Why is gender diversity important in pet food leadership?

Designed to support women's career development in the pet food industry, the Women in Petfood Leadership program aims to connect and empower women and their allies, fostering business and career growth.

Gail Kuhlman, retired technical fellow in research and development at Mars Petcare North America and a board member for Women in Petfood Leadership, noted the increasing number of women entering this industry as well as the historic lack of women in leadership roles created the perfect environment to foster a group focused on the career development of women in pet food.

“The pet food industry, like many others, has historically seen underrepresentation of women in leadership roles,” said Kuhlman. “Despite the growing recognition of the need for diversity and inclusion, women remain significantly underrepresented at the executive level and in decision-making positions.”

Kuhlman noted the lack of representation can be attributed to various factors, including traditional gender roles, unconscious biases, and a lack of mentorship and sponsorship for women aspiring to leadership positions.

Recent research from the IBM Institute for Business Value showed that diverse leadership teams can achieve 19% greater growth. The report also highlighted the crucial role of diversity in leadership and the need for mentorship programs, leadership development, and inclusive policies to overcome barriers like unconscious bias and lack of career advancement opportunities.

"Groups like the Women in Petfood Leadership provide the leadership, training, mentorship, networking and tools needed for women as they grow and develop into our next leaders in pet food,” said Kuhlman.

Leah Lambrakis, vice president, R&D, nutrition and scientific affairs with Simmons Pet Food & Simmons Animal Nutrition and also a Women in Petfood Leadership board member, agreed with Kuhlman.

"Women in Petfood Leadership is essential to our industry because it creates a space to participate in knowledge-sharing, professional development, collaboration and continuous learning opportunities," she said. "These forums empower women not only to elevate their voices but also to contribute diverse perspectives, experiences and ideas, and to collectively address challenges together."

Women in Petfood Leadership brings together like-minded professional women in pet food to build a community and interact by offering opportunities for networking, career planning, leadership development and professional support.Paul Ward PhotographyWomen coming together in the pet food industry

The Women in Petfood Leadership initiative officially launched at Petfood Forum 2023, following interest from women leaders in the pet food industry. The initiative was inspired by similar successful programs in other sectors, such as agriculture.

Debbie Phillips-Donaldson, editor-in-chief of Petfood Industry, said the idea for an effort targeting women leaders in pet food had been discussed internally with the team at Petfood Industry and Petfood Forum after several women approached them and suggested the need was there. When the team informally surveyed several women in the industry to see what they thought of the idea, they learned similar efforts had sprung up organically during the pandemic, when groups of women started meeting regularly on Zoom to share ideas and experiences, support each other, and network.

“The women we talked to were fully on board with helping start something more formal as part of Petfood Forum,” explained Phillips-Donaldson. “Some ended up joining a steering committee we established to get this off the ground in time for the 2023 event.”

The inaugural event was a networking lunch at Petfood Forum 2023, featuring a presentation by Mary Kelly, a former U.S. Navy commander. The event was initially limited to 50 participants due to space constraints, but the overwhelming response highlighted the need and desire for such a program in the industry.

For Petfood Forum 2024, the Women in Petfood Leadership networking lunch expanded to accommodate more participants, and it once again reached full capacity. The event featured Tamara Ghandour as the keynote speaker, further emphasizing the initiative's commitment to fostering connections and empowering women in the pet food industry.

Tamara Ghandour was the keynote speaker for the Women in Petfood Leadership networking lunch in 2024. The event expanded to accommodate more people and once again reached full capacity.Paul Ward PhotographyFuture expansion of Women in Petfood Leadership

The Women in Petfood Leadership group is currently discussing potential future events and initiatives, including online opportunities like webinars.

“This program seeks to connect and empower women and their allies, fostering business and career growth through face-to-face events, increasing participation in U.S. events, developing a scalable model for expansion, and creating standalone events to attract, develop and retain women in the industry,” said Kuhlman. “It is our hope that all pet food businesses and women leverage this wonderful opportunity and that this particular group is supported by all those in the pet food Industry.”

Lambrakis said her vision of Women in Petfood Leadership includes providing strong mentorship, inspiration and support, helping to develop and grow future female leaders who will take on influential roles and make meaningful contributions to the pet food industry.

"There is strong female talent across my team who are driving progress and innovation in the pet food space, and I feel privileged to be a part of their journey," she said. "My hope for this group in the future is to become a community of empowerment and advancement for women in the pet food industry."

Future plans aim to continue the momentum and provide ongoing support and resources for women in the pet food industry, said Phillips-Donaldson.

“Stay tuned for more updates as this program continues to grow and expand its offerings to support the next generation of leaders in the pet food industry,” she said.

Women in Petfood Leadership brings together like-minded professional women in pet food to build a community and interact by offering opportunities for networking, career planning, leadership development and professional support. This program is open to all women, and men who support the principles of cooperation, education, mentoring and encouragement for women to grow professionally throughout the pet food industry.

Petfood Forum and Petfood Essentials show dates are April 28-30, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. To stay informed on the latest event developments, go to PetfoodForumEvents.com.