Anne Roy is a Montreal-born motorsport communications professional, event leader, and Hall of Fame inductee whose career has reshaped how Canadian motorsport tells its story — and who it lets in the door.

EARLY YEARS

Roy is from Montreal, Canada [1]. The details of her early life and education are not publicly documented, but her professional story begins clearly enough: in 1989, she entered motorsport as a reporter and interviewer at RDS, the French-language sports network [2]. It was an unconventional entry point into an industry that, at the time, had no established path for women in communications, let alone leadership. She took the one that existed and built the rest herself.

EARLY SUCCESS

From broadcast journalism, Roy moved into the operational side of motorsport, leading communications for the Formula Atlantic series [2]. It was work that put her at the center of one of North America’s most competitive open-wheel development pipelines, and it positioned her for larger responsibilities. In 2011, she was appointed general manager of the IndyCar event in Edmonton, overseeing the organization and promotion of the race [2] — a role that made her the first woman to direct an IndyCar event in Canada [3]. The following year, she served as communications director for the Lotus IndyCar program [2], adding a team-side credential to what was already an unusually broad résumé.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1989: Began career as a motorsport reporter and interviewer at RDS [2].
• 2011: Appointed general manager of the IndyCar event in Edmonton; reported as the first woman to direct an IndyCar event in Canada [2] [3].
• 2012: Served as communications director for the Lotus IndyCar program [2].
• 2019: Became chief marketing and communications officer at One Stop Strategy Motorsports [4].
• 2020: Inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame as a builder and significant contributor [2].
• 2025: Organized behind-the-scenes access initiatives for young women and engineering students at the Canadian Grand Prix, Indy Toronto, and Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières [2].
• 2026: The Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame announced the Anne Roy Motorsport Equity Initiative in partnership with Roy, focused on expanding women’s access to off-track motorsport careers [5].

OTHER INTERESTS

In 2025, Roy organized opportunities for young women and engineering students to experience motorsport workplaces firsthand — paddock tours, industry introductions, and behind-the-scenes access at major events including the Canadian Grand Prix, Indy Toronto, and the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières [2]. Speaking about the Indy Toronto initiative, she was direct about the stakes: “Access like this can be life-changing. When young women step into these spaces, they start to see themselves as part of the future of motorsport. We’re not just opening a door; we’re helping them walk through it. I’m deeply grateful to the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto for making this possible.” [6]

INSPIRATIONS

The impulse behind Roy’s advocacy work is, by her own account, personal and specific. After her induction into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2020, she found herself hearing from young women who wanted to know how she had broken in — and she took that seriously. “Lorsque j’ai été intronisée au Temple de la renommée du sport automobile canadien, de nombreuses jeunes filles m’ont contactée pour savoir comment percer dans ce milieu,” she said [3]. The response she built was the Anne Roy Motorsport Equity Initiative. Her explanation for why: “C’est pour ça que je le fais. Il faut aider la prochaine génération.” [3]

REPUTATION

The Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame describes Anne Roy as an “iconic figure in Canadian motorsport,” recognizing her contributions across communications, event leadership, public relations, and industry advocacy [2]. Her 2020 induction placed her among the builders and significant contributors who have shaped the sport in Canada — a category that, given her actual career, fits without any stretching required.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

In February 2026, the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame announced a formal partnership with Roy to launch the Anne Roy Motorsport Equity Initiative [5]. Its goals are specific: increase Canadian women’s representation in motorsport careers, provide access to professional racing environments, connect emerging talent with mentors and industry decision-makers, and convert initial exposure into industry-recognized experience [3]. The initiative is a structured response to the informal requests for guidance that followed her Hall of Fame induction — a personal obligation turned into a programmatic one.

References:

[1] Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame — Fifteen New Members to be Inducted
[2] Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame — Anne Roy
[3] Radio-Canada — Faire rouler l’équité en IndyCar
[4] Inside Track News — Fifteen New Members to be Inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame
[5] LinkedIn — Anne Roy, CMHF Motorsport Equity Initiative announcement
[6] Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto — Female Students Gearing Up for Paddock Tour