Lupita "Pita" Hopper

I didn’t grow up thinking I’d end up in automotive, (I actually moved away to go to a college of Chiropractic) let alone leading operations at scale, but I did grow up understanding grit, pressure, and performance. I started my career on the front lines as a BDC agent during a dealership buy-sell, learning very quickly how chaos, culture, and leadership decisions ripple all the way down to the customer experience.

Over the last decade, I’ve worked my way through operations, workforce management, and traffic strategy across automotive and powersports, partnering with both Fortune 500 dealer groups and private capital organizations. Along the way, I built what I call the “Pita Process” a people-first, data-driven approach to inbound lead handling that prioritizes meaningful interactions, continuity, and modern buyer behavior over scripts and volume for volume’s sake. Cars aren’t just my industry... they’re my lifestyle. I ride motorcycles, drive performance vehicles, organize group rides and caravans, and collaborate with influencers and communities that live and breathe automotive culture. That connection deeply shapes how I lead: if the experience wouldn’t excite me as a customer, it’s not good enough.

A recurring theme in my career has been being “put in a corner”, underestimated, underutilized, or asked to play smaller than my capability. Instead of shrinking, I’ve learned how to expand: building systems, mentoring teams, advocating for fair compensation, and pushing for operational clarity in spaces that often resist it.

Today, my focus is on operational architecture, leadership development, and helping organizations scale without losing their soul. I’m passionate about elevating people in automotive, creating sustainable systems that actually work, and reminding people and especially women, that you don’t need permission to take up space!