Kristan Soto is the senior responsible care regional director for the Great Lakes Hub and North American corporate facilities for Dow. She is accountable for environmental, health, safety and sustainability strategy, processes, and performance at nine sites across North America.

Soto began her Dow career in 1996 as a process engineer. By 2000, she completed global projects for the Aromatic Derivatives business to drive technology efficiency. She moved to Terneuzen, the Netherlands, in 2002 as the global process engineering activity leader. In 2004, Soto transitioned to the Styrenics Natural Plant in the role of production coordinator and senior production engineer. Soto worked cross-functionally to drive quality improvements and increase customer satisfaction. She returned to the United States in 2006 as production director for Seadrift Energy Systems and Environmental Operations, and later for Seadrift Oxide Derivatives, where she achieved breakthrough improvements in safety and reliability performance.

In 2013, Dow named Soto its global supply chain director for Oxygenated Solvents and the Polyglycols, Surfactants and Fluids business, and eventually for Dow’s Industrial Solutions business. In 2018, Soto became the global end-to-end director for Integrated Supply Chain, and she began her current role in 2020.

An active Society of Women Engineers member, Soto has advocated for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging throughout her career. She has a long history of leading Dow’s efforts with SWE and supporting local SWE sections. From her early SWE involvement to her leadership roles in Dow’s Women’s Inclusion Network, or WIN, and other initiatives, Soto has played a pivotal role in transforming the company’s engagement with women engineers. She leverages SWE on a global scale, connecting women in different regions and providing support where role models may be scarce. Her influence extends to mentoring, leadership development, and creating programs that nurture the professional growth of women engineers. She led the Women’s Opportunity Workshop steering team and its inaugural Houston event, which won the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recognition Award from Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, and Chemical Bank in Michigan.

Soto served as the inclusion champion for both the integrated supply chain function and the environmental, health, safety, and sustainability division within Dow. She has supported many employee resource groups, known as ERGs, holding leadership roles in Dow’s WIN, Asian Diversity Network, and New Employees ERGs. She is sought after for her authentic mentoring of women across all job levels.

Soto holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Washington and is a certified Six Sigma black belt. She lives in Midland, Michigan, and has two sons, ages 19 and 21. Outside of work, Soto enjoys traveling, walking with her dog, and spending time with friends over books and wine.