Gillette Venus has formed the brand's first Board of Trust-Seas with six women who will lead the charge in the male-dominated field of ocean conservation.
To break the gender barriers that now exist in ocean conservation, Gillette Venus has named entirely women to this board led by Olympic surfer and ocean advocate Carissa Moore. Beyond the board, Gillette Venus also has made it a priority to give other women a voice through its Venus Wave Makers Program.
"This field is dominated by men, who can provoke feelings of alienation and doubt in women," Symone Barkley, another board member and the chief learning officer for Black in Marine Science, told Business Wire. "So it is imperative that women support each other in the field. I'm excited to partner with Venus to connect with young women about the importance of ocean science and how they can uniquely play a role in leading effective conservation efforts."
The other board members, with a wide range of expertise, are McKenzie Margarethe, a marine naturalist and researcher; Katie Storr, a yachting professional, underwater photographer and scuba instructor; Carissa Cabrera, marine conservation biologist and educator; and Andriana Fragola, a marine biologist and conservation jewelry artist.
"As a brand that's always been inspired by the ocean, we are incredibly excited to work on this mission together with our Board of Trust-Seas,” Dana Brown Malcolm, North American senior brand director of Gillette Venus, said. “Each of these women are not only making important strides in the ocean conservation field, but also taking time to mentor young women around them.”
The board's first priority is to partner with the Venus Wave Makers Program to host other women who can benefit from its mentorship. Each board member will have a virtual or in-person discussion with a select number of young women.
The ultimate goal is to expand the population of women involved in ocean conservation. A study conducted by Oceanography Magazine indicated that women fill only 15% of senior faculty positions in oceanography at 26 U.S. schools.