Meet the ‘Rising Star’ Who Helped Lead the Effort to Catch Quality Issues Before Customers Feel Them

When Mahdokht Kalantari joined Ford’s Reliability Analytics team in 2018, she was focused on one question that wasn’t getting as much attention at that time: How reliably would vehicles perform years after they left the dealership?

“At the time, quality measures often emphasized the first three months of a vehicle’s life,” she said. “Our team developed the Global High Time in Service Reliability Tool to help the business assess how parts performed over longer periods — three, five, or even 10 years.” 

The Global High Time in Service Reliability Tool earned a Henry Ford Technology Award in 2019, and its insights continue to support quality prioritization efforts. It also was just the start of Kalantari’s efforts in helping Ford improve vehicle quality and reliability. 

Today, as director, artificial intelligence and analytics delivery, she leads a team of more than 30 Quality Analytics professionals as part of Ford’s Global Data Insights & Analytics (GDI&A). Her team is responsible for the strategic delivery of advanced AI and machine learning platforms designed to drive proactive problem-solving across the company's global quality operations.

Kalantari was recently named a 2026 Automotive News Rising Star. She is one of 18 people on this year’s list, which spotlights executives typically 45 or younger who are driving innovation across automakers, suppliers, mobility companies, and related sectors. 

Automotive News said this year's class of Rising Stars "reflects how rapidly so much of the auto industry has become driven by software, artificial intelligence, electrification, and advanced manufacturing rather than traditional mechanical engineering. It's increasingly about making devices rather than machines." 

Kalantari’s work reflects that shift. Among her current responsibilities is the Digital Birth Certificate, a VIN-centric system that traces each quality issue to specific vehicles. When a problem leads to a recall or field service action, the system identifies which vehicles are affected, so Ford doesn’t have to act on the whole population. Kalantari said this initiative has contributed to $269 million in savings to date. 

Erica Klampfl, director, industrial system analytics, GDI&A, said Kalantari’s Rising Star honor is well deserved.

“Maddy has a rare ability to turn complex technical ideas into meaningful business results,” she said. “From helping engineers identify cost-effective designs before problems arise to developing tools that inform critical safety and recall decisions, her work makes a real difference for cost and quality. It’s been a joy to watch her lead her team, and I couldn’t be prouder to see her recognized.”