Benita Salgado

I am a quality and microbiology professional with more than two decades of experience ensuring product safety, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence in the global consumer products industry.

At Colgate-Palmolive, I lead quality operations for Personal Care manufacturing, focusing on cGMP compliance, digital Quality Management Systems, validation programs, and continuous improvement. I’ve successfully guided FDA and regulatory audits with zero 483 observations, demonstrating a strong commitment to quality, safety, and compliance.

Earlier in my career, I held leadership roles at Hill's Pet Nutrition and multiple Colgate sites across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, where I developed microbiology control plans, managed CAPAs, implemented validation strategies, and led SQF certification efforts that achieved Excellence Ratings.

My passion lies in building robust quality cultures, mentoring teams, and leveraging innovation to improve systems and processes. I thrive in complex manufacturing environments where quality, science, and leadership intersect to deliver safe, high-quality products that consumers trust.