Tag: 3BL

ST. PAUL, Minn., and CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 1, 2026 /3BL/ – 3M and Discovery Education today announced the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge’s 37 State Merit Winners and four Honorable Mention recipients. As the nation’s premier middle school science competition, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge features outstanding innovations from young scientists who demonstrate the power of science to improve the world.

To enter the competition, students in fifth through eighth grade may submit a brief video explaining their original idea to solve an everyday problem using science. The videos are evaluated for creativity, scientific knowledge and communication skills. This year’s entries featured solutions in a variety of categories, including robotics, home improvement, automotive, safety, AR/VR and climate technology.

“The 3M Young Scientist Challenge highlights how students use science and creativity to solve real-world problems”, said William Brown, 3M Chairman and CEO. “At 3M, we’re focused on supporting these young innovators as they develop their ideas and apply them in ways that can deliver measurable impact.”

Each year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge recognizes a grand prize winner, 10 finalists, four Honorable Mentions and up to 51 State Merit Winners – in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The 37 State Merit Winners and 4 Honorable Mention recipients for this year’s competition were selected based on their passion for science and innovation, and superb communication skills. Each State Merit Winner receives special recognition on the challenge website, along with a prize pack.

The 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge State Merit Winners are listed below in alphabetical order by state:

• [Alaska] Sage Riley Brothers, Homeschooled, N/A
• [Arizona] Akshay Lakshminarasimhan, BASIS Scottsdale, BASIS Charter Schools Inc.
• [California] Kyle Xu, The Harker School – Middle School Campus, Campbell Union School District
• [Colorado] Vedanth Raju, Aurora Quest K-8, Aurora Public Schools
• [Connecticut] Cayden Joseph, Engineering and Science University Magnet School, New Haven Public Schools
• [Delaware] Reena Vaishnavi Neetipalli, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, Red Clay Consolidated School District
• [Florida] Arshiya Ghosh, Starkey Ranch K-8, Pasco County
• [Georgia] Siddhant Mahapatra, Dodgen Middle School, Cobb County School District
• [Hawaii] James Beecroft, Our Savior Lutheran School, Aiea, Hawaii
• [Iowa] Leen Idrees, Southeast Middle School, Iowa City Community School District
• [Illinois] Kyrha Shah, Gordon Gregory Middle School, Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204
• [Indiana] Aarsh Sahu, Creekside Middle School, Carmel Clay Schools
• [Kansas] Vidhi Mishra, California Trail Middle School, Olathe Public Schools
• [Kentucky] Liam Baldwin, Belfry Middle School, Pike County Schools
• [Massachusetts] Sayoni Argawal, Blanchard Middle School, Westford Public Schools
• [Maryland] Krish Janoria, Hallie Wells Middle School, Montgomery County Public Schools
• [Maine] Ryder Tu, Reeds Brook Middle School, Regional School Unit 22
• [Michigan] Adhrit Mishra, Avondale GATE Magnet School, Avondale
• [Minnesota] Agastya Pande, Chippewa Middle School, Mounds View Public Schools
• [Missouri] TingMing Tsai, Ladue Middle School, Ladue School District
• [North Carolina] Prakhar Purohit, The Math and Science Academy of Apex, The Math and Science Academy of Apex (Charter school in Wake County – NCES District ID 3700482)
• [Nebraska] Vihaan Manikya, Millard North Middle School, Millard Public Schools
• [New Hampshire] Sharwin Balagurumoorthy, Homeschooled, N/A
• [New Jersey] Nithya Tammana, Monroe Township Middle School, Monroe Township School District
• [New York] Sofia Allyson Ignacio, Hillside Grade School, New Hyde Park – Garden City City Park Union Free School District
• [Ohio] Harshith Nelabhotla, Strongsville Middle School, Strongsville City School District
• [Oklahoma] Umar Aslam, Casady, Oklahoma County
• [Oregon] Albert Liu, Willamette Valley Academy, Beaverton – Private School
• [Pennsylvania] Ahana Paul, Downingtown Middle School, Downingtown Area School District
• [South Carolina] Amita Barik, Sterling School Charles Townes Center, Greenville County School District
• [Tennessee] Anisha Nachnani, University School of Nashville, Davidson County
• [Texas] Timothy Chong, St. Mark’s School of Texas, Dallas – Private School
• [Utah] Rohan Damarla, Challenger School, Lehi – Private School
• [Virginia] Ishanvi Sakharpe, Old Donation School, Virginia Beach City Public Schools
• [Washington] Kapish Arora, Maywood Middle School, Issaquah School District
• [Wisconsin] Aarav Malinowski, Wisconsin Hills Middle School, Elmbrook
• [West Virginia] Preethi Nethi, West Virginia Academy, Monongalia

Each year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge also recognizes select entrants with an Honorable Mention award. These individuals were selected for their unique and innovative concepts and effective communication skills. The four 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge Honorable Mention recipients are as follows in alphabetical order by last name:

• Darsh Goel, Mountain House, Calif., Peter Hansen Elementary, Lammersville Unified School District
• Kishan Kumar, Sammamish, Wash., Basis Independent Bellevue, Bellevue
• Ayan Roychowdhury, Menlo Park, Calif., Sacred Heart Schools, San Mateo
• Ashwin Sundaresan, San Diego, Calif., Oak Valley Middle School, Poway Unified School District

“When students see how science connects to the world around them, they stop memorizing and start believing they can make a difference,” said Brian Shaw, chief executive officer at Discovery Education. “The 3M Young Scientist Challenge gives young people the real-world relevance that fuels deep STEM learning and the persistence to see an idea through. Congratulations to every student honored this year. The world is better for the creativity and determination you bring.”

Previous 3M Young Scientist Challenge winners

Now in its 19th year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge continues to inspire and challenge middle school students to think creatively and apply the power of STEM to discover real-world solutions. America’s Top Young Scientists have given TED Talks, filed patents, founded nonprofits, appeared on Forbes 30 Under 30 list and exhibited at the White House Science Fair. In addition, a 3M Young Scientist Challenge Alumni Network was formed in fall 2022 and includes more than 100 former challenge winners, finalists and mentors, who take part in networking opportunities and more.

Learning resources for all educators and students

The 3M Young Scientist Challenge is complemented by Young Scientist Lab, a free digital resource program from 3M and Discovery Education that gives every student access to standards-aligned, hands-on science experiences designed to spark curiosity and build STEM skills. Students, teachers and families of all skill levels can transform and innovate the world around them. Young Scientist Lab resources are also available through Discovery Education Experience, the essential companion for engaged PreK-12 classrooms.

To learn more about the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and meet the 2026 competitors, visit YoungScientistLab.com.

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About 3M

3M (NYSE: MMM) is focused on transforming industries around the world by applying science and creating innovative, customer-focused solutions. Our multi-disciplinary team is working to solve tough customer problems by leveraging diverse technology platforms, differentiated capabilities, global footprint, and operational excellence. Discover how 3M is shaping the future at 3M.com/news.

About Discovery Education

Discovery Education is a global education technology leader whose innovative solutions empower educators and progress student learning. Discovery Education’s solutions have served more than 100 million students globally, supporting effective teaching and learning in 45% of U.S. K-12 schools and in 100+ countries and territories. The company’s portfolio includes award-winning core and supplemental curriculum, high-quality standards-aligned content, and AI-enabled teaching and learning tools. Solutions span math, science, literacy, social studies, and career-connected learning, including instructionally-aligned content developed through one-of-a-kind partnerships with industry leaders to bring real-world relevance into every lesson. Learn more at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.

Contacts
3M
3Mnews@mmm.com

Ali Koper
Discovery Education
akoper@discoveryed.com

Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

What does “Your Work. Global Impact.” mean to you personally?

When I joined Care Engineering in the last quarter of 2024, the India presence was small — a lean team in Gurgaon and the Pune center in a nascent phase. With around 25 years of industry experience, specifically in building engineering teams from under 50 employees to a few thousand who are passionate about engineering discipline, I had a mammoth task of building those proud units as well as accelerating the AI challenge at hand. Standing up those teams, building Guide Assist v2, and simultaneously contributing to the migration of a global contact center and the rebuild of an AI platform gave us a very direct answer to what this phrase means. The work my team does in Gurgaon and Pune lands directly in front of GoDaddy customers and Guides across the world — every single day.

The moment it really hit me was when the AI framework components we built started showing measurable positive outcomes for Guides handling customer conversations globally. These weren’t built by an existing team alone — they were built together, from the ground up, by engineers in both the US and India who owned them end to end. “Global impact” stopped being a tagline and became a standard we held ourselves to.

For me personally & with the fast paced AI world, it means innovation with responsibility. When you know your system is running in a live conversation, innovation & reliability aren’t optional — they’re part of the job.

How do teams balance innovation with reliability?

Honestly? The hardest way possible — by doing both at the same time, not sequentially.

Running a live contact center while simultaneously migrating infrastructure and building AI capabilities that couldn’t wait taught me this directly. The teams that came through that period without breaking everything else were the ones with disciplined release practices already in place.

That experience shaped how I think about this now. Innovation gets to move fast because we don’t compromise on the foundation. We introduced release trains specifically to make delivery deterministic — you can move boldly when you know the guardrails are real, not just documented somewhere. We invested in AI observability not to slow things down but so we could see exactly what was happening inside our agents in production and iterate quickly with confidence.

The short version: reliability is what earns you the right to innovate. Without it, you’re not moving fast — you’re just accumulating risk you’ll pay for later.

What leadership learning moment shaped you most?

Some experiences, like visiting the teleperformance center in Mohali multiple times during our contact center migration was one of those experiences that quietly shapes how you think.

You can architect systems from a distance — read the metrics, review the logs, sit in the design reviews. But walking the floor of a live care center, watching the customer pain points, watching Guides handle back-to-back customer conversations, understanding the micro-frustrations in their tools, the cognitive load of switching contexts mid-call — that changes how you build. You stop optimizing for what looks good in a demo and start optimizing for what actually helps a human being do their job better under pressure.

That experience directly shaped how we approached the AI framework and the components that needed to be a part of the CARE foundation – these weren’t designed in the abstract. They were designed with the CARE’s future needs & specific personas in mind: a guide trying to resolve a customer’s problem quickly and confidently, the customer itself getting a great experience, both with and without a guide.

The leadership lesson: get close to the problem before you get close to the solution. The best engineering decisions I’ve made at GoDaddy trace back to something I saw or heard on that floor.

What excites you most about GoDaddy’s AI future?

The shift from building AI features to building the platform that makes AI-powered CARE possible & effective.

This shift is also the moment Care Engineering stops being seen as a delivery team and starts being seen as the very foundation of GoDaddy’s customer experience.

Right now, what we’ve built in Care Engineering — the capabilities, the framework and the features on top — is starting to look less like a set of projects and more like a platform & the foundation of how customer experience will look like from here. That transition is exciting because it changes what becomes possible for teams across GoDaddy.

We ran the AI Boulder program specifically to seed AI champions inside India engineering teams — people who can carry the capability forward, not just consume tools built elsewhere. Seeing those individuals emerge and start pulling their teams forward is genuinely one of the most exciting things I’ve been part of.

What’s ahead is “agentic systems” that don’t just assist guides but handle entire workflows, for customers as well as guides, for all channels, be it messaging or voice — personalized, context-aware, and operating at GoDaddy scale. We’ve been building the components that make that possible. The most exciting part is that much of that foundation was built in the US and India together, by teams that didn’t exist in this form a year ago.

What are the non-negotiables in how your team’s work?

Three things, and I hold these firmly.

Ownership, not handoffs. A team that builds something owns it — in production and under pressure. We don’t build things and throw them over walls. This was especially important as we were establishing new teams or scaling up existing ones in India; I wanted the culture of full ownership to be there from day one, not retrofitted later.

Deterministic delivery. We introduced release trains because unpredictable delivery is expensive — for the teams, for stakeholders, and for our customers. Predictability isn’t about slowing down; it’s about building trust that lets you move faster over time. If a team can’t say when something will ship and actually mean it, that’s the first thing we fix.

Honest engineering conversations. I expect my teams to tell me when something won’t work — technically, timeline-wise, or in terms of what a product can actually deliver. The cost of a hard conversation early is always lower than the cost of avoiding it. I’d rather have an engineer who pushes back with evidence than one who ships something they knew was wrong.

A note of gratitude

None of this journey has been a solo act. I’m deeply grateful to my peers across the US and India who aligned with us, challenged us, and trusted us with consequential work from the very beginning. To my managers who backed the direction even when the path wasn’t fully clear — thank you. And to every engineer in Gurgaon and Pune who showed up, upskilled rapidly, backed each other under pressure, and delivered at a pace this fast-moving AI environment demanded — this story is yours as much as mine.

What I’m most proud of isn’t any single delivery. It’s that when things got hard, this team held together and performed as one cohesive unit.

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Emerging contaminants are rapidly becoming one of the most important environmental challenges facing organizations, regulators, and communities around the world. While PFAS have dominated headlines in recent years, growing attention is also being directed toward microplastics and newer contaminants such as 6PPD-quinone, a tire-derived chemical linked to significant impacts on aquatic ecosystems.

In Episode 2 of Season 3 of Rethinking EHS, host Beatrice Bizarro (Inogen Alliance Leadership Team Member / HPC, Italy) sat down with Ivy Niu (Terrapex, Canada) and Jack Sheldon (Antea Group USA) to discuss why these contaminants are attracting global attention, how regulations are evolving, and what organizations should be doing today to better understand and manage risk.
 

 

Key Takeaways

• Emerging contaminants such as PFAS, microplastics, and 6PPD-quinone are receiving increased global attention as scientific understanding continues to evolve.
• PFAS regulations continue to expand globally, creating a complex compliance landscape for multinational organizations.
• 6PPD-quinone has been linked to significant impacts on aquatic ecosystems, particularly salmon populations in urban watersheds.
• Microplastics are becoming a growing focus for regulators, particularly in relation to drinking water quality.
• Organizations that proactively assess emerging contaminant risks are generally better positioned than those waiting for regulatory certainty.
• Future management strategies will likely combine multiple technologies, including treatment systems, nature-based solutions, and innovative destruction technologies.

Listen to the full episode here

Why are PFAS, microplastics, and 6PPD-quinone considered emerging contaminants?

Beatrice Bizarro: There is currently a lot of global attention and momentum around manmade substances such as microplastics and chemicals such as PFAS and 6PPD. Why are these being labeled as emerging contaminants, and what issues are they creating?

Ivy Niu: Advances in science are revealing environmental and human health risks that were not previously understood. In the case of 6PPD, a chemical used in tires since the 1970s, researchers discovered that it transforms in the environment into a previously unknown compound called 6PPD-quinone. This transformation product has been linked to significant impacts on aquatic life, particularly in urban watersheds.

Jack Sheldon: PFAS followed a similar trajectory. High-profile litigation, increasing media coverage, and expanding scientific research have elevated PFAS into the public spotlight. As public awareness grows, science, regulation, and policy tend to follow. We are now seeing a similar pattern emerge for microplastics and, increasingly, for 6PPD-quinone.

What is 6PPD-quinone and why is it attracting attention?

Beatrice Bizarro: Can you explain what 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone are, where they are found, and why they are relevant today?

Ivy Niu: 6PPD is an anti-degradation chemical widely used in tires to prevent cracking and extend tire life. As tires wear down, particles containing 6PPD are released into the environment. When exposed to ozone, the chemical transforms into 6PPD-quinone.

A major breakthrough came in 2020 when researchers identified 6PPD-quinone as the likely cause of a phenomenon known as urban runoff mortality syndrome, which has been responsible for large-scale die-offs of coho salmon before spawning in urban streams.

This issue is particularly significant because salmon are considered both keystone and indicator species. Their decline signals broader ecosystem health concerns and can have ecological, cultural, and economic consequences for communities that rely on healthy fisheries.

How are microplastics being addressed today?

Beatrice Bizarro: While PFAS dominate much of the global conversation, microplastics are gaining attention rapidly. How are they currently being addressed in the United States?

Jack Sheldon: PFAS have benefited from a tremendous amount of public attention, partly because they are often referred to as “forever chemicals.” That term has made the issue highly visible and understandable to the general public.

Microplastics are now beginning to follow a similar path. Unlike many chemical contaminants, people can easily understand what plastic is and how plastic particles might enter the environment. As awareness grows, regulators are focusing on understanding how microplastics enter drinking water systems.

Although regulation of microplastics is not yet as mature as PFAS regulation in the United States, several states are working together to develop monitoring programs and better understand the extent of contamination in drinking water supplies.

What do we know about the health impacts of 6PPD-quinone?

Beatrice Bizarro: What can you tell us about the known impacts of 6PPD-quinone on human health?

Ivy Niu: Research is still emerging, but early studies suggest both 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone may be associated with skin allergies, respiratory effects, and reproductive impacts. These compounds have also been detected in human biological samples, including breast milk and cord blood.

While the risks to humans are not yet fully understood, the widespread presence of these compounds and their demonstrated toxicity to aquatic species raise important concerns. The uncertainty itself is one of the reasons regulators and researchers are paying close attention.

How are organizations responding to PFAS risk?

Beatrice Bizarro: PFAS regulation, treatment technologies, and product restrictions continue to evolve. Where are organizations finding success in managing this risk?

Jack Sheldon: Organizations generally fall into one of two categories.

Some are waiting for regulatory certainty before taking action. Others are proactively assessing their environmental, worker exposure, supply chain, and brand risks today.

The organizations that are making the most progress are those taking proactive steps to understand their legitimate risks before regulations require action. This is especially important because PFAS-related information continues to evolve rapidly. New regulations, treatment technologies, and scientific findings are emerging every week.

Companies that begin evaluating their risks now are better positioned to adapt as the regulatory landscape develops.

Why is global regulatory visibility becoming so important?

Beatrice Bizarro: One challenge with PFAS is the pace and complexity of regulatory developments around the world. How can organizations keep up?

Jack Sheldon: The volume of information is overwhelming for most organizations to manage on their own. Regulations differ by country, state, and even municipality.

That is why collaborative efforts are becoming increasingly valuable. Through the Inogen Alliance network, environmental experts across more than 70 countries contribute local knowledge that helps organizations track evolving PFAS requirements and identify emerging risks before they become significant compliance challenges.

Having access to both global visibility and local expertise allows companies to make more informed risk management decisions.

What solutions are emerging for 6PPD-quinone?

Beatrice Bizarro: What does mitigation look like in practice?

Ivy Niu: Current approaches generally fall into three categories:

1. Source control – reducing tire particle accumulation through measures such as street sweeping.
2. Flow control – slowing stormwater movement to reduce pollutant transport.
3. Treatment systems – using engineered stormwater infrastructure to remove contaminants before they enter waterways.

One promising area involves bioretention systems that combine organic matter, mineral additives, and filtration media to capture tire-derived contaminants. Researchers are also exploring floating wetlands and phytoremediation approaches that use plants to help manage contamination.

What might the future of PFAS management look like?

Beatrice Bizarro: Looking ahead five to ten years, what does successful PFAS management look like?

Jack Sheldon: There is growing optimism around destructive technologies that can break down PFAS compounds rather than simply contain them. Many of these technologies have shown promise in laboratory settings and are beginning to move toward larger-scale demonstrations.

At the same time, the future will likely involve combinations of technologies rather than a single solution. Managing PFAS, microplastics, and other emerging contaminants will require flexible approaches that combine treatment, containment, monitoring, and risk-based decision-making.

Continued advances in microbial degradation, phytoremediation, and nature-based solutions may also create new opportunities for managing these contaminants more effectively.

What should organizations do today?

Beatrice Bizarro: If there is one action organizations should take right now, what would it be?

Jack Sheldon: Understand your risk.
Whether the concern is PFAS, microplastics, 6PPD-quinone, or another emerging contaminant, organizations should begin assessing how these substances may affect their operations, supply chains, products, workers, and stakeholders.
Waiting for complete regulatory certainty often means falling behind.

Ivy Niu: I would add that organizations should stay informed about scientific developments and emerging alternatives. Innovation is moving quickly, particularly around safer replacements for chemicals such as 6PPD. Companies that monitor these developments early will be better positioned to adapt as regulations and expectations evolve.

Explore the Global PFAS Regulatory Dashboard

For organizations working to understand their PFAS risk, keeping pace with regulatory change is one of the biggest challenges. To help, the Inogen Alliance and Antea Group have developed the Global PFAS Regulatory Dashboard, an interactive tool that consolidates more than 1,200 up-to-date PFAS regulatory requirements across 50 countries and 48 U.S. states.

This free resource gives organizations a clear, actionable view of their compliance obligations, helping them make smarter decisions, reduce compliance risk, and stay ahead of global PFAS trends. For companies ready to go further, deeper insights are available, including region-specific compliance guidance and site-level contamination assessments.

Access the dashboard here.

Inogen Alliance

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Subscribe to the Inogen Alliance blog for expert insight into building sustainable, risk-smart operations worldwide.

KeyBank’s Key4Women program will host a free virtual webinar on July 14 focused on helping women better understand their mental health and personal development through science-based insights.

The one-hour session, titled “Lean Into Yourself: A Woman’s Mental Health Hacking Guide,” will take place at 1:00 p.m. EST and is open to entrepreneurs, emerging leaders, and seasoned professionals.

Key4Women National Director Rachael Sampson will be joined by Dr. Charu Ramanathan, a serial entrepreneur and CEO, for a discussion that combines personal experience with insights from evolutionary biology. The session will provide practical tools to help participants better understand their biology, embrace their full selves, and show up authentically.

Participants will be introduced to a framework designed to help them feel “F.I.N.E.,” which includes understanding the science of being female, identifying the experiences that shape beliefs, navigating roles and expectations, and moving forward with confidence and self-assurance.

Sampson said the session is designed to make complex scientific concepts relatable and actionable.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Dr. Ramanathan to our webinar,” Sampson said. “Her perspective helps translate complex science into real-world guidance, encouraging participants to recognize their natural patterns and engage with confidence.”

Dr. Ramanathan brings extensive experience as an entrepreneur and innovator. She co-founded CardioInsight, which was later acquired by Medtronic, and currently serves as co-founder and CEO of Vitalxchange, an artificial intelligence platform focused on developmental and behavioral health. She also leads a fintech company aimed at expanding equitable access to credit and mentors women entrepreneurs.

Key4Women, which was launched in 2005, has provided more than $12 billion in loans to women-owned businesses and offers resources to help women entrepreneurs grow and succeed. Membership in the program is free.

For more information, contact key4women@keybank.com or register online by July 14^th.

Originally published on CVS Health Company Newsroom

Dr. Joanne Armstrong, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Women’s Health and Genomics, CVS Health

Melinda French Gates is exactly right and her call for a #menopauserevolution is long overdue.

Approximately 1.3 million women enter menopause each year and most will experience symptoms that can last for years, yet our health care system isn’t built to support them through it. Clinician training remains limited, and care delivery falls short, leaving women to navigate symptoms that affect cardiovascular, bone, and mental health at a time when their health risks are increasing.

Melinda is also right to highlight how deeply underfunded women’s health remains. Despite affecting half the population, women’s health issues receive a fraction of funding—just a small share of total research investment—leaving critical life stages like menopause underserved and misunderstood. That lack of prioritization has real consequences for how women experience care. Too often, women leave clinical visits feeling unheard and without answers, without treatment, and without a plan.

As a practicing OB-GYN and Chief Medical Officer of Women’s Health at CVS Health, I’ve spent years working to ensure women have access to meaningful menopause support and benefits. But the reality is, the broader system still hasn’t caught up to what women need at this life stage. 

But this is solvable—and it requires exactly the kind of urgency and investment Melinda is calling for.

We need to make menopause care a standard part of clinical training and practice, so every provider knows how to recognize symptoms, assess cardiometabolic risk, and offer evidence-based treatment. We need to integrate midlife care into primary care settings, not silo it. And we need to make access easier through virtual care, community-based models, and benefit designs that meet women where they are.

Most importantly, we need to shift the societal mindset. Menopause is not a niche issue. It is a clinically significant life stage with measurable impacts on heart health, bone health and mental wellbeing. It deserves the same clinical rigor, investment, and dignity as any other major phase of health that we routinely diagnose, treat, and prioritize. Half the population depends on it. 

Women deserve better. And now is the moment to deliver it. 

Originally published on newsroom.marykay.com

Transformation is often framed as a clean break – a bold leap from past to future. But in reality, the most powerful transformations do not come from departing from your heritage. They come from learning to embrace the tension between legacy and innovation, between what grounds us and what propels us forward.

Few brands embody this balance as clearly as Mary Kay, the iconic beauty and entrepreneurship global brand. Born from Mary Kay Ash’s vision to empower women, the company has spent more than six decades building a global community rooted in purpose. Today, as consumer expectations evolve and technology reshapes how people engage with brands, Mary Kay is evolving while keeping its purpose strong.

Late spring, Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Brand and Scientific Officer at Mary Kay was a keynote speaker at the Direct Selling University (DSU) conference in Dallas, where she reframed brand transformation as the art of holding tension and turning it into momentum through six leadership lessons.

In Conversation with Dr. Lucy Gildea 

Q: Your perspective on transformation is rooted in “holding the tension.” What does that really mean?

Dr. Gildea: Tension is often misunderstood as something negative, something to resolve or eliminate. But in reality, tension is where growth happens. It’s the space between where you’ve been and where you’re going.

In transformation, you’re constantly balancing opposing forces: preserving what works while challenging what doesn’t, moving fast without overwhelming people, and making bold decisions while maintaining trust. The mistake leaders make is thinking they must choose one side. You don’t. The real breakthroughs happen in the space between.

Q: How has your background shaped the way you lead through transformation?

Dr. Gildea: I’m a scientist by training, and that fundamentally shapes how I think. Science teaches you to question assumptions, test hypotheses, and stay open to new evidence.

When I joined Mary Kay, I realized I had found a place where science, storytelling, and purpose intersect. That’s rare. It also reinforced something important: leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about staying curious, being willing to challenge your own thinking, and navigating complexity with clarity.

Q: Mary Kay has a powerful legacy. How do you evolve without being held back by it?

Dr. Gildea: Legacy becomes a strength when we choose to understand it, not simply preserve it. It’s about protecting the heart of your brand while allowing the expression to evolve. This is the meaningful way we choose in honoring our legacy.

In the process, we have had to ask ourselves tough questions: What truly defines us? What still serves us? What doesn’t? Culture evolves, but traditions must earn their place.

We’re not trying to become something new. We’re becoming more of who we truly are. That’s not disruption, it’s reconciliation.

Q: Transformation often creates uncertainty. How do you bring people along?

Dr. Gildea: Uncertainty isn’t the enemy, silence is. When people don’t have clarity, they fill the gaps with their own stories, and those stories can quickly derail progress.

Our role as leaders is to create clarity where we can, and transparency where we can’t. That comes down to three things: consistency, visibility, and inclusion.

You can’t do transformation to people. You have to do it WITH them. When people understand the “why,” see their role, and feel included in the process, belief starts to build. And belief is what drives real transformation.

Q: In a complex global business, how do you balance perfection with impact?

Dr. Gildea: Perfection is not the goal – impact is. If you chase perfection, you stop experimenting. And without experimentation, there’s no innovation.

We operate across multiple markets, cultures, and consumer needs. There is no perfect answer. Every decision involves trade-offs. Take product innovation, for example. Too much complexity can dilute your brand and confuse customers. Global portfolio management requires discipline, clarity, and a deep understanding of what truly creates value.

Q: How do you see the balance between digital and human connection evolving?

Dr. Gildea: This is one of the most important tensions in our business today. Digital platforms offer incredible reach and flexibility, but human connection remains at the heart of what we do.

The future isn’t about choosing one over the other. It’s about blending both intentionally.

Technology should enhance relationships, not replace them. When you combine digital innovation with authentic human connection, you create something incredibly powerful, something that resonates with the next generation of entrepreneurs and consumers.

Q: Finally, what role does purpose play in transformation?

Dr. Gildea: Purpose is everything. People may buy products, but they believe in brands because of what those brands stand for.

Our purpose has always been to enrich women’s lives. That hasn’t changed – and it won’t. What’s changed is how we bring that purpose to life in a modern world.

Tension tests your purpose. It forces you to ask: Does this still hold true? Does it still matter? For us, the answer is yes. Our purpose is timeless, and that’s what gives us the drive to push forward with confidence. Not because the tension is gone, but because we’ve learned how to harness its power and lead through it.

And when you do that, you don’t just transform a brand, you shape the future.

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About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X.

Expectations have shifted. Performance alone is no longer enough. Regulators, partners, and consumers are looking more closely at how products are made and what can be substantiated. That puts a spotlight on independently verified data.

GORE‑TEX® Products are supported by third‑party certifications that assess specific aspects of materials and manufacturing. OEKO‑TEX® STANDARD 100 tests textiles against defined criteria for harmful substances – and in 2024, 100% of consumer fabrics met this standard. In parallel, the bluesign® system evaluates chemical management, resource use, and working conditions at the level of input materials and production processes – with 98% of shipped laminate meters bluesign® APPROVED in 2024. The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) adds verification of recycled content through a chain‑of‑custody approach.

Each of these covers a defined scope. Together, they provide external verification of specific attributes – not a single, overarching certification of a finished product.

Beyond certification, this sits within a broader approach that includes supplier expectations, ongoing performance assessments, and collaboration across the industry.

As regulatory pressure increases, the quality of claims matters as much as the ambition behind them. Clear scope, verifiable data, and precise wording are becoming baseline.

Want to look at how this comes to life in practice? Read the full perspective on certified manufacturing and standards

About Gore’s Fabrics Business
Gore introduced GORE-TEX® Fabric to the outerwear industry more than 45 years ago and continues to develop performance apparel technologies. Gore’s Fabrics products provide comfort and protection in challenging environments and in everyday life, enabling wearers to safely and confidently achieve and experience more. From hiking in downpours to defense operations and fighting fires, Gore’s deep understanding of consumer and industry needs drives development of products with meaningful performance advantages.
https://www.gore-tex.com and https://www.goretexprofessional.com/

About Gore
W. L. Gore & Associates is a global materials science company dedicated to transforming industries and improving lives. Since 1958, Gore has solved complex technical challenges in demanding environments – from outer space to the world’s highest peaks to the inner workings of the human body. With more than 13,000 Associates and a strong, team-oriented culture, Gore generates annual revenues of $5 billion.
For more information, visit gore.com.

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Products listed may not be available in all markets.
GORE, GORE-TEX, Together, improving life and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates.
© 2026 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

WASHINGTON, June 30, 2026 /3BL/ – Five leading national organizations announced today they are joining forces to convene the Healthy Schools for Healthy Kids Summit, a first-of-its-kind national gathering focused on advancing a health-first vision for America’s schools.

The summit – convened by the Healthy Schools Network (HSN), the Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN), the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), and The Center for Environmental Policy at American University’s School of Public Affairs (CEP)– will bring together leaders from public health, education, research, policy, industry and philanthropy to address one of the most consequential challenges facing our schools: ensuring every child has access to a healthy school environment.

“Healthy schools are foundational to healthy children, thriving educators and strong communities,” said Jen Lemon, Acting Executive Director of Healthy Schools Network. “This summit will unite our diverse community of stakeholders to build a shared roadmap for making our schools healthy places to learn and grow.”

Millions of students attend schools struggling with aging infrastructure, inadequate ventilation, exposure to environmental hazards and growing vulnerability to extreme weather and climate-related events. The average school building in the United States is approaching 50 years old, and research shows that the nation’s school infrastructure faces a massive underinvestment of $90 billion every year.

The consequences of these challenges are significant and wide-ranging. Poor indoor air quality alone contributes to asthma-related illness and approximately 14 million missed school days each year, undermining student health, attendance and academic performance.

“If we are serious about improving children’s health, we need to recognize and prioritize our schools as the critical public health environments that they are,” said Nsedu Obot Witherspoon, Executive Director of CEHN. “Every child deserves to learn in a school that supports their learning, health and ability to thrive. This summit is an opportunity to align leaders around practical, equitable and achievable solutions that put children’s well-being at the center of school policy and investment.”

The summit will bring together leading experts, advocates and policymakers to produce a forward-looking Health-First Agenda for America’s Schools, focused on school modernization, healthy materials, indoor air quality and ventilation, emergency preparedness and resilience, healthy lighting and acoustics, pollution prevention, remediation of legacy environmental hazards, technical assistance for schools and communities, and priority research needs. It will be a roadmap of actionable recommendations designed to align stakeholders around shared national priorities and accelerate progress toward healthier schools for every child in the country.

The Healthy Schools for Healthy Kids Summit will be held on August 5, 2026, at the KFF Barbara Jordan Conference Center in Washington, D.C. The event is proudly supported by the National Education Association, EWG and IQAir, whose leadership and commitment are helping advance healthier schools across the country. FacilitiesNet.com is the official media partner for the Healthy Schools for Healthy Kids Summit. To learn more and register, visit https://healthy-schools-summit.eventbrite.com.

What Leaders are Saying:

“For millions of children with asthma and allergies, school can be the difference between thriving and just getting by,” said Kenneth Mendez, President and CEO of AAFA. “A classroom with poor air quality isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s a barrier to learning. This summit is about fixing that, building schools that work for these kids instead of against them.”

“Children spend over a thousand hours each year in school buildings,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of IWBI. “The quality of those facilities has significant and far-reaching implications for millions of students, affecting their health, well-being and learning. By bringing together leaders from across sectors, this seminal gathering will help create the momentum needed to transform how we design, operate and invest in our schools and our children’s future.”

“Universities have a responsibility to help bridge research, policy and practice,” said Daniel Fiorino, founding Director of the Center for Environmental Policy and Distinguished Executive in Residence in the School of Public Affairs at American University. “We are proud to support a summit that brings together diverse perspectives and expertise to develop actionable recommendations that can improve the daily lives of the more than 50 million people who go to schools every day.”

Children and their parents shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of their drinking water or the air they breathe while they’re at school,” said Alex Formuzis, Senior Vice President for Communications and Strategic Campaigns, Environmental Working Group. “Creating healthier schools means addressing the environmental exposures that can affect children’s health and learning—from drinking water and indoor air quality to hazardous chemicals in school environments. We’re proud to support this summit and help advance practical solutions that put children’s health first.

About HSN:
Healthy Schools Network is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all children learn and work in environmentally healthy and safe school environments. Healthyschools.org

About CEHN:
The Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN) is a national multi-disciplinary organization that for nearly 35 years has been leading the movement to protect children from environmental hazards and promote a healthier environment. CEHN is the voice of children’s environmental health in the nation’s capital–one that is uniquely informed by, and rooted in, pediatric and environmental health science. www.cehn.org

About the CEP:
The Center for Environmental Policy’s mission is to improve environmental governance in the United States by informing and educating future environmental leaders, while promoting innovative technology and policies that protect the air, water, land, and other resources on which our economy and lives depend. https://www.american.edu/spa/cep

About AAFA :
Founded in 1953, AAFA is the oldest and largest non-profit patient organization dedicated to saving lives and improving the quality of life for people affected by asthma and allergic diseases through support, advocacy, education, and research. AAFA offers extensive support for individuals and families affected by asthma and allergic diseases. AAFA is the first asthma and allergy patient advocacy group certified to meet the standards of excellence set by the National Health Council. For more information, visit: aafa.org.

About IWBI:
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here. Media contact: media@wellcertified.com
International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL EP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Coworking Rated, WELL Residence, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

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LA Galaxy legend Cobi Jones was honored with the Sports Legacy Award at the NAACP Beverly Hills Hollywood Branch’s 31st Theatre Awards on June 29, an event celebrating the depth and transformative power of Black storytelling and leadership.

Jones was recognized for his excellence on and off the field, as well as his decades long commitment to community impact across Los Angeles. Through sustained advocacy for education, inclusion, and equitable access to resources, he has demonstrated how sport can serve as a powerful platform for social good.

This recognition reflects the broader commitment of the LA Galaxy, owned by AEG, to advancing community engagement and leveraging soccer as a catalyst for positive change. Together, they continue to champion initiatives that uplift underserved communities and support leaders who drive meaningful, lasting impact through service.

AMSTERDAM, HONG KONG, OAKLAND, Calif., June 30, 2026 /3BL/ – Cascale today released its 2025 Annual Report, detailing a year in which the organization expanded its industry influence while undergoing significant internal transition. Organized by chapters, the report highlights major advances in measurement, manufacturer engagement, policy leadership, and organizational growth, demonstrating how collective action can accelerate sustainability across consumer goods supply chains.

More than all, this year’s report tells a story of an organization that transformed amid transition – laying the foundation for an even brighter opportunity ahead under new leadership.

“2025 showed that an organization can transform while it transitions. Our role is to convene the industry around credible measurement, practical solutions, and collective action, and the progress reflected in this report belongs to our members, partners, and other stakeholders who continue to move the industry forward together. A special note of recognition goes to the Cascale and Worldly teams, whose collective efforts have been instrumental to equip the industry with the tools, insights, and pre-competitive collaboration necessary to navigate change, strengthen resilience, and deliver meaningful impact.” – Ying McGuire, chief executive officer, Cascale

Top Takeaways

• New manufacturer members increased 166 percent vs 2024, reflecting a strategic shift toward factory-level engagement
• 85 manufacturers across 19 countries participated in the Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP)
• MCAP-validated targets establish a clear reduction pathway for over 1.6 million metric tons of CO2 across our supply chain network
• Cascale strengthened the Higg Index methodology, expanded environmental datasets, and completed more than 13,500 Higg FEM verifications across 70+ countries
• Better Buying’s ninth annual Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI) cycle achieved an average 58.6 percent – an increase of nearly 13 percent over 2024
• Acquisition of Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) expanded impact across the wider consumer goods industry
• With Cascale serving as Technical Secretariat, the European Commission approved the Apparel & Footwear PEFCR after more than five years of industry collaboration
• The inaugural Cascale Forum attracted more than 650 stakeholders, with manufacturers representing half of attendees.
• Annual Meeting: Hong Kong was largest in history, featuring more than 100 speakers and 33 sponsors

Manufacturers Center of Industry Action

A defining theme of 2025 was Cascale’s increased investment in manufacturers as critical drivers of sustainability transformation. New manufacturer members grew 166 percent versus 2024, while the Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP) expanded across 19 countries, engaging 85 manufacturers. Fifty-two participants successfully validated science-aligned climate targets representing more than 1.6 million metric tons of potential carbon dioxide equivalent reductions; the remaining targets are in the process of validation.

Cascale also convened manufacturer roundtables across Asia, trained manufacturing groups on climate risk assessment, and increased manufacturer participation at industry events to record levels: The inaugural Cascale Forum attracted more than 650 stakeholders, with manufacturers representing half of attendees.

A Framework for Change: Measurement & Verification

Throughout 2025, Cascale enhanced the methodologies underpinning the Higg Index, delivered through Worldly’s global technology platform. Key achievements included:

• Launch of Higg FEM 2025
• Completion of 13,500+ Higg FEM verifications across more than 70 countries
• Expanded Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI) datasets for cotton, polyester, and nylon
• Publication of a report addressing Forest, Land & Agriculture (FLAG) emissions
• Advancement of the Higg Brand & Retail Module (Higg BRM) alignment with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards

The organization also led industry consultations involving approximately 80 stakeholders across 31 organizations to establish guiding principles for Foundational Environmental Performance.

A Powerful Voice: Policy, Communications & Convening

Cascale continued to expand its role from monitoring policy developments to actively shaping sustainability frameworks. A major milestone was the European Commission’s approval of the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) for Apparel & Footwear, concluding more than five years of collaborative work with Cascale serving as Technical Secretariat.

The organization also launched an updated Global Public Affairs Strategy, activated regional Member Expert Teams, and published policy resources to help members navigate evolving regulatory requirements.

Strategic Expansion Broadens Consumer Goods Impact

In 2025, Cascale strengthened its position across sectors through two significant developments. The integration of Better Buying incorporated supplier-informed purchasing practices into the organization’s Responsible Purchasing Practices strategy, while the acquisition of key assets from the Sustainable Furnishings Council expanded Cascale’s reach into the home furnishings sector. The organization increased its presence across adjacent industries including sporting goods and home textiles.

Convening the Industry at Greater Scale

Cascale launched its inaugural Cascale Forum in Ho Chi Minh City, attracting more than 650 participants, half of whom represented manufacturers. Its Annual Meeting in Hong Kong became the largest in the organization’s history, featuring more than 100 speakers and 33 sponsors.

The report also notes substantial growth in thought leadership and member engagement, including increased executive participation, expanded podcast programming, and significantly higher digital engagement.

Looking Ahead

As the organization enters its next chapter under new leadership, the report emphasizes that collaboration, credible measurement, and practical implementation remain essential to building a more sustainable and equitable consumer goods industry.

Download the Report

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