9/23/2022
Meet the Hispanic Innovators Behind the Innovation
Our Innovation Series showcases the amazing brand and product developments powered by P&G employees, and we bring you stories about the Innovators Behind the Innovation.
At P&G, we’re problem solvers. And our work is never truly done. Our employees are always learning – always innovating. They turn everyday consumer problems into opportunities that keep pushing the bar. More importantly, they work with others to innovate and find new solutions that help make people’s lives better.
During Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re highlighting several impressive Hispanic and Latinx innovators whose passions, cultural values and diverse perspectives help drive the way we develop and innovate irresistibly superior, category-leading products for generations.
Meet our Innovators!
JoseCarlos Garcia, Principal Scientist
JoseCarlos Garcia is a Principal Scientist and 12-year P&G Veteran. He has spent 11 + years at P&G working with the Microbiome Innovation team developing things like Align technology, Microban24 products and sustainable end of product lifecycle solutions for Baby Care.
The Microbiome team deals mostly with hygiene, which Jose says at its core is just about “improving and maintaining health and wellness for humans and the environment.”
“It’s more than just cleaning,” he says. “It’s finding the right balance between preventing disease and maintaining health and resilience, at both the micro and the macro levels, that drives most of the work I do in the hygiene space.”
JoseCarlos’s innovative mindset comes from how he grew up. “My upbringing in a resource-strapped environment taught me to do a lot with very little, and to be mindful of passing that value along to consumers.” This led to his passion for innovation and technology, which only grew in his academic career where he learned how to best assess problems and solve them. JoseCarlos says that most of his satisfaction comes from the personal letters he’s received from consumers. “It’s a constant reminder of the responsibility I have in improving their lives.”
Even at home JoseCarlos is always looking for ways to improve the world. He’ll see a product at a store and think to himself “’how can I make it better?’ or ‘how can I obsolete it?’ I choose to believe,” he says. “I’m going to help create and leave a better world for my kids and for future generations.”
Jhohan Lozano, Senior Scientist, Feminine Care R&D
Senior Scientist Jhohan Lozano says his greatest accomplishment at P&G is simply working for the company.
“My family and I came to the US as immigrants from Colombia in 1999. My parents made the hard decision of uprooting their life for the hope that my sisters and I could have a better future here in the States. The opportunity alone to work for a major company like P&G, along with the amount of ownership & tangible experiences I’m provided, is the greatest accomplishment.”
In the five years he has been at P&G, Jhohan has worked in material development & product research, landing within the Feminine Care R&D team helping to develop Always FlexFoam and distribute that technology among other brands like Radiantand Pure Cotton.
Jhohan credits his passion for innovation to his childhood. “I see the connection from my younger self, loving to play with Legos and tinkering with anything in the house, into a Senior Scientist working to provide real solutions that will impact the lives of countless women,” he said. “My work allows me the opportunity to continue those passions and innovate alongside teams that are experts across so many areas.”
When he’s not launching new products, you can find Jhohan in the kitchen, “My phone ALWAYS eats first!” he says. He is also proudly rooted in his Hispanic heritage, working to lead the Hispanic Young Professional’s group for the company, recruit key Hispanic STEM talent and enable Hispanic summer interns by co-leading the company’s development program.
Daniela Rios, Government Relations & Public Policy Director
Daniela Rios joined P&G 10 years ago with one goal in mind – to work with public policies. “I am passionate about public policy because I think it is a way to change lives, and it’s really connected to the mission of the company and to my personal mission.”
As the rise of period poverty became prominent in both the U.S and Brazil, Daniela knew she had to make a change. With her Always brand team, Daniela toured Brazil addressing congress and decision makers on the issue at hand and how they can solve it. After months of consistency and Daniela’s influence, a legislation was passed in Brazil that requires the country to provide free pad distribution in schools.
We honor Daniela as a P&G Trailblazer for making a difference in her community and being a voice for millions of girls so they can have the same opportunities. “I tried to explain [to my daughter] that I wanted to make the world better for her, but also for society.”
Widalys DeSoto-Burt, Global Oral Care, R&D Process and Formulation Director
As part of her 17 years at P&G, Widalys has been responsible for spearheading winning formulas for oral brands Crest and Oral-B, delivering superior performance, while driving their sustainability profiles. She also holds the title of R&D Dean for the Hispanic new hire onboarding program that provides Hispanic new hires with the necessary tools to create a positive impact from the beginning.
“As a manager, nothing gives me more satisfaction than seeing my employees develop and grow in ways that help them perform at their best and reach their potential and career goals,” she says. “I love being part of their journey.”
Outside of P&G, Widalys is an author, recently winning the Editor’s Choice Award for her fiction book Global Time Zone. She is passionate about her writing and finds ways to connect her creativity to new technologies.
Be sure to visit this page throughout the month, as we share additional updates from our Hispanic Innovators!
