Title: Customs Specialist
Company: Volkswagen Group of America – Chattanooga Operations, LLC
Location: Chattanooga, TN United States

Aided by her expertise in customs, Kathryn Joiner has spent the past 20 years in the automotive industry. She started out working with BMW, where she gained invaluable hands-on experience and met her mentor, Donnie Barnes. Ms. Barnes was extremely well-respected in the field, and Ms. Joiner wanted to be just like her. With her mentor’s encouragement, Ms. Joiner continued to grow in her field, and eventually transitioned to her current position with Volkswagen Group of America – Chattanooga Operations, LLC. There, she is able to utilize her strength in understanding systems and how they work.

Ms. Joiner is particularly proud of her growth within the two companies, as she did not have a degree at the time. It was very hard to advance without one, and she hopes to serve as an inspiration to other women who hope to attain high positions without degrees. Ms. Joiner did eventually complete her education, however, and currently holds a Bachelor of Arts in international business, an Associate of Arts in computer information systems and a customs specialist and licensed customs broker certification. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and participating with the Red Hat Society. She is also a member of The International Women’s Leadership Association.

“I am pleased to be associated with this exemplary group of women. I hope to be able to inspire young women to become everything they can be.” ~ Kathryn L. Joiner

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