The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is promoting Lauren Wilbor to Political Director, giving her day-to-day oversight of the organization’s grassroots and grasstops efforts to support SEMA’s advocacy and communications efforts in Washington, D.C., and throughout the country. She will continue to be based out of SEMA’s Washington, D.C., office.

In her previous role as Manager of Digital Communications and Partnerships, Wilbor spearheaded SEMA’s groundbreaking effort to deploy automotive content creators for advocacy. Her work has brought greater visibility to SEMA’s award-winning campaign to preserve vehicle choice in the U.S. and has elevated an ongoing, state-based effort to protect and preserve the right to race nationwide. She now will now be tasked with creating and implementing multi-pronged advocacy campaigns in support of federal, state, and local legislative initiatives, while also advancing SEMA’s political engagement programs, including the Driving Force Action SuperPAC, to ensure awareness among lawmakers, SEMA’s member businesses, and other aligned stakeholder organizations.

“When we brought Lauren in to oversee our digital advocacy and relationships with the content creator community, she provided immediate value through her ability to mobilize key voices in our nation’s community of automotive enthusiasts. She is creative, organized, and has an ability to create personal connections within our community,” said Karen Bailey-Chapman, SEMA’s senior vice president for public and government affairs. “We’re thrilled to give her the reins to our advocacy campaigns as we continue our efforts to preserve and protect the automotive aftermarket and our nation’s rich car culture.”

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to step into this role and continue advancing SEMA’s advocacy efforts on behalf of the automotive aftermarket and performance racing industries,” Wilbor said. “SEMA represents one of the most passionate communities in the country, and it’s a privilege to help amplify the voices of our members, along with builders, racers, and enthusiasts nationwide. I’m excited to build on the momentum of our advocacy campaigns and continue fighting for the enthusiasts and businesses that make this industry so special.”

Wilbor, a native of San Diego, holds a degree in political science from the University of Colorado Boulder.

About SEMA

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) serves as a leading voice for the worldwide car culture, representing over 7,000 member companies that create, buy, sell, and use specialty-automotive parts that make vehicles more unique, attractive, convenient, safer, fun, and even like new again. Business member benefits include product development resources, market research, networking, education, legislative advocacy, and more. The Association organizes the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev., and actively supports the career and business opportunities that the aftermarket generates. The industry contributes nearly $337 billion in economic impact to the U.S. economy, supports 1.3 million jobs nationally, and generates nearly $53 billion in parts sales annually. For more information, visit www.sema.org.

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SEMA Elevates Lauren Wilbor to Political Director

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