ISSA’s Hygieia Network Forum Elevates Women to Empower Their Future

On day one of ISSA Show North America, the Empower Your Future: ISSA’s Hygieia Network Forum offered attendees a chance to connect, inspire, and elevate women in the cleaning industry.

In the forum’s keynote address, Domanique Grant, an award-winning artist, global keynote speaker, and founder of The Imagine Summit—one of Canada’s largest professional development and wellness conferences for creatives, youth, and changemakers—challenged listeners to turn their limitations into a superpower. Grant shared her personal journey of resilience and learning differently and how she pivoted repeatedly on her path to becoming an award-winning artist, humanitarian, and business owner.  

“What people think you are capable of is none of your business,” Grant said.

Instead, she offered neuroscience-backed strategies, to help leaders reframe personal and professional limitations into superpowers and not overlook these talents in traditional workplaces.

“Organizations are underleveraging the diverse strengths within their teams—neurodiversity, lived experience, and cultural intelligence remain untapped leadership assets,” Grant said.

In another inspiring presentation, Marti Walsh, vice president of marketing and customer experience at Kimberly-Clark Professional, advised attendees to prepare for inevitable changes.

“You are the boss of your own career; nobody else,” Walsh said. “…Make sure how you want to show up is how other people see you.”

Walsh cautioned that if you put all your chances of success into the control of your boss, you are going to lose. Those with a great boss have already hit the jackpot. But you must show them exactly where you want to go in your career, she said and be transparent in that conversation.

In a women in the industry panel discussion moderated by Jeff Lancaster, vice president of sales at Hospeco, featured panelists Holly Jennings, director of sales at Clorox Professional Products Co.; Rebecca Barraza, vice president of business development and global sales leader at Network Distribution, Debbie Sardone, president at Speed Cleaning Inc.; Holly Borrego, head of cleaning products and performance, Americas at ISS Facility Services; and Karina Villasenor, vice president of human resources at 4M Building Solutions.

The women answered questions on breaking barriers, talked about pivotal moments in their career journey, discussed collaboration across the industry, revealed solutions for overcoming challenges and setbacks, and offered advice for the next generation.