Driven by Passion: Sara Bannon, Audi Club New Jersey

By Stephanie DiPilla

Meet Sara Bannon, one of the driving forces behind the renewed energy of the New Jersey chapter. As a passionate Audi enthusiast and emerging leader, she brings a fresh perspective and contagious enthusiasm to the community. Working for Audi, Sara lives and breathes the brand—she’s qualified for the Audi Twin Cup National Finals, a national knowledge challenge for Audi sales, services and technicians across the country two years in a row and placed 6^th out of 22 competitors in her first year. She has her sights set on one day competing in the World Finals in Munich.

After being encouraged by another volunteer to get involved, Sara stepped in to help revitalize the club’s New Jersey chapter. Already active in the Audi community through events, she was eager to give back and create the kind of engaging, connected experience she had always hoped to see.

What Audi(s) do you drive? 2020 TT RS Nogaro blue, 2021 S4 and 2009 A4

Volunteer Role: President

What do you enjoy most about the Audi community? I enjoy how unique the community is. There are a wide variety of people, and I enjoy seeing how people express themselves and their interests through their cars!

What advice would you give to someone who’s new to the Club and who might be apprehensive about participating in events or volunteering? Get out there and don’t be scared! There are so many friendly people in the community. I have connected with many people over the years and they feel like family. It makes going out to events and volunteering in the community that much better. It is absolutely worth it to participate in events or inquire about volunteering. We offer a wide variety of events from track days to social events, car cruises and indoor karting or sim events. We want our chapter members to all feel like family!

What has been the most rewarding part of volunteering for your chapter? Being able to give back to the community. Building this chapter up and turning it into something amazing is super rewarding. I want to show that the enthusiast community still exists. We have been able to get dealer and local sponsorships with exclusive discount codes and have many partnerships in the works.

You jumped in right away—what motivated you to help support the chapter? Personal motivation and the desire to support the community and continue to grow it. If we don’t support and give back to the community, it will slowly dwindle down to nothing. I love being a part of a bigger picture. I knew I would be a perfect fit for the board to help and engage our community.

What’s it been like stepping into this space as a younger member? The community has shifted over the years, and part of the challenge is developing new and exciting ideas. Being younger is an advantage. I know what people want, what is popular and trending. I am ready to get started and I have a long journey ahead of me. I am excited to see where this will take us.

What advice would you give to other women or younger members considering getting involved? Don’t be intimidated, everyone in the community is super welcoming and nice. There are so many females and young people in the community so just know you are not alone.