation, and it feels incredibly rewarding when we're able to find a black checkpoint in the middle of the dunes.
Dealing with my motion sickness as a navigator! It can make long days and rough terrain tough but will push through and stay focused to keep us on course.
The rally has changed me by teaching resilience, patience, and adaptability. It's pushed me to stay calm under pressure, think creatively to solve unexpected problems. Being surrounded by such powerful women together is incredibly inspiring and motivates me to push myself further both on and off course. I'm excited to gain new skills and experience the Rebelle Rally from a different perspective as a driver, learning more about the vehicle and decision making on the course. It's a chance to grow and come away with a deeper understanding of the rally as a whole.
One of my most memorable car moments was getting stuck on Carbarator Hill during an off-road trip with my husband. We winched ourselves out, but the radiator cracked and overheated, so we decided it was time to grill some steaks to cool the truck down and make a night out of it after all the stress. One day we'll tackle it again! Moments like this remind me that off-roading is as much about enjoying the journey and a good laugh, as it is about the challenge.
I'm a production engineer at Toyota. I work in the Plastics department making sure that our production lines are able and ready to assemble bumpers for the new model years. This includes studying the current floor layout, comparing the new design and assembly order to the current process, and setting in motion any changes that need to be made to the conveyors or machines.
Florence, KY
University of Kentucky, Mechanical Engineering
"Even the best days end, and even the worst days pass. Good times become good memories, and bad times become good lessons."
I love to try new things and challenge myself. My fake it 'til you make it mantra is, "I believe in myself." Then I take the leap and experience something new! I also hope that the mantra rubs off on others: if you believe in yourself, you can overcome your fears.
It's a beautiful, wonderful mix of off-roading, adventure, nature, sisterhood, competition, challenge/growth, and fun. This is the second time I've applied to represent Toyota in the Rally. I got great feedback the first year on why I wasn't chosen, and I spent twelve months working to make sure I had the experience to increase my chances of being chosen!
TV shows and movies with powerhouse women!
Books: Twilight, Initial D, Dune
I celebrated my 25th birthday by skydiving with my younger sister and learning to fly a plane!
I'd love to win, but I'm also here to experience something amazing and meet an incredible bunch of strong, independent woman that can inspire me further to continue chasing my dreams and breaking barriers.
I'm on the PE Motorsports team at work! We wrench on sports cars in the shop after the work day ends, and then we get to take the cars to the track on some weekends. It's a really great way to connect with customers and showcase Toyota vehicles--very similar to the Rebelle Rally! I also love Legos. I have a lot of the flower sets decorating my condo, and my dad likes to buy me sports car sets. I have never considered myself to be especially creative, but I love how Legos give me the ability to mix in some creativity while still following the fundamentals of engineering.
Learning about Rebelle Rally finally gave me the push I needed to join our motorsports team. I had been interested for a long time but hadn't moved out of my comfort zone enough to take the first step. The road course team was my first real introduction to motorsports as a whole, and while everything doesn't directly relate to off-roading, I am able to use a lot of the skills I learned such as accuracy, consistency, repair knowledge, and vehicle safety.
My grandparents and I went to London, England when I graduated high school. We have gone to plays together since I was in eighth grade, and we topped them all by going to see Macbeth at Shakespeare's Globe. It was such a surreal moment!
My boyfriend recently let me drive his 1946 Ford truck to a county fair. Driving it was super fun, and when I pulled up to the antique area to park the truck, there was a steep hill with a sharp turn to get into the spot. The man in charge said, "Oh, no. A woman driver can't park that. You better let him [my boyfriend] park it." I squared my shoulders, glanced at my boyfriend to make sure he was fine with me driving his baby in the grass, and then I feathered the clutch perfectly and parked the car in one piece. My boyfriend gave me a high five, and the man laughed and said, "Alright, I take it back."
