Meet the Hispanic Leaders Driving Innovation from the Inside Out at Procter & Gamble

At P&G, we’re never standing still. We’re always moving, growing, building and looking ahead to the next big breakthrough. This drive is in our DNA – it’s what created this company all those years ago, what kept us going through the decades and what keeps us forging ahead today.

During Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re highlighting some of our Hispanic and Latino employees who embody and advance our commitments to curiosity, compassion and creativity. Their imagination, ingenuity and leadership allows our company to continue to produce superior, category-leading and category-changing products for generations.

Meet our Innovators!

Rosa Hernandez, Senior Vice President Research and Development Global Feminine Care

My time at P&G: 25 years

What drives my work: “Being able to translate consumer and market insights into technology and innovation opportunities and turn those into amazing experiences which consumers enjoy.

That is what made be fall in love with P&G 25 years ago while I was still in engineering school - the ability to quickly make a difference for others by identifying a consumer problem/need, turn that into an innovation opportunity, work with others to innovate & invent to meet the consumer need and ultimately deliver an experience she/he would enjoy and be delighted to use.”

My greatest accomplishment at P&G: “My greatest accomplishment is helping others become great innovators and leveraging that as a way to expand my reach and passion to create better product experiences and win with consumers. While I have many examples of winning innovation in the Fabric Care and Feminine Care categories, the specific innovations are not nearly as meaningful as the ripple effect of helping more and more people innovate and improve every day.”

What I'm doing after hours: “I love to experience new cultures, places, and food, which I have had the opportunity to do by traveling around the country and the world with my family, and with P&G. Being exposed to different experiences allows my brain to make new connections and generate ideas to solve problems.”

Allison Roman, Associate Scientist, Hair Care PRT

My time at P&G: Six years plus an internship

What drives my work: “Fueling and empowering Products Research teams for the past six years has really shown me how our technologies make people’s lives better! Understanding human behavior while creating products that will improve their lives and seeing the look on their face when they use something that is irresistibly superior to what they normally use is AWESOME!”

My greatest accomplishment at P&G: “While I could say creating a sensory methodology that helped with the launch of aluminum free antiperspirant was a highlight of my career, I would love to think that my greatest accomplishment is recruiting at my alma mater, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez. Seeing students with the same energy and hope that I had when I was a student, makes ME feel hopeful! Helping them with their resume, teaching them about the opportunities they have with P&G to improve people’s lives, encouraging them apply to P&G, and then seeing them become successful interns and full-time employees really lets me know I am doing something important when I return to my campus!”

When I’m not working: “I am part of the Young Professional Choral Collective Board (YPCC), and while that is an arts & music non-profit, I still go into it with the viewpoint of innovation. For me, making processes better, whether outside or inside of P&G, will always be top of mind. We can always be innovating to improve people’s experiences, systems within a group, or how we operate in a company. YPCC is not directly tied to innovation, but I use my innovation-first mindset to further our vision and positively impact our vibrant community.”

Rafael Trujillo, Research Fellow, Master Perfumer

My time at P&G: 33 years

What drives my work: “I’m passionate about the Science of Perfumery. Throughout my career at P&G, I have seen how we can, through the sense of smell, positively impact the quality of life for the consumers who use our products. We know scent plays an essential role in human life and culture: the close connection between our olfactory system and the emotional and memory centers of the brain results in scent ability that immediately impacts mood and well-being by evoking pleasant emotions and memories. My everyday job consists of finding that connection to consumer delight across the touchpoints that are more relevant for them and their experience with our products. Developing the technologies to deliver that experience is also an area of passion.”

My greatest accomplishment at P&G: “Having the opportunity to improve the quality of life of consumers who use our products around the world. I have been able to interact closely with consumers in Latin America (where I’m from), North America and Asia, and have become familiar with the product pain points. I love hearing about how using one of our products just made their lives a little better.”

My passion outside of work: “I’ve always been curious about things in nature. I like to understand nature and the mechanisms it possesses to create beauty and harmony. I’m also a student of human interactions and how societies have evolved over time. Understanding the past is sometimes a source of inspiration for new ideas.”

Ana Montilla, Senior Director Baby Care Invent Tomorrow - Technology Foundations & Sustainability

My time at P&G: 23 years

What drives my work: “My biggest passion is bringing together science and the consumer to deliver solutions that are better for babies, parents and shareholders in a sustainable way. I’m fueled by the diversity of thinking to create the sparks we need to drive innovation by managing brilliant people and connecting them internally and externally.”

My greatest accomplishment at P&G: “In my 23 years at P&G, there are many things I am proud of. For example, early in my career, I was working on products for low-income markets. Later I feel very proud to Lead with Love through Acts of Good that drive sustainability for Baby Care and make Sustainability part of the equity, while also upholding the promise to deliver Sustainable solutions, like Hybrid, which launched in North America last March.”

My passion outside of work: “I really enjoy talking with people, and since I became the mom to Sophie (6) and Clara (3), I have the chance to feel closer to our consumers and learn from them without being the ‘P&G interviewer.’ This allows me to get a very close sense of what really matters and infuse reality into my innovation. Also, children teach us a lot about what really matter, and hearing them is a source of inspiration that translate into innovation.”

Clarissa Maldonado, Principal Scientist – Feminine Care Global Materials Development

My time at P&G: 22 years

What drives my work: “My passion is to improve the lives of our consumers with superior products made with innovative materials. The process of innovating can be very challenging at times. When you create something that’s entirely new, you also tend to be the first to find what is wrong with it. What keeps me going when things get tough? That feeling of accomplishment when you know you have made someone’s life easier. I remember when my sister called me one time to compliment how much better P&G diapers fit and how my baby niece (and her clothes and bedding) stayed dried through the night. These improved materials made my sister’s life easier, and at that moment, that call made it all worth it.”

My greatest accomplishment at P&G: “My greatest accomplishment is my next accomplishment; I am not done innovating yet. Over the years, I have delivered materials that improved fit, softness, aesthetics, and sustainability of many products from brands including Pampers, LUVS, Always, and Tampax. It is very important for me to come up with solutions that reduce negative impacts on the environment. Caring for the environment is one of my passions; it needs to be part of how we innovate for my son and all the children in this world.”

My passion outside of work: “It's hard for me to choose. I like to go hiking in the forest – it's my place to recharge and find inspiration. Being surrounded by the beauty of nature reminds me how important innovation is to preserving and restoring this beauty for generations to come. I also absolutely love spending time with my family, they inspire me to innovate in the little (and not so little) things that make their daily lives and experiences better.”

Over the years we have taken great pride in supporting Hispanic progress through education, social impact and relief efforts. Learn how we’re celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.