Carina G. feels her greatest accomplishment at Kimberly-Clark was developing a new diaper soft enough to be worn by premature infants with fragile skin.

The product won acclaim from parents and nurses and delivered a sales boost to the company.

The personable Argentinian, who joined Kimberly-Clark out of grad school, has achieved lots more than that during her 22 years with the company.

As Research and Development Senior Manager of analytical sciences, Carina leads the team that tests, analyzes and vets Kimberly-Clark innovations from every standpoint, from usage to legality.

“All key breakthrough projects across all Kimberly-Clark sectors and business units are supported by my team,” she says proudly. “We deliver best-in-class analytical science for products and materials from innovation to commercialization and beyond.”

Her group works on 500 to 600 projects every year for Kimberly-Clark operations around the world.

Holding three degrees in chemistry and pharmacy, Carina rose to this important position in 2021.

Along the way, she was promoted through a variety of roles from her start on the quality and development team at a mill in Argentina.

In 2014 she moved to the U.S. to Roswell, Ga. to be a program leader in the Global Nonwovens sector, and she currently works in Neenah, Wis.

“There are great career opportunities at Kimberly-Clark, and it’s true that you own your development,” Carina says. “It’s important to be open to listening to feedback from your mentors and to relocation, as this especially opens opportunities for growth.”

She points out that Kimberly-Clark leaders have embraced the flexibility of working from home and given her the authority to extend that to her team.

Ironically, Carina had planned to work in academia and not the commercial sector. But things changed when her father fell ill and she left her analytical chemistry PhD program in North Carolina to help support her family back in Argentina.

That’s how she wound up working at the San Luis Mill.

“Kimberly-Clark opened my eyes to see that one could also apply scientific knowledge to resolve concrete problems in industry, ranging from optimization manufacturing processes through development of product to improve the lives of people — in my case, babies,” Carina says. 

“I have always strived to have a positive impact on those around me and to help open opportunities for others. I am grateful I have expanded my purpose and have helped others across Latin America, Mexico and now globally.

“Kimberly-Clark’s ‘we care’ approach was the key value that helped me succeed.”