cORPORATE SPOTLIGHT: ECOLAB
KAREN MARSH BY WHITLEY TENEYCK VICE PRESIDENT OF QUALITY AND PROCESS ENGINEERING
W hat’s your Mode of Operation or MO? For Ecolab’s Vice President of Quality and Process Engineering Karen Marsh, it’s being firm, fair and consistent. With over 20 years of experience in plant operations, logistics, engineering and quality, she has thrived in unexpected environments throughout her career by staying true to herself while overcoming challenges in both personal and professional development due to preconceptions of her identity and capabilities. As an alumna of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical (A&T) State University, where she graduated with a degree in chemical engineering, the mentorships and lessons imparted by her professors left a lasting impression, especially the emphasis on self-confidence and ability to adapt and navigate challenging environments. “My professors at A&T were nurturing; they knew me, provided resources and genuinely cared about me,” recalls Marsh. However, early in her first post-secondary experience, she faced harsh rejection creating uncertainty in her intelligence and identity
during her tenure at another institution. She was awarded a scholarship to a prestigious school with only 2% of the demographics comprised of Black and African American students. Marsh attended the school for a year, joined track, made friends and tried to get involved but always felt like an outsider. “I had professors constantly questioning my work and intelligence, trying to convince me that I didn’t belong,” said Marsh. “I began to doubt myself and knew I had to make a change. That’s when I transitioned to A&T.” While at A&T, she excelled academically and took on leadership roles, building upon the encouragement and support from her professors and a community of peers with similar objectives to navigate the world of engineering and technology. Her experiences at A&T enabled her to appreciate the significance of HBCUs and embrace the culture of support and inclusivity. She actively engaged with the student community academically and socially, assuming leadership roles with local chapters of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
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