International Women's Day: 4 women who are inspiring, leading

Inspiring Inclusion is the theme for International Women's Day 2024. It's a message meant to motivate companies and inspire inclusion throughout work forces.

Many companies in the rubber industry are doing more than just talking about inclusion, they're working to make it happen. The profiles below highlight four women who work for firms that have been recognized for their efforts to create welcoming, inclusive workplaces.

We're proud to introduce you to Jennifer Chittick, Jessica Ding, Nathalia Hasselman and Joanne Sovereign, all of whom are helping their companies be more inclusive in the end.

Chittick saw something in Cabot. Something she wanted to be part of.

Cabot, she said, valued diversity and was working to ensure safer, more inclusive work spaces. It still does.

And it's a vision she is proud to be behind.

"One of Cabot's core values is respect, and our company culture reflects not only a culture of respect but inclusion and equity," she said. "We have policies in place to prevent and address discrimination and harassment, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for all employees. We also provide regular diversity and inclusion training sessions to educate our team on these values."

Safety is a thing Chittick knows well. She leads the strategy for global leadership and management of safety, health and environmental programs, enabling a culture of work force behaviors regarding accident prevention, regulatory compliance and SH&E excellence. She has been at Cabot for more than 11 years, and in her current role for two months.

Her experience in the SH&E arena is deeply rooted, dating back to 1997, and she brings to her role at Cabot general SH&E experience from the semiconductor and defense industries.

But safety goes farther with inclusion. And that's why International Women's Day is critical, Chittick said. IWD provides a platform to amplify a commitment to diversity, inclusion and gender equity.

Globally, across Cabot, IWD has been recognized in different ways, including a variety of events to discuss professional careers and challenges. Sharing stories and videos on internal communication channels to align with the IWD theme of the specific year and celebrate the day.

"This year, in the Boston office where I am located, the community outreach team is working with the site to identify a local women-focused non-profit organization to (direct) funding and support, to not just celebrate IWD, but to actively participate in creating a brighter, more equitable future for women in our local community."

Chittick holds a bachelor's degree in industrial hygiene from Clarkson University, a master's degree in environmental health from Tufts University and is a certified industrial hygienist and certified safety professional.

For Ding, science is a calling. But business is, too. And her work at Dow allows her to combine her passion for science with business.

"My training was as a polymer chemist, but early on in my career I became fascinated by the business side of the industry," Ding said. "A few years after graduate school, I pivoted into marketing and have been here ever since. I love being able to have a holistic view of the segments I work in and the collaborative nature of the role.

"This year will mark my 10th year at Dow, and I have been in my current role since March 2023."

Marketing is at the center of her role, but she also works cross-functionally and often coordinates with the technical and sales teams to execute yearly business strategies.

"Inclusivity can also play a role in the projects we work on at Dow, which is exciting. I love it when we're able to marry diversity and inclusion with chemistry to develop a solution that helps the world on a much broader scale," Ding said.

Dow long has been an advocate for DE&I and that includes offering equal opportunities for female employees.

Women are traditionally under-represented in STEM and, as a material science leader, Dow makes a strong effort to not only recruit female employees, but also give them opportunities to grow and thrive.

"Our Women's Inclusion Network (WIN employee resource group), for example, is very active and supports women at all levels of the organization through mentoring and networking opportunities," Ding said. "Female leadership is also very much embraced throughout Dow."

Ding has a Ph.D. in polymer chemistry from the University of Connecticut and is currently in an MBA program at UCLA.

At Michelin, success is part of Hasselman's job description.

"In my role, I work to guarantee and drive the collective performance of safety, maintenance, quality, production, costs and personnel development and staffing," Hasselman said. "I also direct the management of the organization in the development of the progress plan, strategic plans and daily operations of our manufacturing plant in Greenville, S.C."

Hasselman has been in that role since September, and she brings to it a wealth of experience having built a 20-year career with the tire maker.

Before stepping into her current position, Hasselman worked at Michelin's truck/bus tire plant in Campo Grande, Brazil, where she held several titles, including trainee industrial engineer and industrial engineer; monitor for industrial engineer team and supply chain; progress leader and supply chain manager at the semi-finished plant; and portfolio manager. Additionally, she served as industrial project leader for Levorin, Camso and Conveyor Belt in Brazil, and was activity manager for the mining tires plant (Mining and Beyond Road) in Campo Grande.

Hasselman believes inclusion holds several meanings in the workplace.

"It is paramount for fostering a diverse, equitable and welcoming environment. It's about recognizing and embracing the unique perspectives, backgrounds and experiences of individuals to create a sense of belonging and mutual respect."

Hasselman graduated in 2006 from the Federal University of Technological Education Celso Suckow in RJ, Brazil.

It isn't often that the work you do touches so many lives. But that's the case for Sovereign, who contributes to a business that supports products for everyday life and works to ensure greater sustainability.

She serves as plant manager at the Lake Charles PPG location, working as part of the company's specialty coatings and materials business. The business creates solutions that enhance the surfaces and materials critical to daily lives, including the silicas for car tires; the monomers, coatings and photochromic dyes used for eyeglass lenses; a synthetic paper used in security documents such as passports and drivers' licenses; and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) materials in televisions and electronics.

"I am responsible for creating a production plan and monitoring progress toward productivity goals," Sovereign said. "PPG is working to improve sustainability, so I also examine ways we can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions; reduce energy consumption; use alternative and renewable energy sources; and modernize our operations through digitization. The plant has around 200 employees and I directly manage a leadership team of seven individuals."

Sovereign first joined PPG 32 years ago in the chlor-alkali division and worked there for just about two decades, until that area of the business was divested. She worked for the new company for about 11 years before rejoining PPG in May 2023.

The move allowed her to continue building on an opportunity she seized in college.

"PPG recruited on my college campus, and I was hired as a production engineer at their New Martinsville, West Virginia plant," Sovereign said. "After receiving my Six Sigma black belt certification and working on multiple process improvement projects, I relocated to the Lake Charles, La., facility where I became a people leader. When PPG divested the business, I went with the new owner and eventually managed their styrene plant.

"I was excited when the opportunity arose to return to PPG at their silicas plant because they have such a strong culture of embracing diversity, equity and inclusion," she said. "... I looked forward to returning to PPG because of the inclusive culture they have developed. By embedding diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the company, PPG is promoting employee well-being and combating intolerance. I work with many women leaders at PPG who I can look to for inspiration and call on for guidance."

Sovereign earned a bachelor's in chemical engineering and an MBA at West Virginia University.