How This Clorox R&D Manager Became an Advocate for Her Community

Get to know Annette A. Angus, Ph.D., an R&D manager for the microbiology team at Clorox.

A microbiologist by training, Annette’s a social activist at heart. She was drawn to the company after learning about our foundation’s involvement in the Oakland community. “I felt like it was going to be the perfect place for me to be both a scientist and an advocate,” she says.

“There’s so many ways that Clorox puts people at the center,” Annette says. “For me, it was during COVID, the recognition of George Floyd’s murder and allowing spaces for people to be able to talk about it in a professional space really touched me. And the recognition of Juneteenth — some people think that is a new holiday, but I’ve been celebrating Juneteenth all my life. To have a day off recognized by a corporation before it was a federal holiday was huge.”

Annette’s found her personal perspective to be an asset here at Clorox. “I’m a woman of color in the sciences, and that is something that I bring to work every single day. I bring my own unique set of experiences as a consumer, as a scientist and as an employee. That really helps me — especially as a manager — to work with people who have different approaches to solving problems. It’s about allowing others to shine in their own way.”

Annette is building more than just a strong team here at Clorox — her own family is growing, too. “This is my second Clorox baby, and I am so proud and so happy to be at Clorox during this time,” she says. “I’ve had scientific mentors who, during their time, said it was not okay to be a mom, it was not okay to have a family or to have both. But now, this is what a science mom looks like. I just found out that we have benefits that support my ability to hire a doula. My wellness and my ability to thrive and my family’s ability to thrive is top of mind and a priority. I feel so taken care of in so many ways that I’m really grateful for.”