We’ve come far since the days of homemade menstrual cloths made from flannel or woven fabric. Sure, there are more ergonomic and sufferable alternatives to period care, but there’s still an underlying sense of toxic femininity fused with the patriarchal belief that your “time of the month” should be an internalized, private matter.

And while periods are personal, someone is working to make them a monthly experience that is more normalized and widely discussed. Nadya Okamoto is the co-founder and CEO of August, a sustainable period-care brand that uses 100% organic cotton and is fully biodegradable along with recyclable applicators.

At 24 years of age, Okamoto’s resume doesn’t start here. The entrepreneur began her period-positivity journey at just 16 years old when she founded a nonprofit called Period, an international youth-led organization working to eliminate period poverty and stigma through service, education, and advocacy. Beyond that, Okamoto’s written a book called Period Power and given a TedTalk speaking on menstruation and women’s unaddressed needs—it’s safe to say that she knows a thing or two about making waves in the industry.