Driven to Succeed

When Maddy Wiles ’10 came to Chatham Hall, she was already drawn to the problem-solving and precision of math and science. She took every class in those subjects that she could, including an Intro to Engineering course that provided hands-on exposure to different disciplines and even field trips to local companies to meet industry professionals. That early spark of curiosity set her on a path that has carried her to one of the most exciting arenas in engineering today: motorsports.

Today, Maddy is the Engineering Group Manager for Motorsports Vehicle Dynamics XIL at General Motors. While the title may be a mouthful, the work is clear: she manages the team responsible for all the research and development behind GM’s Driver-in-the-Loop Simulator Program, which supports racing efforts across NASCAR, IndyCar, SportsCar, and now Formula 1.

“I really love what I do,” she says. “It’s been extremely rewarding to be part of a competitive team environment.”

Her favorite part of the job? Seeing the tangible results of her team’s work. “Oftentimes, drivers will comment in post-race interviews that the simulator prepared them well for the race that weekend. That is always extremely rewarding to hear.”

Of course, there are challenges too. “The hardest part of my job is sorting through all the technical problems and figuring out what our top priorities should be to make us go faster on the race track,” Maddy explains. However, that challenge is also what drives her passion - working at the cutting edge, where innovation and speed intersect.

Looking back, Maddy credits her Chatham Hall experience with laying the foundation for her career. That early exposure to engineering helped her imagine a future in a male-dominated industry, and her persistence and skill have since carried her into leadership in one of the most competitive fields in the world.

From classroom labs at Chatham Hall to the high-stakes environment of global motorsports, Maddy Wiles ’10 is proving that curiosity, commitment, and courage can take you across the finish line.