Kara Womack

Kara Womack is currently the Associate Vice President of Product for Autotrader at Cox Automotive. Prior to this, they served as the Director of R&D Analytics for Cox Automotive Inc. from June 2015 to September 2022. In this role, they led research, analytics, and experimentation for emerging AI and machine learning technologies deployed globally across more than 20 Cox Automotive brands, such as Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, and Manheim.

From concept to scale, Kara assembled and led a team of 20 directors, managers, senior analysts and contractors who provided analysis, research and discovery in support of 700 product development personnel, leaders and executives. Kara also set direction for and oversaw the development of a KPI framework that informed and shaped product strategy – contributing to an expansion of total revenue impacted by CAI’s data product catalog. In 2021, this helped to increase direct revenue by more than 20% and indirect+direct revenue by more than $400M.

In addition, Kara created and actively led an experimentation center of excellence, supporting 14 CAI brands and their testing programs. In 2022, the program was on pace to deliver 400 experiments - driving an estimated $250M in annualized value. Kara also directed all cross-brand testing, ensuring consistent standards and compatible methodologies. Kara managed Cox Automotive’s master services agreement and relationship with Optimizely for four years – from RFP to extension, and everything in-between. Kara also served on Optimizely's Customer Advisory Board.

Kara Womack reports to Jessica Stafford, General Manager, Autotrade.