Stephanie Headley gets two of her passions from her grandparents. From her grandfather, she got her passion for math.

“My grandfather and I used to trade math problems back and forth,” Headley said. “Even as a small child, I've always had this interest.”

And from her grandmother, she got her love for Olay skin care.

“It's a generational brand,” she said. “I remember my grandmother's Olay, never knowing that this could possibly be what I get to do.”

The 1999 graduate is now the senior vice president for North American skin care with P&G, leading the Olay brand. She studied math at the University of Richmond, and remembers being one of the only women of color in her major.

“It's a full circle moment because when I was a STEM student, I was one of few,” she said, “and we want to change that. I'm able to use an iconic brand like Olay to help change the industry, to make sure it's more inclusive.”

She is actively working to make sure that girls who look like her have allies at the top.

“Nearly 50% of the scientists behind the jars that we sell are women,” Headley said. “I didn't really recognize how unique it was to be a woman of color and be a math major. I am now at Olay where we value science, and we have a brand ambition in STEM.”

Headley said she owes much of this drive to Tina Cade, who recently retired from the University of Richmond after 35 years at the helm of the University’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

“She was talking about it when it probably wasn't comfortable, easy, or popular,” Headley said. “I now know more as an adult about what she was doing and how impactful it was for her to be there and to use her position to transform the lives of so many students. Now, I look to do the same thing for new leaders that come to P&G. It's about making sure everyone has an opportunity to be their best selves and bring their gifts and talents to work. I'm grateful for what she did for me, and I'm hoping to multiply that here at P&G.”

She’s used that passion to push the Olay brand to be more inclusive and forward thinking when it comes to women of color in careers in math and science. Olay partners with programs like Black Girls Code, and is sending 1,200 girls to code camp this summer.

“I'm able to accelerate that so that many more women and girls of color can see themselves in these types of careers and know it's possible for them,” Headley said. “We give them confidence that they can face anything as they think about what's possible for them in their careers.”