Audra Fordin
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Audra Fordin | |
|---|---|
| Add a Photo Audra Fordin | |
| Citizenship | American |
| Occupation | Auto repair shop owner, automotive educator, author, consumer advocate |
| Employer | Great Bear Auto Repair |
| Organization | Women Auto Know; Drivers Auto Know |
| Known for | Automotive education, consumer advocacy, and promoting automotive safety training for women |
Notable work | Automotive education and consumer advocacy initiatives |
Audra Fordin is an American auto repair shop owner, automotive educator, author, and consumer advocate. She is the owner of Great Bear Auto Repair in Flushing, New York, and the founder of the nonprofit organization Women Auto Know and the for-profit platform Drivers Auto Know. Both initiatives provide automotive education and safety training, with a focus on serving women drivers.[1][2]
Early life and education
Fordin is a fourth-generation automotive professional and the first woman in her family to operate Great Bear Auto Repair, a business founded in 1933 in Queens, New York. She grew up in the shop and began working on cars during her teenage years. She later earned ASE certification and pursued continuing education in automotive repair and business management.[3]
Career
In 1997, Fordin assumed ownership of Great Bear Auto Repair, expanding its services to include hybrid and electric vehicle certifications.[4] Under her leadership, the shop became known for transparency, customer education, and community engagement.[5]
She later founded Women Auto Know (WAK) 2009, a national initiative that teaches automotive maintenance and addresses barriers faced by women in the automotive industry.[1] She also launched Drivers Auto Know (DAK) in 2025, a platform offering workshops, hands-on education, and a directory of participating repair shops.[4]
Fordin has spoken at national automotive conferences, collaborated with city agencies to service municipal fleets, and consulted with manufacturers to design inclusive car care outreach programs.[2]
[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
Media appearances
Fordin has been featured on national and local media outlets, including:
- NBC's The Kelly Clarkson Show[15]
- PBS's MotorWeek[4]
- CBS This Morning[16]
- Yelp's Behind the Business docuseries (2025)[1]
- Fox 5 NY, ABC News, and other local stations[5]
Advocacy and education
Through her Auto Know Workshops, Fordin teaches drivers across the United States how to understand and maintain their vehicles.[1] She often uses analogies between car systems and human anatomy (e.g., brakes as bones, filters as lungs) to make technical content accessible.[4] In 2025, she began licensing these workshops in a "Workshop in a Box" format, enabling other auto shops nationwide to adopt her educational model.[1]
Published works
Fordin has authored several books and guides, including:
- End Auto Anxiety: No Fear Car Repair and Maintenance for Busy Women — ranked #1 in Amazon categories for automotive, driver's education, and auto repair & maintenance (Published 2015) (ISBN: 978-0988563025)[17]
- Women Auto Know Glovebox Guide (Published 2012) (ISBN: 978-1477612897)
- What Women Auto Know: Be the Master of Your Automotive World (Published 2012) (ISBN: 978-1477612897)
Awards and recognition
Fordin has received multiple honors, including:
- NYC Small Business of the Year Award[5]
- Female Service Shop Owner of the Year Award[4]
- ASE Certified Woman of the Year nominee[3]
- Recognition by the Queens Chamber of Commerce[5]
- Featured participant in national Women in Trades panels[18]
Personal life
Fordin lives in Queens, New York, and is the mother of three children. She is active in her community, hosting career days, empowerment panels, and local events. She often signs off her communications with the phrase, "Mechanically yours."[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Queens Auto Repair Shop Pioneers Women's Automotive Education". AutoBodyNews. September 11, 2024.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Four Philosophies. Four Generations. How Mechanic And Shop Owner Audra Fordin Has Changed The Perception Of Automotive Repair". Motor1. January 13, 2023.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "ASE Certification". MotorWeek. October 31, 2022.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 "Audra Fordin". MotorWeek.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Entrepreneur Auto". The Story Exchange.
- ↑ "Women Auto Know revs up empowerment". ABC7 New York. 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- ↑ "Queens Auto Repair Shop Pioneers Women's Automotive Education". Autobody News. 2024-09-11. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- ↑ "Four Philosophies. Four Generations. How Mechanic And Shop Owner Audra Fordin Has Changed The Perception Of Automotive Repair". Motor1.com. Archived from the original on 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- ↑ "N.Y. tire shop owner sees profits in empowering customers". www.tirebusiness.com. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- ↑ "This fourth-generation mechanic empowers women to take control of car maintenance". www.crainsnewyork.com. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- ↑ "Queens auto shop scores new hybrid vehicle certification". New York Daily News. 2012-09-20. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- ↑ "Queens auto repair shop Great Bear has female force to be reckoned with at the helm, Audra Fordin". New York Daily News. 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
- ↑ Fordin, Audra. "From Fear to Confidence: How I'm Changing the Way Drivers Experience Car Care". Influential Women. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ "Audra Fordin - CEO/ Founder │ Influential Women". Influential Women. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ "Audra Fordin named PIX11's Remarkable Woman". PIX11 News. April 4, 2022.
- ↑ "Small Business Spotlight: Women Auto Know". WCBS. April 28, 2022.
- ↑ "June 2024 Vehicle Care RockStar: Audra Fordin". Babcox Media. June 19, 2024.
- ↑ "Women Driven by Auto Aims to Break Gender Barriers". Newswire. November 13, 2024.
External links
This article "Audra Fordin" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.