The Women in Your Packaging Process
What goes into creating high-quality medical packaging? Or maybe the better question is who helps create it? From staying on top of market trends and needs, to developing products for customers, there is a person of support at every step. In honor of women’s history month, we decided to highlight women at each step of the process and hear their stories in the packaging industry.
To begin the process of creating packaging for a product, we need to start at the beginning with the materials.
Haley Schrauben’s journey into the packaging industry began when she discovered Michigan State University’s packaging program in her junior year. After college, she transitioned into product management with Igloo Coolers and then moved to Stryker, supporting packaging and quality teams. Now, as Group Product Manager at Oliver Healthcare Packaging, she oversees and identifies opportunities within the global product portfolio and manages the overall product lifecycle.
How have you seen the representation of women evolve during your career?
What advice do you have for women who want to grow in their current roles or enter the packaging industry?
Many people are involved in product development. Cathy Walsh, Lab Technician, helps with the testing of products in development and ensuring we understand the material thresholds.
Cathy started in production at Oliver nearly 26 years ago when a lab position became open. When she moved in to the lab she had little experience, but with the help of mentors she quickly learned the ropes, mastering sample-making, prototype creation, and conducting various tests, including sterilization and validation studies. Today, she still works in the lab as a lab technician.
How have you seen the representation of women evolve during your career?
What advice do you have for women who want to grow in their current roles or enter the packaging industry?
When a potential customer is interested in using Oliver as a supplier of their packaging, they may work with a packaging designer to design a solution that works with their product’s needs.
Terry Tong, Design Coordinator, has a marketing and graphic design background and experience in user interface design, packaging, and brand identity. Her desire for more meaningful work drew her to medical packaging design. Terry now works as a designer, focusing on client collaboration, product understanding, and ensuring satisfaction with the final packaging solutions both on the client end and the regulatory end.
How have you seen the representation of women evolve during your career?
What advice do you have for women who want to grow in their current roles or enter the packaging industry?
Before moving to production, understanding a product’s requirements, material thresholds and restrictions is essential to determining the product specifications needed for the manufacturing team. Kris Groth will walk us through her journey.
Kris started on the manufacturing floor at Oliver more than 10 years ago. Over the next decade, she transitioned between several roles. Today, Kris works in product specifications as a Project Coordinator, creating the exact needs for your product to run correctly on the manufacturing floor.
How have you seen the representation of women evolve during your career?
What advice do you have for women who want to grow in their current roles or enter the packaging industry?
Next, we enter the manufacturing floor where the packaging is produced. Jolita will discuss her role in ensuring customer satisfaction and her experience on the floor.
Jolita Rodriguez began her manufacturing career at 19, working at various companies. Shortly after joining Oliver, Jolita was promoted to a temporary working lead position, where she drove solutions for challenges faced on the manufacturing floor. She was then promoted to her current role of senior converting technician while continuing as a working lead—a rare dual role that allows her to contribute both on and off the production line.
How have you seen the representation of women evolve during your career?
What advice do you have for women who want to grow in their current roles or enter the packaging industry?
Jolita: I won’t say it comes easy. Coming into the role young and relatively new, I felt I wasn’t always taken seriously. But building those relationships took time and effort, and they were so valuable.
I would say stay confident. It’s not about brute strength. It’s about being willing to learn, ask questions, and apply yourself. Confidence is everything. If you tell yourself you can’t do it, you’ll never be able to. But if you show up determined, you’ll figure it out. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions. I probably asked many “dumb” questions at the start, but that’s how I learned. Hands-on training is the best way to get comfortable and grow.
Once the packaging is created, it’s shipped and it’s off to you!
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, it’s important to recognize the incredible women driving innovation and excellence at every stage of the medical packaging process. Their stories remind us that diversity strengthens creativity, problem-solving, and progress. From research and product development to design and manufacturing, their dedication, expertise, and determination are shaping the future of the industry.
