AbbVie’s Allergan Aesthetics, looking to open doors for the next generation of female leaders, welcomed a cohort of young women to its Allergan Medical Institute (AMI) in Orange County, California, this week to help them carve a path to success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.
The July 7 event builds on Allergan Aesthetics’ longstanding partnership with Girls Inc., a female empowerment non-profit focused on fostering a “new generation of strong, smart and bold leaders."
In the latest expansion of their collaborative efforts, Allergan Aesthetics opened its doors to Girls Inc. participants to offer a behind-the-scenes look at its professional training center for healthcare providers. Allergan Aesthetics also hosted a conversation during the event, dubbed “Finding Your Path in STEM: Your Journey to Success!," which featuring women leaders across AMI and the wider medical aesthetics company.
At the heart of the event is Allergan Aesthetics’ mission to “help make STEM careers feel both attainable and exciting,” Adelle Infante, the company’s associate VP of global communications, who also sits on the board of Girls Inc. Orange County, told Fierce Pharma Marketing over email. To accomplish that aim, the conversation portion of the event delved into the routes to healthcare and science careers, the importance of mentorship, overcoming challenges and “how curiosity can lead to unexpected opportunities,” Infante said.
Girls Inc. and Allergan Aesthetics have been working together since 2019, molding a “shared commitment for mentorship” into a long-term collaboration that works to create “meaningful opportunities” for young women to explore STEM careers, Infante explained. Earlier this year, the partners celebrated their eighth year of collaboration with a visit to Allergan Aesthetics’ AMI training institute in Atlanta, Georgia.
“While increasing representation in STEM is a long-term effort, by introducing participants to women leaders across healthcare and science - through immersive educational experiences, leadership development and ongoing volunteer engagement from Allergan Aesthetics employees - we believe they will help build confidence and help more young women envision themselves as future scientists, healthcare professionals and innovators,” the executive said.
Gender diversity in STEM has long been lacking and is a challenge many, including Allergan Aesthetics, are looking to tackle. As it stands, women represent 35% of the STEM workforce in the U.S., despite representing 48% of the total workforce, according to the National Girls Collaborative Project.
At the Allergan Aesthetics and Girls Inc. AMI tour, young women at the event met with female leaders across the company, learning how physicians are trained on medical aesthetic procedures and getting a firsthand look at the science and tech that underpins the medical aesthetic field. Allergan Aesthetics’ AMIs are home to state-of-the-art training centers that allow budding aesthetic professionals to hone their skills and learn new clinical techniques.
“If even one participant leaves believing she belongs in science, medicine or innovation because of this experience, then we've created something that can have an impact well beyond a single day,” Infante said.
Allergan Aesthetics is a leading player in the aesthetics space and markets well-known cosmetic injection Botox, as well as other popular franchises such as Kybella and Juvederm.
The company, which was bought out by AbbVie in 2020 before spinning out into its own dedicated aesthetics subsidiary, has partnered with several women-focused organizations and separately works to address other marginalized communities in aesthetic medicines, including through its Driving Racial Equity in Aesthetic Medicine (DREAM) initiative.