Issue 3 | September 2024
Inside...
Conference speakers discuss market dynamics and leadership
Female leaders share their experiences
Mentorship program offers guidance and support
Promoting a future career in the chemical industry
Woman of the Year winner is unveiled
Tauseef Salma takes the crown as this year’s Woman of the Year
Embrace inclusion to shape the change we’re striving for
Being in business for 150 years is a milestone we are proud to celebrate. Throughout our transformational journey, we have navigated the waves of change, proving our resilience and competitive edge in the dynamic chemical distribution industry. In a world brimming with endless possibilities, we stand at the forefront, embracing connection, service, and innovation with a pioneering spirit.
Embrace. Engage. Empower.
The Director’s Cut
When deciding on the theme for our inaugural conference, we knew we wanted to capture a specific feeling. We wanted to create a space where women in the chemical industry felt they could take their armor off and show up authentically, perhaps for the first time in their careers. We wanted our attendees to feel truly in their element at our event – where they could show up as the absolute best version of themselves and feel a deep sense of belonging. In trying to encapsulate this feeling, we landed on the theme “In Her Element ”.
Women in Chemicals is a community for women and our allies who advocate for themselves and others, strive for continuous growth, and are both curious and courageous. We are women who aspire to great things through our actions, who show up authentically, and who are resilient and resourceful. Being part of this community means experiencing an expanded perspective from our diverse network, access to role models showcasing endless attainable opportunities, an awareness of our own limitless potential, and a complete sense of belonging in the chemical industry.
Where do we feel most in our elements?
Kylie feels most herself in the gym with her early morning
fitness community or outdoors enjoying a Midwest summer day with her family. She’s always grateful to start her day with some movement and to share that with a like-minded community, and her family is at the heart of what motivates and energizes her every day. She is also in her element in the middle of a challenging negotiation in her day-job. Negotiating enables her to step out of her comfort zone and reminds her that she can do hard things.
Amelia feels most in her element spending time outdoors with loved ones skiing, hiking, and walking her dog, Vivian. There’s a peace and presence in nature that she can’t find anywhere else. She also feels most herself putting together complex deals or solving problems where she gets to exercise her creativity and identify win-win solutions. These challenges give her confidence in her capacity to address what were once seemingly impossible tasks.
Our experiences share common themes of connection, challenge, and growth. We both find fulfillment in physical activities and being outdoors, which provide a sense of presence and grounding. We thrive on personal and professional challenges, whether it’s negotiating a deal or finishing a daunting task. Most importantly, we both feel deeply in our element when meeting and connecting with our WIC members and learning their personal stories. Meeting
Enjoying an evening of celebration and cocktails
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us at the Women in Chemicals Happy Hour at this year’s AFPM International Petrochemical Conference in San Antonio, Texas, in March.
Taking place on the sidelines of one of the largest petrochemical events in the world, over 100 of you enjoyed a fantastic evening of conversation, networking, and celebration at the soldout Brenntag-sponsored Happy Hour.
We were even able to raise a glass to the achievements of the incredible WIC community that is helping to shape the future of our industry with our signature cocktail – the Fierce Female Margarita.
“I’ve been coming to AFPM since the very beginning of my career, and especially early in my career, it felt like a very isolating experience. Most of the time, I was the only woman in the room in most of my meetings with my
all-male team. This event has changed that for me completely,” said Amelia Greene, Executive Director, Women in Chemicals. “Now I walk around, I see so many of your faces, I get to give you all hugs. This event is something that I look forward to every year, and I hope all of you do as well. Our vision statement for Women in Chemicals is a femaledominated C-suite. I know the women in this room are going to be a huge part of making that happen.”
New faces, same mission
As part of a planned reorganization of the WIC Board of Directors, please join us in welcoming Christine Grybos, Director Product Management, General Chemicals at Brenntag Group, as our new Programs Director, effective July 1, 2024.
She has taken the baton from Megan Gluth-Bohan, CEO & Owner of Catalynt Solutions, Inc., who has played a key role on the Board of Directors and Advisory Board and has been pivotal to our growth and success.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve Women in Chemicals, and to witness the remarkable growth of the organization. I am excited to watch the vision of WIC’s incredible leadership unfold,” said outgoing Board Member, Gluth-Bohan. “I am certain their work
will continue to add strength to our entire industry.”
Grybos had previously been WIC’s Mentorship Program Chair and is now responsible for overseeing programming, education, and mentorship initiatives.
As part of the corporate reorganization, Kylie Wittl, Operations Director, will assume oversight of the finance and membership functions, while Amelia Greene, Executive Director, will transition to focusing her efforts on optimizing key stakeholder engagement, corporate partnerships, and governance responsibilities.
Succeeding Christine Grybos in her Mentorship Program Chair role will be Kasia Jankowska, current Mentorship Program Coordinator.
Christine Grybos,
Comment: Ally Advisory Board Member
The importance of community, mentorship, and education
Sean Williams, Chief Commercial Officer at Coalition and Ally Advisory Board Member, Women in Chemicals
Most traditional socio-economic measurements would paint my upbringing as less-than-ideal or dub me an “at-risk youth”. I came from a low-income and divorced family, among other things. While these risk factors are typically negatively correlated to professional success, I’ve always considered myself to be blessed with incredible fortune and opportunity attributed to the strong community of people who supported my development.
Because of my family’s sacrifice, I attended an excellent school district with plenty of opportunities to learn whatever I put my mind to. I made life-long friendships with people who had familial resources that helped keep me on track. This continued at university where I expanded my community of people who coached, challenged, and mentored me.
My luck continued as I entered my professional career. Many people, with little to no personal gain for themselves, provided me with mentorship and educational resources that gave me the opportunity to both define and work hard to achieve my goals. These resources – community, mentorship, and education – are the ones that truly beget opportunity. Sprinkle some intentional hard work in, and you’ve got a pretty good chance to succeed in many things. This is what initially drew me to support Women In Chemicals. They were trying to build a community with educational and mentorship resources that are severely lacking in our industry.
With the help of my community, I’ve intentionally designed my career around my professional passions, which include: growing entrepreneurial companies and revitalizing American manufacturing. I am fortunate to explore both daily at Coalition. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed that both endeavors seem to have a more severe lack of female participation than the already underrepresented chemical industry at-large.
The lack of female representation in these areas perpetuates the issue as it’s harder for women who are interested in these endeavors to organically find mentors. With a smaller pool of employees and resources, there is not always a natural mentor in their organization or network to support them where they are today and guide them to where they want to go.
To be able to nudge our employee base to an organization like Women in Chemicals, who are building mentorship and education programs across industry, is incredibly valuable. It allows them access to quality resources that any company, especially a smaller one, would find difficult to replicate alone.
Women In Chemicals is building ground-up programs around education and mentorship so they can control the quality of the offerings. On top of being very difficult to implement, this funding can be tougher to come by because success metrics aren’t straightforward, and many of these things aren’t easy checkboxes for executives navigating internal DEI mandates. I believe the results from these programs are much more effective on individual people’s lives than most of the things companies are trying to achieve with their DEI programs, because the people and the resources are directly focused on providing equality of opportunity.
If you owe a portion of your professional success to the community around you, I strongly urge you to support an organization like Women in Chemicals, which is building a better community for the chemical industry.
Women in Chemicals is currently pulling together a database of Employee Resource Group (ERG) leaders for women’s networks in chemical or chemical-using companies.
The ERG Leader List will be used to distribute important information about WIC’s key programs and upcoming events to keep our community up-to-date and make sure you do not miss out.
Please be sure to share details about the ERG leader from your company by emailing Amelia Greene, Executive Director, Women in Chemicals directly at amelia@womeninchemicals. com.
For all of you heading to the European Petrochemical Association’s (EPCA) 58th Annual Meeting in Berlin, Germany, this year, make sure you mark October 7 in your calendar and join us at the exclusive EPCA Cocktail Reception – sponsored by WIC and Brenntag.
Held at the iconic Berlin Zoo, it promises to be a great evening and an event you will not want to miss. Find out more on our website https://www.womeninchemicals.com/ events/epca-cocktail-reception-2024.
Comment: Leadership Team Member
Why did I join Women in Chemicals’ leadership team?
Alyssa Sweigart, Education Coordinator, Women in Chemicals
In the summer of 2023, by the encouragement of a good friend and a very supportive husband, I applied to the open Education Coordinator position, responsible for managing the quarterly book club. I regularly attended WIC book club meetings, am the proud owner of a BA in English, and a former publishing industry employee, so this role was perfect for me. It married my former literary life to my current chemical industry one at Brenntag and enabled me to support a cause near and dear to my heart: the empowerment and advancement of women.
Why is this cause so important to me? I grew up in a home dominated by strong women. I am one of four daughters, raised by loving parents who instilled in us the importance of taking pride in all we do, standing out from the crowd, standing up for ourselves, and following our dreams. My parents taught us traditionally “masculine” skills such as the electrical trade, home maintenance, and fishing. I spent summers in high school working for my father’s electrical business installing light switches and outlets alongside the women in my family. These childhood experiences formulated my belief that women can do anything, since in my family they could.
Working with the Women in Chemicals leadership team the last few months has only strengthened this belief. Women in Chemicals has allowed me to meet so many incredible women from around the world that are making a difference in the chemical industry. Leading our quarterly book club has also opened my eyes to how alike we are. Regardless of our cultures, languages, or borders, universal struggles and experiences transcend these barriers and unite us. We are not alone, and we can learn from each other to achieve success and overcome challenges.
After a recent book club meeting where we discussed making the most of our lives and shared best practices for achieving this, I received an email from a participant explaining how the meeting left her inspired, in deep reflection, and grateful for the meaningful conversation. Moments like this illustrate why Women in Chemicals is essential. As women, we need to gather and share our experiences, so we can rise together, and Women in Chemicals has provided us a space to do just that.
I am thankful for the opportunity to sit on the leadership team and am looking forward to the future of Women in Chemicals.
Enjoy this issue, and I hope to see you at a future book club meeting!
New additions to the team
Welcome to Katarzyna Jankowska and Sara Manganelli who have joined WIC’s leadership team as our new Mentorship Program Coordinator and Marketing Coordinator, respectively.
Jankowska, Talent & Diversity Manager, Europe Industries at Air Liquide, has prior experience on our Mentorship Program Steering Committee.
Meanwhile, Manganelli, Head of Marketing at TRI-K Industries, will help broaden our reach and marketing capabilities.
Katarzyna Jankowska
Sara Manganelli
Supporting CEF and the future of STEM
Women in Chemicals was proud to partner with the Chemical Educational Foundation (CEF) by sponsoring the Industry Appreciation Reception at its National Challenge Awards Dinner in Houston, Texas, on June 11, 2024.
For over three decades, CEF has
focused on engaging with students early in their academic journey and encouraging them to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
This year marked the 20th anniversary of CEF’s landmark You Be The Chemist Challenge®, which saw the top five teams from over 17,000
students compete for nearly $50,000 in scholarships.
We were fortunate to have several representatives from WIC attend the special event to see first-hand the awe-inspiring talent and enthusiasm of these young scientists. Congratulations to all the participants and winners!
Sign up for our free webinars
If you have not already tuned in to one of our webinars, keep checking our website to stay updated about upcoming sessions! Typically lasting around an hour, these events are informative, inspiring, and free – and cover a wide range of topics.
In case you missed them, WIC recently hosted two particularly inspiring webinars: Diversity and Inclusion 101 – An introduction to DE&I, and A Way with Words – Power up your
Public Speaking.
The DE&I event on June 10 was hosted by Camille Goleb, Program Manager, Inclusion & Diversity at Koppers, and explored the essence of diversity and inclusion, dispelled common misconceptions, and emphasized the immense value of fostering an inclusive workplace. You can rewatch the webinar at https://www.womeninchemicals. com/content-library/diversity-andinclusion
In July, author Michael Sherlock then shared her top tips for overcoming your glossophobia – or fear of public speaking. Participants were given handy pointers to break through their fears and prepare properly; learn useful strategies for overcoming any last-minute changes or obstacles; and create a checklist to help calm any nerves.
To register for our upcoming webinars, visit the Events page on our website.
Tribute to the trailblazers
FINALIST
Allison Weir
Chief Human Resources Officer, Tilley Distribution
Throughout her career, Allison Weir has promoted diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and advocated for women’s empowerment. Weir embarked on her career as an HR professional in the aerospace and defense sector at Northrop Grumman Corporation, staying there for nine years before deciding to apply those skills to the chemical industry with Baltimore-based Tilley Distribution.
Although still relatively new to the chemicals space, she has been able to draw on her past experiences and apply best practices to transform its HR department and enhance the support and services available to the team.
“The beautiful thing about human resources is that people are people,” she says. “I've worked in multiple industries in the past – hospitality, education, nonprofit, and insurance – and you can take your people perspective and apply it to all of them.”
Weir admits she is attracted to working in industries where there is an opportunity to make a difference and “change the paradigm”.
The first female member of Tilley C-Suite, and now approaching the end of her second year as Chief Human Resources Officer, she has facilitated the integration of four businesses to create one company and one culture through organization design, talent management, and streamlining systems and processes. As part of the 2024 talent strategic plan, she was instrumental in creating various recognition and development opportunities and most recently established a strong connection with Women in Chemicals, organizing the popular Lunch & Learn event for her female colleagues.
Weir has always thrived on immersing
herself in her work, learning how a business operates, and trying to implement positive change. She describes herself as “a businessperson first who does human resources”.
While she is enjoying the changing, fast-paced world of chemical distribution, she admits it is far from where she expected to be when growing up.
“I’d always wanted to be Barbara Walters,” she says. “I grew up in Connecticut and went to Ithaca College because they have one of the best broadcast journalism programs in the country. Two years in, I was put in front of a teleprompter and decided it was not my thing. At the age of 20, I discovered a major that was fairly new, called Organizational Communication, Learning, and Design.”
“In my first class, we were learning about systems theory, and I had to write a paper about a ‘door’. It was about understanding the interconnectivity of a system – you can't have a door without a frame, a knob, or sometimes a lock. It was such a fundamental concept that it helped make me who I am today and shaped how I think and make decisions – knowing that nothing is in a ‘silo’, that there's normally a bigger story. Your
brain, your body, your soul – all those things are like businesses, organizations, and industries.”
She went on to earn an MBA in Organization Development from the Carey Business School at Johns Hopkins University – and today, serves there as an executive coach for its Academy of Women in Leadership Program, supporting others and helping them develop their skills and capabilities.
A key turning point in her career came in 2016 while still at Northrop Grumman, she says, seizing the chance to transition into human resources.
While six months pregnant with her first child, she saw an advert for an HR Director position. It was the perfect role, she says, requiring someone who could oversee transformational change. However, she doubted whether it was the right time.
“I knew this was a great opportunity, but I told my mentor that I didn't think I should apply because I was six months pregnant – that the organization didn’t need somebody who was going on maternity and all those things that women say. She told me that I should make sure whatever I do, I do for the right reasons. Whatever those reasons are, I have to define them, but make sure they’re the right reasons. That line changed my entire career; it was one of those pinnacle moments – and I have used that same expression to so many women who say, ‘I don't know’.”
“For most of my career, I have been the youngest, the only female, or the only person with small children who has been sitting at the leadership table – and I’ve made it my responsibility to represent anybody who is like me and be the voice for people who are not in the room,” says Weir.
“Probably my biggest accomplishment is knowing that I'm showing up as the leader that my team needs every day,” she adds. “I've got three young kids, have a demanding job, and my biggest priority at work is making sure my team is in the know, engaged, and feeling developed. It’s about leadership, knowing I'm having an impact, and really connecting the dots.”
The
annual Woman of the Year Award recognizes and celebrates the incredible achievements of women who go above and beyond to help shape our industry. Andy Brice profiles our four finalists
FINALIST
Sabrina Behnke Associate Business Director, TRI-K Industries
Dr. Sabrina Behnke is a staunch advocate for mentorship and helping women thrive in the chemical sector.
Widely regarded as an expert in her field, she has served on various committees including the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) Microbiology Committee, is a lecturer and educator, and has several published works about biofilms, water sciences, and microbiology.
Behnke’s passion for science stems from a teacher in the 8th grade at high school.
Born and raised in Germany, she was fascinated by chemistry and fueled by a desire to truly understand the subject. “I always had the idea that I wanted to work in a laboratory. I just saw myself wearing a white lab coat and looking sophisticated. That was my career plan,” she says.
“There was a scientific curiosity in my family. My dad is an electrician and always believed in the importance of learning. He always pulled my sister and I into anything and everything he was doing around the house – he never said, ‘this isn’t for girls’.”
Although initially intending to study biology, she instead opted for a brand new bachelor’s degree course focused on Water Sciences at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany.
“In my family, nobody had ever gone to college before. I was the first one,” she says. “I drove there one day, went to the orientation, and signed myself up.”
After a few semesters, she applied for a job with Bayer as a lab technician. Although she thought she had slim chance of being accepted, especially given there were around 300 applicants, she was offered a place – only to decline
the opportunity as she wanted to continue her studies.
“I was just too ambitious to drop it at that point and didn’t want to stop studying. I’d have seen that as a failure. I felt honored to be offered the place but decided to stick with the course and see it through to the end,” she says.
“Chemistry was never easy for me, but I finished the course and got a prize for the best thesis as well. I’d started out with 250 people on that course and by the end, there were only 30 people left –and I won the award!”
“I learned a lot and it ignited my passion for organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and working in the lab. It was all very rewarding.”
The next step on her journey came thanks to her professor who had a contact at Montana State University in the U.S., and she was offered the chance to head there for an internship. It was an experience she thoroughly enjoyed – so much that she would later return to pursue a Ph.D in Microbiology and win the W.G. Characklis Award for outstanding Ph.D. students at the Center for Biofilm Engineering, as well as the Montana Water Center Research and Fellowship Award.
While presenting a research paper at the university, she was praised by someone in attendance from British consumer goods company, Reckitt, and was subsequently offered her first job.
She set up home in New Jersey and stayed with the business for six years before taking another position at Symrise. She then eventually moved to her current employer, TRI-K Industries.
Behnke served as Co-Chair of the PCPC Microbiology Committee from 2020-2022 and was Chair in 2022-2023. Her leadership also extends to her role as Co-Chair of the Microbiome Task Force within the PCPC Microbiology Committee in 2024.
Through her dedication to excellence, inclusivity, and mentorship, she has helped countless other women on their career path in the chemical sector.
“The personal care side of the industry is good to work in as a female and I don’t feel there is too much of a gender bias,” she says. “Most of the hurdles I’ve encountered have been selfinflicted.”
“I don’t think we should see it as boys versus girls or there being some sort of disadvantage because of our gender. Go for what you’re passionate about and work on your self-confidence. If you can enter a room and you have a presence, you’ll go places.”
“I started out with very little confidence. I wasn’t sure who I was or what my self-worth was,” she admits. “Now, I’d like to just help the next generation, coach them through everyday problems, and show them how you move forward in the industry.”
“I think I’ve always had this sense of what’s fair and what’s not? Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve looked at things and questioned the status quo,” she says. “If I see a female co-worker that’s working extremely hard and isn’t getting the salary or recognition she deserves because she doesn’t have a lot of selfconfidence, I’m going to sit her down and mentor her. My core beliefs, core values drive me to take people in and say let’s work together, let’s make this happen for you.”
FINALIST
Stacey McKinney
VP of Technical Services at Koppers, Inc.
Stacey McKinney grew up in a small town in southwestern Pennsylvania, not far from Pittsburgh. It was an old blue collar steel town and a very close-knit community.
Despite leaving briefly for college in the nearby town of Erie and then heading to Buffalo, NY, she would return home with a degree in Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry, ready to start a family and a career.
Before long, she took a temporary role with Koppers Inc. in Pittsburgh, but remains there today. She is now Vice President of Technical Services and is immensely proud of having worked there her entire career.
Her passion for innovation and sustainability are reflected in the core pillars of a business that specializes in the development and manufacture of the chemicals needed for wood preservation.
“The entirety of the United States’ infrastructure depends on telephone poles, utility poles, and railroad ties,” she explains. “We produce chemicals for preserving wood, acquire and treat the wood, and are actively seeking sustainable methods to manage retired wood from service –protecting what matters and preserving the future.”
It is that same philosophy that McKinney also applies to her support for young women coming into a very maleoriented industry.
“When I was in a university setting, the male-female split was about 50:50. But when I started in chemical manufacturing at an old school Pittsburgh company, the only woman that worked in the facility was the admin for the research department. It was quite a wakeup call.”
“She was probably one of the most significant mentors I had in my entire career,” says McKinney.
“Even though she wasn’t a manager or in the STEM field, she helped me navigate a world with this steel worker
mentality of men in which we were surrounded.”
McKinney had started in Koppers’ laboratories and later became Operations Superintendent at one of Koppers’ chemical manufacturing plants in West Virginia.
“The most important thing I learned was not to go in thinking I knew more than the people that had worked there their whole careers,” she says.
“This was an opportunity for me to learn from these people and show them that I appreciate and value their knowledge. That’s the way I’ve managed my whole career, with teamwork and getting people to work together. That’s what I love about manufacturing and innovation – you might know a little bit and someone else will know something else, and together we’re unstoppable.”
Now, almost 31 years later, she oversees several teams, directs research and development of carbon products, oversees quality programs and audits, and cultivates a nurturing and inclusive workplace environment.
In 2019, she won the STEP Ahead Award from the Manufacturing Institute, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers.
Under her guidance, Koppers has established a globally utilized quality management system. She has spearheaded efforts to develop a new process for treating railroad ties, substantially prolonging their lifespan.
Additionally, she is currently engaged in a project aimed at converting 13 million extracted rail ties into biochar and other sustainable fuel sources.
Another significant accomplishment in her career involves pioneering research on a sustainable, environmentally friendly carbon coating for lithiumion battery technology, resulting in a successful patent application.
Mentorship and being an advocate for women in the chemical industry has also been a key driver for her.
“I want to pave an easier path for them, ensuring they don’t face the same challenges I did,” she explains. “It’s crucial for them to know they have someone they can turn to for guidance on navigating difficult situations and smoothing their journey.”
She has been actively involved in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within Koppers and was a founding member of its LINK Women Employee Resource Group (ERG) program, which provides support, mentorship, and advocacy to advance women’s careers.
“There was a group of women at a senior level within Koppers who got this ERG group off the ground and it’s doing some really good things,” she says. “There are now scholarships that have been established for women – the daughters, nieces, and wives of Koppers employees – giving them access to development opportunities and training sessions.”
She is also particularly proud to have overseen a significant increase in female membership while serving on the Executive Committee of the American Wood Protection Association.
Outside the workplace, McKinney is actively involved in supporting her local community and volunteers her time helping disadvantaged children.
She helped gain the support of Koppers as a corporate partner and serves as the STEM advisor for the New Castle School District and its Cultivating and Nurturing Excellent Students (CANES) program – an after school and summer club.
The initiative offers an outdoor classroom where they can conduct science experiments and explore the wonders of nature. Her efforts earned her the district’s Pride and Promise award, which she says is among her proudest achievements.
WINNER
Tauseef Salma Chief Technology Officer Clean Air, Johnson Matthey
Tauseef Salma grew up in Pakistan, one of eight with six sisters and a brother. Her parents were academics in literature and economics. She always had a natural affinity for math and chemistry.
“My brother was my first mentor,” she says. “At the age of 10, I remember him having a little chemistry and physics lab in the attic. I really found chemistry interesting and loved how it helped to explain everything around me.”
“I feel very privileged and very lucky to have been born to parents who let us pursue our talents. With the guidance from them, my brother, but also very empowering teachers, I was encouraged to excel and learn.”
Not to be disheartened by not making the first merit list to study electrical engineering, she fell in love with chemical engineering from day one when she enrolled for her B.Sc. at the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore.
“I opened my book and the introduction said, ‘chemical engineering is ubiquitous’. That one sentence fascinated me, and I’ve never looked back.”
It was while studying for her bachelor’s degree that she first faced the challenges (that remained mostly in the sub-conscience for the first few years) that she was going to face as a woman in the chemical industry for the rest of her career. Not only was she one of only two women in a class of 55, but there were fewer than 100 women on the entire campus of almost 10,000.
“It was quite difficult to fathom because I had grown through a coeducation school where the numbers were pretty even – and all of a sudden, women were in the minority,” she says.
“One of the teachers, while he was very kind at an individual level, made it very obvious that it was not okay for a woman to score the highest points in the class, and be the best student. I
remember in my third year, our results had just been announced, this teacher told my male classmates they should be ashamed of themselves that a woman was topping the charts.”
An internship took her to a urea plant, but by the end of her first week, she had already finished most of her six weeks of assignments that had been given to her.
She asked her mentor to give her something more substantive to do and they finally let her enter the urea plant, where she was given the chance to work on designs for the water treatment plant and participate in more complex activities.
“I’d gone where no woman had ever gone before – I was the first woman engineer to have ever entered that site,” she says. “The next year they actually opened up the facility to women, which for me, felt like a big win.”
Although she didn’t realize it, Dr. Salma was something of a trendsetter.
“When I was pursuing my undergrad, I was the third batch of women who had ever entered this field and possibly the 6th or 7th female studying chemical engineering in the whole of Pakistan. I also became the first female from Pakistan who did her Ph.D. in chemical engineering.”
Before finishing her undergrad, she was offered and accepted a place for a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
She soon took a position at Baker Hughes, an energy technology company where she would spend the next 21
years. She would go on to lead a team of over 3,500 people across 50+ countries, managing all aspects of the business including profit and loss, manufacturing, R&D portfolio, operations, and service delivery.
“I got my first break because several male colleagues and superiors took a bet on me,” she says. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for those people who were very generous in their spirit of teaching and guidance. They took a chance, and in my first few years they challenged me and gave me the room to stretch.”
She describes Baker Hughes as a very progressive company that invests a lot in its people. When she joined its chemical division, it already employed 30% women.
She eventually transitioned to Flowserve Corporation in nearby Dallas as Vice President of Marketing, Technology & Strategy. It was a multifunctional role comprising research, product development, product management, portfolio management, marketing, communications, strategic applications, and pricing.
Some three years later in 2022, she left and assumed her current role as Chief Technology Officer Clean Air at Johnson Matthey. Dr. Salma’s personal mission is to reduce pollution with scalable impact on sustainability. This is closely mirrored in JM’s ambition of being a leader in sustainable technologies, by transforming energy and reducing carbon emissions, for a cleaner, brighter future.
An exceptional leader and innovator who believes in the power of teams, Dr. Salma is also seen as a pioneer who encourages diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She emphasizes the value of support and learning through mentorship and the importance of being an active champion to close the gender gap.
She has dedicated much of her ‘community’ time into supporting and spearheading various DEI initiatives, including the Women of Colour Lived Experience series, which was shortlisted for the “Global Diversity Initiative of the Year” in the prestigious British Diversity Awards 2024.
Dr. Salma has been heavily involved in the Gender Equality Network (GEN) since 2023 and has become a Global GEN Sponsor. Over the past decade, she has served on various advisory boards for universities, non-profit organizations, and over the last two years, in mentoring technology start-ups focused on energy transition and sustainability.
Boost plant resilience, refine crop inputs and improve efficacy
Improve performance, processability and increase bio-based content
Sustainable home and laundry care with ingredients of natural origin
Calcium Citrate – solar protection
Citrate Esters – biostimulant
Lactic Acid – soil remediation
Citrate Esters – non-voc plasticizer
Monosodium Citrate – non-toxic
Xanthan Gum – rheology modifier
Sodium Citrate – powerful builder
Sodium Gluconate – excellent
Xanthan Gum – biodegradable
Playing a vital role
The
ICIS team hosted an interactive
session at Women in Chemicals’ inaugural conference and discussed the complexities and key drivers of today’s markets
Chemical industry innovations have created countless economic and societal benefits: longer and healthier lives through medical advancements; improved standards of living from fertilizers and water treatment; and instant access to information from anywhere, thanks to smartphones and other smart devices, to name a few. Thanks to innovations in chemistry, groundbreaking products are improving the world all around us by making it healthier, safer, more sustainable, and more productive.
The global macroeconomic picture is brightening. Europe has begun to see improving economic fundamentals and the recent rate cut by the European Central Bank (ECB) should provide further lift to the region’s economy. Except for exports, China’s recent economic indicators were mixed.
The bursting of China's property bubble continues to weigh on the economy. The United States is once again serving the critical role of global growth engine. This will help exportoriented economies.
The U.S. has been the outlier among developed nations. Growth has been supported by record fiscal spending, excess savings from COVID-19, large pent-up demand for many services, structural changes, immigration, and demographics that have resulted in tight labor markets. These have all combined
to keep a long-anticipated recession at arm’s length. That said, consumers are tired, and most recent economic indicators show that the economy is slowing. The economy is in the latecycle expansion phase. The risks, however, are to the downside. Economic relationships have evolved and the leads and lags from changes in monetary policy are longer and may yet manifest themselves.
Other than housing and light vehicles, higher interest rates have yet to dent the economy. Both sectors face affordability issues due to the higher interest rates and high values but will improve during the next years at a slow pace. Business
investment is taking over from the consumers as the engine of economic growth, which is typical of the late-cycle stage of the business cycle. Providing support is the continuing need to boost productivity and to facilitate re-shoring as supply chains are re-configured. The latter will be a major theme during the next five years.
Good and bad news
The global chemical industry has largely depended on China’s robust growth for the past few decades. This is no longer the case with the slower economy. In addition, China has been expanding its chemical capacity aggressively, reducing or eliminating its reliance on imports. This has pushed the global chemical industry into over-supply.
The North American chemical industry has both good and bad news. The bad news is that the domestic market is very mature, and demand growth tends to be moderate. The other bad news is that the worldwide chemical industry is in a state of major over-supply, expected to last for many years. Consequently, there is downward pressure on producer margins.
The good news is that North America
Kevin Swift
Alex Lidback
Soline Guérineau
Emily Friedman
is one of the low-cost chemical producers. Over the past decade or so, the shale gas boom generated abundant natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). Since gaseous products tend to be regionalized, the U.S. has a much lower feedstock cost position.
The low-cost position prompted extensive ethylene and derivative capacity additions. Most of these units are now running, and with the low domestic growth, the largest portion of the new capacity and production is being shipped worldwide. The dependence on international markets will not go away anytime soon. This coincides with a mature domestic market being unable to absorb the additional local capacity. The expectation is that other high-cost regions, like Europe and Northeast Asia, will be forced to shut down old and inefficient assets (permanent shutdowns are already taking place) since numerous plants are operating at a loss. This will help rebalance the market in the coming years.
At the same time markets are
reorganizing to accommodate this new capacity, players also are shifting procurement strategies to incorporate more sustainable practices in their processes and products.
Driven by sustainability
Sustainability is no longer a buzzword but a critical driver of change in the chemical industry. Companies are increasingly focusing on improving their environmental footprint such as waste and greenhouse gas reduction, driven by consumer demand, regulatory pressures, and the realization that sustainable practices can lead to longterm profitability.
U.S. sustainability regulations at the state level, such as extended producer responsibility programs or minimum recycled content for plastic packaging, are setting ambitious targets for reducing plastic waste and promoting circular economy principles. These regulations are not only reshaping production processes but also encouraging innovation in sustainable materials and recycling technologies.
Moreover, by adopting sustainable practices within the chemicals industry, companies are unlocking new cross functional development opportunities for employees, especially as entire organizations are put in place to support these activities.
The importance of diversity
With chemical and energy markets going through these tectonic changes, diversity in talent is a powerful catalyst for innovation, change, and progress. A diverse workforce brings a wide range of perspectives, ideas, and solutions to the table, which is crucial in addressing the complex challenges facing the chemical industry and propelling it forward.
Embracing diversity in all its forms, including gender, ethnicity, and educational background, leads to more creative problem-solving and a more inclusive and sustainable industry.
By Emily Friedman, Soline Guérineau, Alex Lidback, and Kevin Swift
Developing a leadership blueprint
Authentic
leadership is imperative in the current dynamic business landscape. Through deep reflections, tough transitions, and meaningful actions, you can understand and experience the true scope of your own leadership impact, says Jayshree Seth, author and Chief Science Advocate at 3M
At the inaugural Women in Chemicals Conference, I had the honor of delivering the closing keynote. Various sessions at the meeting covered wideranging relevant themes like innovation, communication, diversity, sustainability, and also work-life and life at work. There were discussions on trends and disruptions, navigating change and building resilience while crafting career strategies for success.
Authentic reflections, transitions, and empowered action can provide a tangible blueprint for a joyful, purposeful journey: developing your skills, nurturing your talent, building your expertise, and cultivating your mindset. I talked about the fact that the future of businesses, economies, and humanity hinges on continued advancements leading to innovations. This in turn, is dependent on the inclusion of diverse perspectives inside our organizations, and in our communities, to bring creative thinking, innovative mindset, and technical prowess together with lived experience, to solve real-world problems.
I also took the opportunity to talk about the work we are doing at 3M to understand the global public perception of science. The last few years have put the spotlight on the need for a human context and societal perspective for innovation. This warrants a renewed commitment to leadership, at an individual and collective level.
Whether you are a seasoned leader, someone just embarking on your intentional leadership journey, or maybe someone looking to build your leadership skills, it is important
to acknowledge that the concept of leadership is multifaceted. Amongst key, well-accepted leadership attributes are the ability to formulate a strategic vision, drive tactical execution, and influence and inspire action.
One of the frameworks I have developed emphasizes more than just the telescope and microscope views that are often talked about. The telescope prompts you to look far ahead and see what the big picture is for the team, while the microscope requires you to look deep down, delving into the detailed view, the critical functioning, and the execution in the short term.
However, also very important are three additional views: periscope, stethoscope, and horoscope. The periscope view is to see what is not in direct line of sight, specifically to anticipate change and proactively identify threats and opportunities. The stethoscope makes you look within, to see what cannot be seen but only felt – it is about listening to the heart, your own and others, to inform, influence, and inspire. And finally, the horoscope, to see and acknowledge what you can’t control and being cognizant of the role of luck and chance.
Examining a spectrum of views
creates a well-known combination of preparation, skill, mastery, and circumstance essential for effective leadership and favorable outcomes. Good leaders strive to use all views to enjoy the kaleidoscope of true leadership. Developing a holistic view will also allow you to lead from, what I often call, your own rung of the ladder.
I believe one person can make a difference from their own rung –because others join in. To learn more about the frameworks outlined in my talk, I encourage you to seek out the three books that I have written. Woven throughout the books are my own personal anecdotes and reflections, offering a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of my career in driving innovation from the trenches.
My first book in The Heart of Science series, Engineering Footprints, Fingerprints, & Imprints, lays the foundation, exploring overarching themes of personal development, authentic leadership, and making a meaningful impact.
My second book Engineering Fine
Authentic reflections, transitions, and empowered action can provide a tangible blueprint for a purposeful journey
Jayshree Seth, Chief Science Advocate, 3M
Print, takes us deeper, encouraging us to examine the “FINE Print” within ourselves – our Feelings, Identities, Needs, and Experiences – as the catalysts for purposeful action and selfrealization.
In my third book, Engineering Blueprint, the capstone in The Heart of Science trilogy, I take insights and strategies, and put them into practice. It is more of a hands-on guide, with suggested reflections and actions, designed to help construct a personalized roadmap for success. All conference attendees received a copy of my book, and it has been chosen as the Women in Chemicals Book Club selection for Q4 2024.
All proceeds from the sales of the books go to a scholarship for underrepresented women in STEM administered by the Society of Women Engineers. I wrote the books; readers purchased them and through that we have now supported the educational journey of four scholars.
Thank you to SOCMA for the support of the book for all the conference attendees. We are giving the gift of education – the best gift we can ever give.
Jayshree Seth Chief Science Advocate at 3M
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Leading the way
In this article, five female leaders discuss their career journeys and the challenges, opportunities, and milestones on the way to the top
Supportive colleagues can make a dramatic difference to our careers, with a confidence boost and a gentle push. Many grateful business leaders are now in turn helping others to climb the ladder.
“If I didn’t have strong supporters early on in my career, I would not be where I am today,” says Jen Jewson, Chief Procurement Officer at LyondellBasell in Texas.
Jewson has been at LyondellBasell for 28 years. She started out in R&D as a principal research chemist, following an inorganic chemistry Ph.D. on catalysis. She was successful, with nine patents to her name.
However, a senior colleague suggested she could move into a business area, reasoning that “it’s easier to teach a technical person business than a business person technical”.
Jewson obtained an MBA in finance from Villanova University. She never looked back, jumping into a series of roles in business, sales, and mergers and acquisitions. At one point she moved to Rotterdam, The Netherlands, to work on supply chain. There, she learned a lot about people and different ways of communicating.
“I have had the opportunity to experience many different roles within LyondellBasell. R&D was the longest role I have ever had. I usually spend about three years in a job and then move,” she says. However, she plans to stay longer in her current position, running a group of around 350 people globally. In 2023, Jewson was elected President of a procurement industry initiative called Together for Sustainability.
“I have been very fortunate because people have pushed me to do something out of my comfort zone and take risks,”
she says. “The importance of giving back is really clear.”
She is highly supportive of other people taking career risks. “Most likely you will be able to pick a job up and do it; you just don’t realize it yet,” she says. As a leader, she also feels it important to ask women: “Why not you?”
Those propelled into new roles need to ask for advice and support, which Jewson did not do at first. “It made my life a little more challenging early on because I didn’t realize that I didn’t need to know it all and could ask for help.” She now advises people that all questions are good
“Every successful person will have someone help them.
questions during the first 90 days in a job.
“Every successful person will have someone help them. You just need to make sure that you are ready to accept the help and share your goals,” says Jessica Hagewood, President of Dixie Chemical Company in Houston, Texas.
Hagewood originally wanted to join the FBI and completed an accounting degree with a minor in criminal justice. She worked in a manufacturing start-up to gain accountancy experience and really enjoyed the “vibe”. “We were all working with a common goal to get a plant up and running,” she says.
Hagewood worked in finance roles in three companies before working in mergers and acquisitions at ADAMA Agricultural Solutions UK. She managed the integration of a company and when the process was complete, realized that she didn’t want to go back to finance.
A boss and mentor encouraged her to “go outside” of her lane. She joined Dixie in 2020 as Senior Director of Production Planning before becoming Senior Vice President Commercial in 2021 and President in 2022.
The chemical industry is particularly challenging. When a major freeze in Houston recently led to the longest period of unplanned downtime in the company’s existence, Hagewood was unfazed. “I love working on challenges because you get a team together, you’re all collaborating and have a common goal.”
She is passionate about letting girls and young women know about opportunities in industry. For example, Dixie is developing a program to invite economically disadvantaged young people to see the array of potential jobs.
“I had the chance to have met very inspiring leaders who believed in me across my career and encouraged me to go always beyond. I want to give back that chance, and mentor the inspiring talents I have the chance to meet,” says Mathilde Godard, Vice President Europe Industrial Merchant at Air Liquide in Brussels, Belgium. “Passionate about Air Liquide innovations and leadership in energy transition, I have a profound attachment to the dynamic of teams, people, and performance, which is a cornerstone of my 17 years of experience.”
Godard joined Air Liquide after graduating as a Mechanical Engineer, initially working in the Healthcare business in Spain and France, mainly in engineering and operations management roles. Her first big challenge in France was taking on a role as Plant Manager, aged just 27. “It was a stretch, and I was not so sure I could do it,” she says. “You also have to sometimes overcome the bias that you can read in the eyes of your surroundings.” However, the role gave her confidence and banished any shyness. “You walk step by step in your role and you gain progressively your place, you make things happen and you gain your credibility,” she says. “For my experience, a pillar of my development was the trust of my management and the true cohesion of our teams.”
Later In 2016, she spent three years in Brazil as the Executive Manager of VitalAire Brazil, before being named Managing Director of Industrial Merchant in Belgium Netherlands & Luxembourg. The stint in Brazil was “an incredible
period of my life, when I learned a lot personally and professionally,” she says. She finds her current job “thrilling” and is keen to build on “cohesion and inclusion” in the company, strongly believing in the benefit of gender diversity development. She nurtures in her leadership the diversity of her international experiences in Spain, France, Belgium, and Brazil to pursue her development as a women executive in the industrial gas industry.
Luck and hard work
Anna Bertona became CEO of service provider Azelis in Antwerp, Belgium in January, succeeding Hans Joachim Muller after his retirement.
After a Masters in Industrial Design Engineering at Delft University of Technology and an MBA at Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University, she started out with jobs in the automotive and consumer goods industries. While at consultancy Kearney, she worked with the chemicals industry, which piqued her interest.
Bertona joined Azelis in 2013 as Vice President of Strategic Planning and Implementation. With the support of Muller, she swiftly moved to become CEO and President of Azelis in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
As well as being capable and working “really hard”, you need some luck to achieve career goals and success, she says. “You need to have people that see something in you and that give you the opportunities,” she says.
“I believe that as a woman you have to work harder to show your capabilities,” she says. However, she is heartened by the number of younger women moving into management roles.
that can produce fatty acids, antioxidants, and pigments using byproducts from other industries.
Bonturi studied biotechnology at Sao Paulo State University in Brazil, followed by a Masters and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the State University of Campinas.
In 2016, she moved to the University of Tartu in Estonia to develop synthetic biology tools for non-conventional yeasts. There she met fellow ÄIO cofounder Petri-Jaan Lahtvee.
“It has been a very interesting and challenging ride,” she says. Being a female founder in an environment mainly populated by men has been particularly challenging, although the tide is turning now that people recognize the company’s value, she says.
The challenges change as the company evolves. Initially, Bonturi had to get to grips with business terms. As the company completes another funding round, the next steps are to expand the team and build a demonstration facility.
The company now has 13 employees, with women at all levels, including MaryLiis Kütt as Chief Innovation Officer.
“We take not only gender balance but empowerment very seriously,” Bonturi says.
Anna Bertona,
Azelis is the most diverse company she has worked for, she says. The company proactively encourages women to apply for senior roles, with a target to fill 30% of management positions. Now that the company has almost reached this target, Bertona is considering raising it.
If women are not sure they can do a role, we say: “we think you can, so just apply for it,” she says. “Of course, we take them in the mix because in the end we just want to have the best person.”
Start-up success
Nemailla Bonturi co-founded ÄIO, an Estonian biotechnology company focused on producing healthy, sustainable fats and oils, in 2022. It specializes in growing microorganisms
In the early days she suffered from imposter syndrome, which she is now able to shatter by focusing on her successes.
“We try to tell all the employees, if something is good, please compliment. Please say something nice because it’s always good to be filled up with good energy,” she says.
Other people may also have imposter syndrome so “it’s very nice to help them to also get out of this loop”, she says.
Emma Davies
Guidance and support
Women in Chemicals’ class of 2024 Mentorship cohort is more than half-way through its journey
WIC’s landmark Mentorship program offers its community the opportunity to develop and grow their abilities by having someone skilled and knowledgeable within the industry share their experience and insights.
“It focuses on individuals’ needs – it can be about subject matter skills, or interpersonal skills, or developing strategic thinking,” explains Kasia Jankowska, WIC Mentorship Chair and Talent & Diversity Manager, Europe Industries at Air Liquide. “It’s also about growing your network and stepping out of your comfort zone.”
The program runs for nine months from February to October, with at least one hour each
Mentee...
month recommended for mentor and mentee to meet. Mentors may be male or female. The scheme is virtual, but inperson meetings are encouraged, where possible. There are opportunities to meet other mentors and mentees at the virtual best practice meetings held throughout the year.
Applications were invited for the initial cohort from December 2023 to January 2024.
“You do not have to be a new joiner to the chemical industry,” explains Jankowska.
“You can be in mid-career, pivoting into a new role, or taking up a more managerial position. You can apply regardless of your educational
Kasia Jankowska, WIC Mentorship Chair
background or the department you are in, be it operations or in a support role while working in the industry.”
Applying for the program is simple –completed online via the WIC website, the only prerequisite is to be a member of WIC – with no cost attached to the membership or the Mentorship program itself.
“There is a mixture of closed and open-ended questions,” says Jankowska. “Mentees fill in their development needs and what they hope to gain from the mentoring relationship. Mentors, meanwhile, explain how they can support a mentee.”
Matches were shared in February, closely followed by an online kickoff meeting, and then an onboarding session later that month. The successful candidates separately heard from several keynote speakers, before sharing ideas at check-in sessions and break out meetings.
The onus is then on the mentee to get the ball rolling for the online mentoring sessions. There is a 90-day best practice sharing session, followed by a six-month check-in.
Everyone will reunite at the inaugural WIC Conference in September, before the special End of Session Ceremony takes place in October.
Establishing valuable long-lasting relationships and building a sense of belonging in the community is a key element of the program, she says.
Jane Gibson
“The program focused not only on how our individual goals can be achieved, but also on how we can passionately uphold and support our respective organizational goals as well.”
Agatha Maduwaye,
Account Manager, BASF West Africa
When WIC first announced plans for the Mentorship program, mentee Agatha Maduwaye, Account Manager at BASF West Africa, jumped at the chance to take part.
As a driven career woman, growth, development, and business exposure is key for her. “My aspirations sometimes come with overwhelming thoughts, so I felt the need to seek guidance,” she says. “The Mentorship program enabled me to have the best approach to understand these thoughts and ideas and connected me with the right go-to person to seek counsel from.”
The diversity of the program presented the opportunity to have an external and global perspective of mentorship, she continues. “Internally, it drove me to seek and appreciate the value of my organization’s internal mentorship program, which I hold in high esteem as well.” Maduwaye describes the benefits of taking part in the program as immeasurable. “My mentor is awesome. From the first day, we connected so well, and I could see we shared similar values,” she says. “Most of the set goals have been achieved far beyond my expectations. The program focused not only on how our individual goals can be achieved, but also on how we can passionately uphold and support our respective organizational goals as well.”
Mentor...
“You have to keep a goal in mind –environments may change and things may become challenging, but you should be able to keep your goal and work towards it”
Dr. Swati Vitonde, Director, Ross Lifescience
Dr. Swati Vitonde, Director at Ross Lifescience, has mentored many times before and understands how essential it is to invest time in getting to know one another, with the mentor acting as a kind of a mirror to the mentee.
“I have a mentee who would like to know how she can enhance her skills and step up in her career, so I’m trying to mentor her and share my own experiences,” says Vitonde. “I have been in the industry for 35 years. And I have gone through all these ups and downs.”
The process started with an informal chat, so the mentee feels they are able to talk freely and share. “My mentee has the goal of moving into a leadership role. I’ve asked her ‘what are you doing to meet your goal and are you doing something different to get yourself noticed and increase skill sets?’. I have also advised her to learn from other peoples’ mistakes – that is the smart thing to do.”
Each meeting allows you to find out what the mentee’s state of mind is – personally and professionally, notes Vitonde.
“What we discussed last month may not be valid next month.
You have to keep a goal in mind – environments may change and things may become challenging, but you should be able to keep your goal and still work towards it.”
Mentee...
“I
Mentor...
“Prior to WIC forming and putting this Mentorship program together, there wasn’t an organized place in our industry where you could have easy access to mentors” Trent Staggers, Founder, Mission Chemical
Trent Staggers, Founder of Mission Chemical, a chemical distribution company, is one of the male mentors in the program.
“We need more women in the industry, and we need them starting at an earlier age,” says Staggers. “I think this program is really propelling women forward at an earlier stage in their chemical career. Prior to WIC forming and putting this Mentorship program together, there wasn’t an organized place in our industry where you could have easy access to mentors.”
Staggers explains that mentorship takes buy-in from both sides. “I’m fortunate – my mentee is also a mentor in the program. I have found myself calling her and texting her multiple times on some things where she has expertise.”
An hour-long monthly meeting is standard and the pair have been able to spend valuable time together in person. “We have more than enough things to talk about than the time we have allocated for it,” he says. “It’s important for the mentee to take some thoughtful preparation time prior to the meeting – what is the most important thing that has happened to me over the last 30 days that I want to discuss and what are the most important things that will be happening over the next 30-60 days that I could possibly use some guidance on?”
was undecided and confused about my next steps. Her support helped me overcome these issues”
Pooja Shah, Business Development Representative, Wego Chemical Group
Pooja Shah, a Business Development Representative at Wego Chemical Group, has reaped significant benefits from the Mentorship program.
“It came at a time when I was transitioning into a new role,” she says. “My mentor is aware of my entire journey. I was undecided and confused about my next steps. Her support helped me overcome these issues.”
“She helped me set achievable goals and avoid overthinking. She supported me with problemsolving skills and guided me on how to present myself and interact with the leadership team.”
Progress and hurdles are discussed during our catch-up sessions. “Even if I don’t have any questions, she proactively suggests areas for me to focus on,” Shah continues. “We don’t have any rigid goals; we just discuss the week, address any challenges, and she shares her real-life experiences. There’s nothing stressful about our sessions.”
Getting to know you…
Who is your inspiration?
It sounds a little cheesy, but my inspiration is my mom. She’s the most caring and thoughtful person I know and one of those people that everybody instantly loves. I’ve seen her navigate some really hard things through life and always come out with a smile on her face, ready to tackle new adventures. She’s now 74 and has just started a new part time job! I admire her so much for always putting herself out there.
Which three people would you like to invite to dinner?
I’d really like to be able to have dinner with my dad. He passed when I was 21, so just to let him see me as a grown-up person with my family and just spend time together would be amazing.
I grew up playing tennis and played tennis in college, so my second choice would be Billie Jean King. She’s done so much for the game and for female athletes overall, is a huge advocate for equal pay for women, and the LGBTQIA+ community. I really admire her for stepping out at a time when most women weren’t brave enough or didn’t know how to.
My last choice is Trevor Noah who was on The Daily Show for many years, has a podcast, and has written a book called Born a Crime. He was born in South Africa with a black mother and white father during Apartheid and talks about how tough it was growing up. He’s obviously very funny, incredibly smart, and I admire his strength and how he’s found joy in his life.
What’s your typical morning routine?
I’ve tried to get back into exercising in the morning because it helps get my brain working and I know my day then moves forward much
Amanda Stevens works as a Key Accounts Executive at Brenntag North America, Inc. She is based in Dallas, Texas, and marks 15 years with the company in September 2024. She is also a member of WIC’s Mentorship Steering Committee and helped pilot the new Mentorship program and support the initial cohort.
better. I also enjoy reading, usually a devotional, and spending time outside in the sunshine.
What three words best describe you?
Empathetic, competitive – to a fault, and thoughtful.
My mom tells a story from when I was in the third or fourth grade when I felt one of my classmates wasn’t being treated fairly by a teacher. I wrote a letter to him and to the principal saying why I felt it was wrong. I still think it’s important that you try to feel what someone else is feeling and have an awareness of that; it just helps you to be a better human and is something I’ve really tried to work on as a mother and as a wife.
Obviously, being competitive helped me as an athlete playing tennis, but I’m the same when playing board games with my kids, pickleball with friends, or working towards sales goals at work. I really like to compete. I don’t necessarily have to win, but I like to compete.
My third choice is being thoughtful. It means a lot to me when other people remember special days in my life, whether it’s an anniversary or when I lost my dad. It’s so meaningful for someone to say I’m thinking about you today. I always try to do that for my friends and family, whether there’s a celebration or a time of sadness, just to say I see you and I see where you are. I think that’s so Important.
Where’s your “happy place”?
I love being on beaches, the sound of water, and being near water – or really just being out in nature where I can get away from the city and the noise and distractions. I think it’s important to get some quiet and think thoughts without being interrupted. And if my family’s there, that’s even more of a bonus.
Amanda Stevens
In the first of a series of articles, we ask a few questions to women in the chemical industry to reveal a little about them as a person, their personality, traits, and ambitions
Who is your inspiration?
My late grandmother was love personified and approached everything she did with love; whether positive or negative.
My mother was a teenager when she had me and left me with my grandmother so that she could continue with school and her studies.
My grandmother had so much patience and carried herself with so much grace, something that's inspired me throughout my career – to always be conscious of people and to value them.
Which three people would you like to invite to dinner?
The first is Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the late former wife of Nelson Mandela.
She had the courage and tenacity to overcome adversity during Apartheid, one of the most difficult periods in the history of this country, and an ability to do it with so much grace and determination.
I’d also invite Basetsana Khumalo, former Miss South Africa, businesswoman, mother, and philanthropist.
When I was still a young child, I was drawn to her because of her beauty and her celebrity status, but as I journeyed into my life to me now just turning 40, I've seen her transform herself into a businesswoman, a wife, and a mother.
She’s become a philanthropist and a mentor and that really inspires me.
Last is comedian and media personality, Trevor Noah.
His growth and just how his life has transformed is just incredible and he just gives me a sense of belief in myself – that my dreams are valid and anything is possible.
Babalwa Majija is Head of Commercial at AECI Water in Johannesburg, South Africa. She has worked in the industry for almost 15 years, with the past two years spent in her current role – responsible for supplying water solutions to communities, municipalities and water boards profitably and within good governance. She is a member of WIC’s Global Ambassador Program, helping to develop a strategy for the Africa chapter.
What’s your typical morning routine?
Gratitude prayer, drinking coffee, and spending a moment on my patio to reflect and plan. These three activities set the tone for my day. They give me a sense of balance; I’m in the moment, receptive, and appreciative of everything I have. Being grateful for what you have is something I started practicing maybe 10 years ago and this has become a ritual. It centers me and gives me a positive outlook for the day, no matter what’s coming. And I just love coffee.
What three words best describe you?
Excellence, focused, adaptable.
I pride myself on striving for excellence in everything I do and never settle for mediocrity. I look for excellence in myself and hope that also shows my children what can be achieved.
I’m always focused and want to be better. I want to change the trajectory of my life and where I came from. I didn't grow up in an ideal situation and life could have been different for me. I never want to repeat that cycle and want to grow beyond my imagination.
And being adaptable. I've gone through a lot of adversity in my life, and I've managed to adapt and conquer each and every situation that’s come my way.
Where’s your “happy place”?
Anywhere near water. I grew up in the Eastern Cape of South Africa and the coastline at Coffee Bay and Durban beach is beautiful. I really love being near the ocean and watching the waves go up and down, remembering that there's a higher being in this world.
By Andy Brice
Babalwa
Majija
Careers in chemicals
Attracting talent
WIC’s Careers in Chemicals initiative showcases the career opportunities available to students and entry level professionals
Acareer in chemicals rarely strikes young girls in college or high school as their natural choice of profession. In fact, most women working in the sector admit they ended up in the field almost “by accident”.
This tendency, explains Caroline Thomas, Education Chair at Women in Chemicals, is not because of the industry not being welcoming enough to women, rather it not being visible enough to females at the early stage of their career journey.
“The chemical industry is, in a way, behind the scenes. You don’t see most of our brands on the shelf, but many chemical companies contributed to the manufacturing of that product or the packaging of that material,” says Thomas. “The chemical industry is essential to economic advancement and provides a stable career with many opportunities for growth.”
The new Careers in Chemicals initiative aims to help reverse this trend by introducing young women to the various career paths they could pursue in the sector. Through the program, potential candidates can learn about the
“The idea of the initiative is to introduce students to the industry and raise awareness of companies they may have not heard of before”
Caroline Thomas, Education Chair, Women
in Chemicals
vital role of the industry in our everyday lives, explore current job openings, and familiarize themselves with the resources and support offered by the Women in Chemicals community.
Various career paths
The program launched in the first half of 2023 with several virtual events.
The WIC website provides valuable resources and is separated into three key categories.
The Explore Career Paths section offers information to newcomers about the industry, so they can get a better picture of the many and varied specialties and opportunities available.
“In this page, we bucketed different career functions – from sales and marketing to accounting and regulatory,” explains Thomas. “People can click on the categories and get more information about what each job function means and see what roles may resonate with them.”
This breakdown is particularly helpful in demonstrating the different educational or professional backgrounds suited for specific roles even without prior experience or knowledge of the industry. The website includes details on the more technical roles, including research and development, to other jobs such as marketing, customer service, and human resources.
The Career Opportunities section of the website enables potential candidates to explore positions that are currently available with our corporate sponsors. Sometimes the hardest part to finding your next role is knowing where to start. The Career Opportunities page highlights the values, benefits, and location(s) of our corporate sponsors and links students and seasoned job seekers with open positions within our career partners.
“The idea of the initiative is to introduce students to the industry and raise awareness of companies they may have not heard of before,” Thomas says.
“The goal eventually, is for candidates to be able to drop their resume within the website that our sponsor companies can use for recruiting and reach out to the students.”
Virtual events
The initiative includes several virtual events throughout the year that allow students, mostly from lower secondary through postsecondary education, to gain insight into the various career functions within the industry.
These sessions last about an hour and feature a panel of women from various professional backgrounds.
To tailor the experience for the audience, WIC usually works with partner organizations focused on young females in educational institutions.
“We try to take geography into account as well. For example, when we presented to a school in North Carolina, we brought in panelists from companies with locations near that school,” she says.
The events have so far proved a great success.
“Careers in Chemicals” showcases the many benefits of the chemical industry and introduces students to a built-in network of women supporting women. WIC allows you to jump into the community; it’s free to join and you can take advantage of all the available resources, panels, and networking opportunities straight away.”
Yana Palagacheva
Catalysts for change
Working for nearly four years prior as a recruiter for a staffing agency, I joined Johnson Matthey in 2018 to make a real impact in the workforce that succeeded me.
In my prior role placing candidates in roles with our various clients in the Philadelphia region, I learned the fundamentals of talent acquisition. Still, I wanted to be part of the change in my own organization. JM gave me the opportunity to do just that.
Over the past six and a half years I’ve been able to see ripple effects of attracting talent into our specialty chemicals and sustainable tech organization and watching them grow into leaders, paving the way for new technologies and business opportunities.
Just as important was the effect I could make in the diversity and inclusivity of JM’s workplace culture. Working in talent acquisition for over 10 years has shown me that my teams and I are the catalysts to ensure our organization is keeping its workforce and leadership team balanced and diverse, ensuring we are bringing fresh perspectives from
across the chemicals industry.
Our efforts in talent acquisition allow us to ensure we are bringing in a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is my hope that my teams and I are not only attracting great talent to JM but delivering a supportive organization that uplifts and provides a voice to our female workforce.
This is what led to our valuable partnership with Women in Chemicals
in 2023. Supporting WIC was an opportunity to provide our female workforce more resources, networking opportunities, and support.
Our Gender Equality employee resource group (as well as many others in our organization) have been able to make use of a WIC membership to share lived experiences, career journeys, and mentorship opportunities with peers.
As a father to an amazing two-yearold daughter, I want our professional world to be one that affords equity and empowerment to all women – a world I would be happy to watch her grow up in.
When I see our great female leaders within JM, like Gissela Trejo, Xunhua Mo, and Tauseef Salma highlighted for WIC’s Woman of the Week podcasts (or nominated as Woman of the Year!) and inspiring young female professionals, it makes me so proud to have played a small part in that impact.
Vince Dimperio is Lead Talent Acquisition Partner at Johnson Matthey
Congratulations to all the women working in the chemical industry
At Bakelite, we’re creating a better tomorrow with sustainable and innovative chemistry today. Our diverse global team is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of chemistry, all while making the world a better place. We're proud champions of women in the industry, actively supporting Women in Chemicals and fostering a thriving community within Bakelite through our Women's Network.
Learn more about Bakelite and our career opportunities at bakelite.com