As a professional SAG driver since 1994, the main focus of Richman's career has been driving mass-produced, passenger cars in national advertising campaigns for Volvo, Dodge, Acura, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes, Ford, and Lexus. She was also one of the principal drivers in an epic 40-car DaimlerChrysler commercial directed by “The Day After Tomorrow” director Roland Emerich. As Richman explains, to be a specialist in this field is to be the invisible driver behind tinted glass who takes hairpin turns through fall foliage with grace and ease. “In most commercials, the vehicle is the star and so it's desirable to have the driver unrecognizable or even invisible. To achieve this, I own a rather extensive wardrobe of black clothing.” Richman jokes, “if I ever wanted to change careers I could become a mime.”

On a recent shoot for a Volvo campaign, Richman was asked to drive the car into a bank of snow to demonstrate its exceptional maneuverability. “The only problem,” recounts Richman, “was that we filmed in the middle of an extreme heat wave with temperatures of 105 degrees. The trucked-in ice melted, continuously turning the ground beneath to mud soup. It was a constant challenge doing the required close passes to camera without ruining the cameraman's day. At least the car was air-conditioned.”

Being a woman in a male-dominated field poses its challenges, but Doriana takes inspiration from female veterans such as fellow team member Penny Johnson who, Richman says, “has a wealth of knowledge and experience in this business. She has always been willing to share her advice and I've learned a tremendous amount by working with her.”

For Richman, the frustration of being a female precision driver arises when stunt coordinators choose male drivers to double female actresses. “I know that it's not a matter of being unable to find a qualified woman to do the job, but rather a case of a male coordinator's willingness to break a SAG rule to keep a paycheck. The ad agencies recognize the buying power of women in our society and so more women are being cast in automotive commercials. Legally, women should be working more, but until these violations are curtailed, it will continue to be a challenge.”

When asked if she's ever been injured on the job, Richman credits her husband, Roger Richman, also an LAMotorsports team member and the person who first introduced Doriana to precision/performance driving, with her injury-free record. “I have always taken my husband's advice of knowing my limitations when it comes to work. I have been blessed with a perfect safety record and intend to keep it that way.”