curated by GRRL! updated: January 28, 2026

Bio Excerpt: Micaela Rionda traded her Toyota engineering desk in Michigan for the brutal beauty of America’s Rebelle Rally, where GPS is banned and grit is everything. The University of Florida graduate and Toyota executive made her rally debut in 2024, finishing 30th overall in her Sequoia TRD... (full bio below ↓↓)

Micaela Rionda

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The confidence we gained from finishing the rally has bled into so many other parts of our lives. It’s been truly life-changing for us.

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Ypsilanti, MI

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NENA BARLOW & TERALIN PETEREIT Claim Victory at 2025 Rebelle Rally

November 1, 2025

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Micaela's full bio:

(last updated 2026-01-27

Micaela Rionda is a Toyota engineer and Rebelle Rally competitor who swapped her desk in Michigan for America’s toughest off-road navigation challenge—and proved she belongs there.

EARLY YEARS

Micaela Rionda grew up in Miami, Florida, where she attended Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. During her freshman and sophomore years in 2010 and 2011, she played softball for the school’s team—a hint of the competitive spirit that would later define her motorsports career. She went on to graduate from the University of Florida with an engineering degree, setting the foundation for a career that would blend technical expertise with adventure.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond racing and engineering, Rionda describes herself as someone “thriving on yes-man moments and one-upping my last adventure.” She’s endlessly entertained by dad jokes—a trait she admits is both tragic and endless. Her favorite quote, passed down from her grandfather, is simple but powerful: “You belong here.” It’s a mantra that seems to fuel her willingness to take on new challenges, whether in the desert or the boardroom. She also met her navigator and teammate, Dianne Tykoski, through Spectrum, Toyota’s Business Partnering Group for LGBTQ+ team members and allies, where they bonded over volunteer work and outreach before ever hitting the trail together.

EARLY SUCCESS

After earning her engineering degree, Rionda joined Toyota Motor North America’s Research & Development division in 2017, specifically in Accessories Development. Based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, she worked her way into the Materials Engineering Department, where she became an executive and a voice for innovation within the company. Her role at Toyota eventually opened the door to the Rebelle Rally, where the automaker sponsors teams to test vehicles, gather real-world data, and showcase the capabilities of women in engineering and motorsports.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

2024: Competed as a rookie in the Rebelle Rally as part of Team No. 153, “Just the Tree of Us,” with navigator Dianne Tykoski, driving a 2023 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro and finishing 30th overall with 899 points.
2025: Returned to the Rebelle Rally as part of Team KaiZEN (Team No. 153), switching roles with teammate Debby Byrne and competing in a 2024 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro in the Electrified designation.
2025: Earned recognition as an executive at Toyota, representing the company’s commitment to involving women in high-level engineering and motorsports roles.

INSPIRATIONS

Rionda’s inspiration comes from a desire to see more women like herself “out there doing it all”—balancing demanding STEM careers, raising families, and succeeding in traditionally male-dominated spaces. Her grandfather’s words, “You belong here,” have been a guiding force, reminding her that she has every right to take up space in engineering, in motorsports, and in life. She’s also motivated by the Rebelle Rally’s unique ability to teach resilience. As she put it during the 2025 event, “You can always get unstuck, and it is always an opportunity for growth. The Rebelle has really showed me that.”

REPUTATION

Within Toyota, Rionda is known as a driven executive and engineer who doesn’t shy away from adventure. Her involvement in the Rebelle Rally reflects the company’s broader strategy of using the event to test vehicle performance and gather real-world data while spotlighting women in STEM. Her willingness to switch roles between driver and navigator demonstrates adaptability and trust in her teammates—a quality that doesn’t go unnoticed in the rally community. She’s also admired for her openness about being part of the LGBTQ+ community and her commitment to representation, both on the trail and in the workplace.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of 2025, Rionda continues to compete in the Rebelle Rally with Team KaiZEN, aiming to improve her performance and push the limits of Toyota’s electrified vehicle lineup. Her broader goal is to inspire more women—especially mothers and professionals in STEM—to pursue their own adventures and challenge the idea that they can’t have it all. She wants to see a future where women like her are not the exception in motorsports, but the norm.