Karen Vander Molen, PhD
About Karen Vander Molen, PhD
Karen Vander Molen, PhD, is the Director of Global Product Stewardship at Procter & Gamble, where she leads initiatives in data and product clearance for Baby, Feminine, and Family Care.
Current Position at Procter & Gamble
Karen Vander Molen, PhD, currently serves as the Director of Global Product Stewardship at Procter & Gamble. In this position since 2021, she focuses on overseeing product clearance systems for Baby, Feminine, and Family Care. Her role involves collaborating with various departments including government relations, external relations, and brand management to address external pressures and regulatory trends. Additionally, she champions sector needs during company-wide platform changes.
Previous Roles at Procter & Gamble
Before her current role, Karen Vander Molen held several key positions at Procter & Gamble. From 2019 to 2021, she was the Group Head for Global Product Stewardship in Cincinnati, OH. Prior to that, she served as Senior Scientist in Product Safety from 2017 to 2019 and as Scientist in Product Safety from 2016 to 2017, also in Cincinnati. Her earlier roles include working as a Scientist in Product Safety from 2014 to 2016 in Brattleboro, VT.
Academic Background in Medicinal Biochemistry
Karen Vander Molen pursued her academic career at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she completed her PhD in Medicinal Biochemistry from 2009 to 2013. Before that, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Davidson College, studying from 2005 to 2009.
Early Career in Research and Teaching
Vander Molen started her career at UNC Greensboro as a Research Assistant from 2010 to 2013. In 2009, she also worked briefly as a Teaching Assistant for four months. These roles laid the foundation for her subsequent contributions to the field of product safety and stewardship.