Dr Karen Wooley (Left) Dr Ashlee Jahnke (Right).jpg
The Catalyst for Change
For A Plastic Planet’s co-founder Sian Sutherland, the wake-up call came while running a skincare brand. "I witnessed first hand the mountains of plastic packaging waste our industry created - each product encased in layers of plastic that would far outlive its contents by centuries," she reflects. This realisation led her to understand plastic pollution as "a fundamental design flaw."
Her concerns deepened upon discovering the human health implications, with "study after study confirming the links between plastic exposure and devastating health conditions."
Dr Ashlee Jahnke, Head of Research and Development at biopolymer creators Teysha Technologies, took a more academic route into sustainability. Her journey began during PhD work with polymers for organic electronics, which introduced her to the importance of sustainability and its challenges. Her interest further developed when she began working as a postdoctoral fellow for Dr Karen Wooley’s lab in 2014, focusing on polymers derived from natural products.
Alexandra French
For Alexandra French, CEO of materials innovation company Xampla, the path was guided by a deep belief that "science and innovation can drive meaningful change." With a background spanning automotive emission control to air quality improvement and electric vehicle technology advancement, each professional step strengthened her commitment to environmental solutions.
Confronting Gender Inequality
When addressing industry gender disparities, the leaders offer varied perspectives on persistent challenges.
"I believe the greatest impacts come from implicit bias that is often threaded through everyday interactions and workplace cultures," Dr Jahnke observes. While blatant discrimination remains easier to identify, she notes that deep-seated "cultural norms" create unconscious biases that are more difficult to recognise.
French emphasises the importance of confidence and opportunity, stating, "We need to ensure that talented women have the confidence to pursue leadership roles and feel empowered to step forward without hesitation." As an accredited coach, she mentors other women navigating their careers and notes that at Xampla "women make up over 40% of our workforce and more than half of our leadership team."
Sutherland highlights the paradox in the sustainability sector. "Women are leading the fight against plastic," she states, citing inspirational figures from marine biologist Sylvia Earle to health scientists Dr Jane Muncke and Dr Shanna Swan.
Sian Sutherland
Despite these role models, Sutherland acknowledges the data showing women remain underrepresented in STEM fields. "Their passion for science and protecting the planet is too often discouraged, sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly”.
Advice for Aspiring Women
Looking towards the future, all three leaders offer guidance for women and girls pursuing careers in sustainability and STEM.
"Be bold and believe in your talent and capabilities," encourages the Xampla executive. "Science and innovation need diverse perspectives, and the challenges that we face demand fresh thinking and courageous leadership."
Teysha's R&D head structures her advice around three key principles: confidence, community, and resilience. "Know your own worth, respect your own intelligence, and give yourself credit where it is due," she advises, while emphasising the importance of diverse mentors and persistence through inevitable challenges.
Sutherland's guidance is straightforward: "Find your role model. There are so many extraordinary women leading the way, and their journeys offer a blueprint."