NutraWomen Wednesday: Devon Gholam, PhD, VP science and innovation, Step Change Innovations

31-Jan-2024 - Last updated on 31-Jan-2024 at 13:55 GMT

The scientific storyteller has been in the food and nutraceutical industry for over 20 years. From plant-based fibers and proteins to actives supporting digestive and immune health, she’s researched and worked with several ingredients.

“What I really love about working at Step Change is the science and the education aspect of it. I have my PhD in food science and am academic at heart, but of course we all have to make money and be in the business,” said Devin Gholam, PhD, VP of science and innovation at Step Change Innovations. “Learning about new ingredients, the health benefits they offer, and then being able to translate that B2B and B2C, whether you're selling the ingredient to a manufacturer or you're trying to tell the consumer and the customer what benefits you will get from that ingredient and why you should buy a product with that ingredient. I love putting all of that together in a way that's easy to understand and just getting more science and benefits out into the world.”

Gholam said she appreciates her role more than ever, as she finds herself at a unique point where her professional and personal life intersect.

“When I had my son, I was so surprised to find that there's so many things about pregnancy and childbirth that even at 38 I didn't know. There's equally things I don't know about menopause and going through perimenopause. I think the only way that we're going to be able to share knowledge and to change the conversation about that is for people to speak up and talk about it more.

“In terms of how that relates to my professional career, with this increase in ingredients that focus on women's health, I'm going to be looking for those products now to help deal with hot flashes and to help deal with my hormones going out of whack as I go through this change of life. Now it's even more important to me, not just as a woman for womankind, but as a woman going through this particular change to help get ingredients and products out there that can actually make a difference,” she said.

Gholam is also a member of Women in Nutraceuticals (WIN) and recently joined its pilot mentoring program, something she said is an honor.

“To be chosen to help inspire another woman to do what she can with her career is really humbling. So I'm just excited to be a part of it, and excited to help further WIN’s mission.”