SPEAKERS

Jane Taber

Senior Vice President | NATIONAL Public Relations, Atlantic

Jane Taber is a former Globe and Mail political journalist who spent more than 25 years covering Parliament Hill and Queen’s Park.

During her tenure on Parliament Hill with the Globe, Jane was also co-host of CTV’s Question Period – and she has spent more hours than she can count on campaign buses and planes following the leaders during federal election campaigns. She’s interviewed the country’s main political players, covered leadership contests, trade deals, international summits and the important issues of the day.

She also worked as communications director to the former Premier of Nova Scotia.

Jane specializes in media training, having coached CEOs of major Canadian companies, the heads of national law firms and senior cabinet ministers and MPs.

In addition to media training and coaching, Jane is also focused on moderating panels and conferences, media relations and speech writing, crisis communications and post-secondary labour issues. Jane is a graduate of Carleton University’s journalism program and was appointed to the Carleton University Board of Governors in June 2019 and re-appointed to another three-year term in 2022. Jane also served as a mentor to the Public Policy Forum’s Action Canada leadership fellows.

Eric Atagotaaluk

Innavik Hydro Project director

Born in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Eric has been living in Inukjuak, Nunavik since 1982. He was first elected board member of Pituvik Landholding Corporation (Pituvik LHC) in 1997 then appointed President of the Corporation in 2002. Among the corporation’s many mandates initiating economic development projects for the community is a priority.  Spearheaded by Pituvik, Pituvik LHC initiated the Innavik Hydro Project in 2008 as a community project on behalf of its members, to create sustainable development opportunities and tackle climate change by reducing green house gases emitted from the community, who are largely dependent on diesel for electricity. Now employed as director for Pituvik Sarvaq Energie since 2019, the corporation created to be the other owner of the Innavik Hydro.

Badr Benabdellah

Geology and Geotechnical Engineering Lead | AtkinsRéalis

Badr Benabdellah is a geotechnical engineer with 21 years of experience exclusively in Hydropower projects. He has contributed to all phases of project development, from feasibility studies and detailed design to construction supervision and monitoring. Throughout his career, Badr has developed expertise in various areas including site investigations, design of earth and rockfill dams, cofferdams, cutoff walls, foundation treatment and grouting, and geosynthetics applications. He is also experienced with monitoring the performance of structures and interpreting instrumentation data.

Badr’s comprehensive understanding of hydropower projects has enabled him to take on leadership roles such as package and area manager on major developments. In these roles, he has gained valuable experience managing multidisciplinary teams, developing work plans, and ensuring that project deliverables consistently meet and exceed client expectations. His recent contributions include key roles in the successful delivery of major hydropower projects such as Site C (1100 MW), Romaine 3 (400 MW), Romaine 2 (640 MW), and Romaine 1 (270 MW).

Jean Bergeron

Mission scientist, Sun-Earth System Sciences | Canadian Space Agency (CSA)

Dr. Jean Bergeron is a Mission Scientist at the Canadian Space Agency with expertise in remote sensing applied to northern hydrology. He holds a B.Sc. in Physics (Bishop’s University), an M.Sc. in Geographical Sciences with a specialization in Remote Sensing and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Université de Sherbrooke).  In his early career as a postdoctoral fellow and research professional at the Université de Sherbrooke, Jean taught hydrological modelling courses while researching hydrometeorological data collection, validation and assimilation for hydrological forecasting. Leveraging his experience in Earth Observation, Jean has recently taken on the role of mission manager for satellite initiatives, including the Canadian contribution to the Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission currently in orbit and other initiatives in planning of hydrological relevance.

André Bernier

Director General, Electricity Systems Branch | Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)

André Bernier has served as an executive with the Electricity Systems Branch, at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) since October 2016 and Director General of the Branch since August 2021. His team leads on the development and implementation of programs and policies related to the electricity sector.

André previously served at Canada’s Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) where he was the Senior Director responsible for aerospace industrial policy. Prior to working at ISED, André was the analyst responsible for domestic climate change policy at the Privy Council office and worked at NRCan in the Deputy Minister’s Office.

André holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics (University of Waterloo) and a Master’s degree in Public Affairs (Princeton University).

Jeffrey W. Betker

Vice-President, External & Indigenous Relations, Environment and Communications | Manitoba Hydro

Jeff is responsible for proactively building meaningful relationships with Indigenous peoples, facilitating interactions with government, managing Manitoba Hydro’s brand and reputation through effective communication and community investments, and driving a consistent approach to engaging stakeholders.

Prior to joining Manitoba Hydro, Jeff held leadership positions at Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, TC Energy, and the Manitoba Metis Federation. He holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba, as well as a Master of Business Administration (awarded with distinction) from the University of Birmingham in England. Additionally, he has certificates in negotiation and conflict resolution from Dalhousie University; fundamentals of Indigenous Peoples and Canadian law from Osgoode Law School, York University; and ESG Strategies for Sustainable Business from the Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia.

Beyond his professional achievements, Jeff is dedicated to community service serving on the board of directors for the Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre and is a member of the Associates with the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba. He most recently served on the board of directors for Economic Development Winnipeg. Jeff joined Manitoba Hydro in 2018.

Colleen Burliuk

Research Biologist, Fish Tracking | Innovasea

Colleen is a biologist with over 9 years of experience working in fish research and she specializes in the use of telemetry equipment and more recently, Innovasea’s HydroAI fish-counting system. Previously, Colleen led field-intensive studies on the movements and habitats of American eels and lake sturgeon on the upper St. Lawrence River. At Innovasea, Colleen is a Research Biologist that supports the Consulting, Customer Success, and Sales teams. She serves as team lead on consulting projects and provides advice to researchers on range testing, study design, and data analysis. Colleen has a Master of Science in Biology from Queen’s University (Kingston, Canada).

Juliana César

Director – Environmental and Regulatory Advisory | Pesca

Graduated in Biological Sciences and with a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science, Juliana César has over 29 years of experience both in environmental consulting and environmental management in the industry. As the Director – Environmental and Regulatory Advisory, she is responsible for Pesca’s strategy and business outside of Quebec, also acting as a Project Director for a number of renewable energy projects. She identifies and addresses the needs and constraints the projects may have in relation to environmental and social issues and regulations throughout all project phases. Her goal is to bring efficiency to the environmental management of projects and operations, while achieving regulatory compliance and building strong relationships with clients and stakeholders.

Annisha Chakravorty

CEO and Founder | Positive Influence Incorporated (PI)

Annisha Chakravorty, MBA is the CEO and Founder of Positive Influence Incorporated (PI), an organization dedicated to aligning culture and leadership to accelerate business outcomes. PI empowers leaders and guides organizations through pivotal transitions. By aligning purpose with business objectives, the firm fosters a culture of collaboration and inspires the courage to embrace bold initiatives. With over fifteen years of experience in business strategy, organizational effectiveness, and transformational change, Annisha has worked across industries including hydroelectric, utilities, government, oil and gas, and retail.

Annisha has a proven track record of embedding lasting behavioural change within organizations, resulting in stronger team dynamics, improved accountability, and measurable business impact. Her approach ensures that leaders and teams not only adopt new strategies but sustain them in ways that shift attitudes, enhance performance, and build workplaces where people thrive.

Annisha’s accomplishments include reducing cost overruns by 80% and accelerating the completion of a multi-billion-dollar hydroelectric capital project two years ahead of schedule through culture-driven leadership. She has led large-scale change initiatives across sectors, improved adoption of complex transformations, and played a key role in the merger of 14,000 positions in 90 days during Canada’s largest oil and gas merger. Annisha is passionate about creating environments where leaders and teams can bring their best selves, align to a shared vision, and deliver transformational results.

Jason Chee-Aloy

Managing Director | Power Advisory

Jason is a senior electricity market and electricity policy consultant based in Toronto, with over 25 years of experience in competitive and regulated electricity markets.  He has acted for multiple clients with business and policy interests across Canada and the United States, within areas of generation development and investments, transmission and distribution development, energy storage development, market assessment and intelligence, business strategy, wholesale electricity market design, power procurement, energy policy development, and regulatory and litigation support. Prior to joining Power Advisory, he was the Director of Generation Procurement at the Ontario Power Authority (OPA), and previous to that led resource adequacy, market development, and market surveillance initiatives for the IESO.

Jason is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Renewable Energy Association, the Ontario Energy Association, and the National Electricity Roundtable.  He is also a member of the Advisory Board of Business Renewables Centre Canada, and the renewable generator representative on the IESO’s Technical Panel. In 2023, Jason was awarded with the Clean50 award as one of Canada’s exceptional contributors to the clean economy.  He was also selected as the Hedley Palmer award recipient from the Association of Power Producers of Ontario as a leading contributor to the independent power industry in 2019, and in 2009 he was awarded with the Canadian Solar Industries Association Leader of the Year award.  Jason holds an MA in Economics with a focus on financial markets and graduated from York University and the University of Toronto

David Clarke

Partner | Mathews Dinsdale & Clark

David Clark is a Partner at Mathews Dinsdale & Clark, a national labour and employment law firm. David has practiced labour and employment law throughout Canada for over 35 years and brings a unique perspective when advising employers.

While David continues to provide labour and employment advice to a range of national employers, his primary focus over the past 20 years has been in developing and implementing labour strategies designed to mitigate labour risk and enhance productivity for major project proponents in the energy, industrial and mining sectors throughout Canada. Before joining Mathews Dinsdale & Clark, David worked as a senior project team member on and contributed to several noteworthy major projects within the energy and mining sectors in Canada.

Susan Collins

Manager, Policy & Strategic Initiatives Department, Indigenous & Community Relations and Environment Division | Manitoba Hydro

In her role at Manitoba Hydro, Susan has been involved in numerous projects and procurement processes, on contracts large and small. She leads a team responsible for developing and implementing a range of Indigenous-related policies and strategic initiatives that help Manitoba Hydro build meaningful relationships and fulfill its obligations effectively.

This work includes several key initiatives related to business opportunities, transmission benefit programs, compensation for resource users, and Indigenous participation in energy planning, as well as the provision of financial oversight and administrative services associated with Manitoba Hydro’s agreements and programs with Indigenous communities.

Susan holds a Bachelor of Science in biology and a Master’s in Natural Resources Management and has been with Manitoba Hydro for over 15 years.

Simon Cossette

Project Engineer | Kiewit

Simon has been with Kiewit for six years, with the past four years dedicated to hydroelectric projects. He brings a strong background in field engineering and estimating, and currently serves as the Project Engineer on the Matabitchuan Generating Station Redevelopment Project. Outside of work, Simon is passionate about sports, with a particular interest in American football.

Céline Cusson

Director – Environment | Hydro-Québec

Céline Cusson is the Director – Environment at Hydro-Québec. She holds a bachelor’s degree in law and is a member of the Quebec Bar, as well as a master’s degree in environmental management. With over 22 years at Hydro-Québec, she has led numerous initiatives to improve and evolve the company’s practices in response to emerging environmental requirements and challenges. She currently leads a team of environmental specialists, responsible for providing support and expertise across all company activities and projects. Her team is at the heart of Hydro-Québec Biodiversity Plan.

Eva d’Ambrosio

Foreign Service Officer | U.S. Department of State

Eva d’Ambrosio is a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, currently serving at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, Canada where she covers issues related to energy, water, and critical minerals.  Over her 14-year career, Eva has served at U.S. Missions in India, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, and at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York, where she represented the United States in negotiations on UN Security Council sanctions.  She was also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and is Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  Eva is from Indianapolis, Indiana and holds a B.A. from Indiana University Bloomington, where she studied economics and Turkish.

Dr. Chris Derksen

Acting Director, Climate Research Division | Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)

Dr. Chris Derksen is the acting Director of the Climate Research Division of Environment and Climate Change Canada. His research focuses on the use of satellite data and climate models to understand climate change impacts on snow and ice. Chris has participated in more than 25 snow and sea ice measurement campaigns across the Arctic. He is the Principal Investigator of the Terrestrial Snow Mass Mission, and a lead author of the first climate science assessment specific to Canada, available here: www.changingclimate.ca/CCCR2019/

Sara-Kristin Doherty

Project Director, Renewable Generation Major Projects | Ontario Power Generation

Sara-Kristin is a Project Director for Renewable Generation Major Projects in the Enterprise Project Organization at Ontario Power Generation. She is leading several large dam safety projects, including Smoky Falls Dam Safety, Frederick House Lake Dam and Abitibi Canyon Concrete Dam.

Sara-Kristin joined OPG in 2007. During her time, Sara-Kristin has held various roles in Engineering, Supply Chain, Projects and Work Management. At the end of 2023, Sara-Kristin moved to Renewable Generation. Sara-Kristin is passionate about developing talent and fostering a growth mindset. In her spare time, Sara-Kristin enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters and big white fluffy dog. She is also an avid reader and loves running and playing tennis.

Robert Draper

Principal Engineer – Insulation, Generator Engineering | Andritz Hydro Canada Inc.

Robert Draper has worked in the Hydro Industry for 35 years, with The former GE Hydro and Andritz.  Over this time Rob has been involved in insulation system design and testing, and has had assignments in Six Sigma Quality, Quality and management roles.   For the last several years Rob has returned to his technical roots and has returned to insulation system development as a Principal Engineer responsible for Resin Rich insulation technology in Andritz.

Rob has a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree, from the University of Waterloo, and is a member of the IEEE.

Dr. Andre Erler

Senior Climate Scientist | Aquanty Inc.

Dr. Andre Erler is a Senior Climate Scientist at Aquanty Inc. with a background in climate modelling. His main interests are in seasonal hydro-climate forecasting and long-term climate change impacts on water resources, using physics-based numerical and machine learning models. While overseeing weather and climate data processing at Aquanty, he also leads projects focussed on developing new forcasting capabilities within Aquanty, either as internal research projects or in collaboration with academic partners. Examples of current projects include seasonal drought forecasting, streamflow forecasting using machine learning, and modelling regional climate change over Canada (using WRF).

Originally from Germany, Andre completed the equivalent of an MSc in dynamical meteorology in Mainz, before moving to Canada to complete a PhD in regional climate modelling at the Department of Physics in Toronto. In his free time he likes to be active outdoors, be it cycling, running, climbing (out West) or canoeing (in Ontario).

Emre Fidan

Structural Department Head | KGS Group

Emre Fidan is a Structural Department Head at KGS Group with over 15 years of experience in civil and structural engineering. His expertise involves a wide range of projects, mainly small hydropower redevelopment but also including rehabilitation and reconstruction of water-retaining structures, navigation locks, hydro dams, bridges, roadways, environmental remediation of radioactive waste sites, mining, transportation, tunnels, and subsurface building developments. Emre Fidan plays a key leadership role in several ongoing redevelopment initiatives with Ontario Power Generation, including the Matabitchuan, Coniston and Stinson Generating Station projects. He has also played a key role in construction of Calabogie Generating Station as site resident engineer and worked as a structural engineer during the design of PSS Generating Station (New Post Creek). In this session, he’ll highlight some of the challenges faced and lessons learned in managing these redevelopments.

Peter Finnegan

Site C Director of Design Engineering and Quality Management | BC Hydro

Peter Finnegan is an employee of BC Hydro and a professional mechanical engineer with over 20 years experience in the design, construction, commissioning and maintenance of hydropower facilities.  Peter has extensive experience leading major turbine and generator refurbishment projects and providing specialized maintenance support to BC Hydro’s hydropower fleet.  Peter joined the Site C Project in 2014, a proposed new 1230MW facility on British Columbia’s Peace River, to complete the design of the generating station and spillway and the associated equipment.  Peter progressed through various roles of greater responsibility during the execution of the Site C Project, including engineering management, quality management, and project management, and is currently the Director of Design Engineering and Quality Management. 

With the Site C reservoir filling successfully completed in November 2024 and the generating station made fully operational in August 2025, Peter is leading BC Hydro’s engineering and quality management teams, and closely collaborating with our engineering service providers and construction contractors, to effectively complete the project and transition it to BC Hydro’s operations group.

Andy Forsyth

Business Development | Millwright Regional Council

Andy Forsyth has been in the business development role for the Millwright Regional Council for almost five years. Andy represents the interests of ten thousand millwrights across Canada. He works closely with owners and contractors to supply highly skilled, qualified Millwrights to perform work in all sectors. A former construction director for a large utility, Andy is well versed in what is needed to drive successful mega and large scale projects.  Andy is a big believer in the importance of collaboration and partnerships and delivers that message everyday when interacting with others.

Daniel Giesbrecht

Senior Mechanical Engineer | KGS Group

Mr. Giesbrecht is a Mechanical Engineer at KGS Group. He has over 15 years of experience providing mechanical design for gates, hoists, balance of plant and turbine systems for hydroelectric and industrial projects. His experience includes the installation and commissioning of turbine, generator and gate systems, as well as overhauls, dam safety reviews and turbine performance testing.

Bruno Girard

Vice President – Business Development | EnerServ

Bruno Girard is a seasoned leader and entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in the renewable energy sectors. His career reflects a lifelong commitment to leadership, innovation, and sustainable development. Bruno began his professional journey in the Canadian Armed Forces, where he developed strong leadership skills, strategic discipline, and a deep sense of teamwork. His military service laid the foundation for the values that continue to guide his career : integrity, excellence, and service. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering  from the Royal Military College of Canada, and a Master’s degree in Science from Université Laval (1997), where he specialized in engineering and project management.

From 2003 to 2010, Bruno served as Project Director and later as Engineering Director at Alstom-Sitca Inc., leading multidisciplinary teams in the design and execution of major hydroelectric projects. His leadership and technical insight were instrumental in delivering large-scale renewable energy infrastructure across Canada.

Driven by a passion for excellence and innovation, Bruno went on to co-found EnerServ with two close colleagues, with the vision of building a company dedicated to delivering reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy solutions. Under his leadership, EnerServ has become a trusted partner in the hydropower sector, known for its technical expertise, collaborative culture, and commitment to clean energy. Bruno is known not only for his technical expertise but also for his contagious energy and engaging personality. He brings out the best in those around him and builds strong, lasting relationships, always ready to share a laugh or a good conversation along the way. He remains a passionate advocate for the growth of Canada’s waterpower industry and for the next generation of energy professionals shaping its future.

Hamed Hasanharati

Senior Manager, Renewable Generation Projects | Ontario Power Generation (OPG)

Hamed Hasanharati is a Senior Manager of Renewable Generation Projects at Ontario Power Generation, where he leads major infrastructure initiatives such as the Matabitchuan Generating Station Redevelopment Project. With a strong focus on project delivery, Hamed specializes in managing complex energy projects from concept through execution, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and stakeholder expectations.

Supporting his project leadership is over 15 years of commercial and contract management experience, including designation as a Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM) by the National Contract Management Association (NCMA).

Chris Henderson

President | Lumos Energy

Founding Executive Director | Indigenous Clean Energy Social Enterprise

Curator | Transformative Energy

Chris Henderson is a Canadian eco-entrepreneur and environmental innovator. He is among the country’s foremost energy transition commentators. Chris has held a spectrum of prominent leadership positions at the intersection of clean energy, Cleantech, climate change, and sustainable prosperity for over four decades. He offers transformative analysis to accelerate Canada and the World’s transition to a clean energy future. Chris is particularly known as a Strategist, and for his outstanding skills in Designing and Implementing transformative energy policies, financing innovation, and kick-starting large-scale, high-impact projects essential for a low emissions electrification economy.  He has led and is passionate about catalyzing ground-breaking environment, sustainability and clean energy initiatives that have had pan-Canadian and global resonance. His first book Aboriginal Power was published in 2013. He is authoring a trilogy of books presenting ground-breaking energy transformation ideas and insights to catalyze national and global dialogue – fostering just and impactful collaborations.

Brendan Henry

Practice Leader – Tunnels and Hydro | GHD

Brendan has over 30 years’ experience in the delivery of heavy civil engineering projects globally, as a contractor and designer, with a focus on tunnels. He has delivered water, hydro and transportation tunnel projects under all forms of project delivery working in Europe, Singapore, Canada and Australia. Over the past decade, Brendan has focused on the delivery of water resilience and hydroelectric projects for private and publicly funded projects. He is currently the Engineering Manager for the design and construction phase of the Kidston Pumped Hydro Energy Storage project, repurposing a depleted gold mine into a renewable energy hub with a 250MW hydroelectric scheme, due to be commissioned late in 2026.

Terence Hubbard

President | Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC)

Terence Hubbard was appointed President of the Impact Assessment Agency (IAAC) on November 28, 2021. In his role, he is responsible for leading all reviews of major projects under the Impact Assessment Act, in cooperation with other Government of Canada regulatory agencies, as well as provinces and territories and Indigenous groups.

Prior to joining IAAC in 2018, Terence was Director General of the Petroleum Resources Branch with Natural Resources Canada. In this role, he had responsibility for Canada’s oil and gas policy, including overseeing the development and implementation of Canada’s pipeline safety and offshore oil and gas regulatory regimes as well as serving as Canada’s representative on the Governing Board of the International Energy Agency. He is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan where he obtained both his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in economics and now lives in Ottawa

Jill Hudkins

Chief Executive | AECOM’s Water + Environment Advisory global business line

Jill Hudkins is the Chief Executive of AECOM’s Water + Environment Advisory global business line. With 31 years of experience, Jill is an experienced senior executive with more than thirty years of progressive management experience in the engineering consulting industry. Jill has served as a Technical Advisor on a variety of infrastructure programs for federal, state and local clients. Her project experience includes intelligent master planning, integrated water management, regulatory compliance, energy management, and data driven decision making to support the implementation of resilient and sustainable infrastructure. Jill frequently leads large discussion forums and workshops that involve multiple agencies, stakeholders, regulatory agencies, and the public. She is well versed with best practices being implemented globally for climate resiliency, digital transformation, environmental equity, and social justice.

Dan Kell

Dan Kell, Global Director, eGRID | Hatch

A professional engineer with a wide range of engineering experiences including utility and international consultancy activities, with a focus on HVDC and integration of renewables.

Mr. Kell has been involved with numerous HVDC projects ranging from feasibility studies, technical specification preparation, tender review and commissioning to equipment assessment and studies involving equipment upgrades with over 50GW of HVDC project experience.

This practical field experience is coupled with a great deal of experience in power system simulation in time-domain electromagnetic transient modelling with PSCAD and RTDS which is critical for the detailed analysis of power systems. Mr. Kell is currently chairing the NERC Project 2022-04 EMT Modeling which looks at how EMT studies will be integrated into existing planning standards.

Stefan Kohnen

Principal/Regional Manager, Mississauga | KGS Group

Stefan Kohnen is a Principal and Regional Manager for the Toronto office of KGS Group, a consulting engineering firm with a broad range of services to the waterpower industry in Canada and the US.  He is a dedicated believer in the value of small hydro within the waterpower world and has written articles and spoken widely in Canada and the US on approaches and case studies in the development of small hydro.

He has recently been focused on the redevelopment needs of the large number of heritage sites that are now passing their centenary throughout North America. He has held leadership roles in the development and redevelopment of eight small hydro generating stations in the last 10 years and has many lessons learned to share.

Kurt Kornelsen

Director of Environment and Climate Change | Ontario Power Generation (OPG)

Kurt C. Kornelsen is the Director of Environment and Climate Change at Ontario Power Generation. His work focuses on merging science, policy and practice to integrate climate change into core decision making at the utility. He holds a doctoral degree in Water Resources from McMaster University where he is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Earth, Environment and Society.

Kate Ladell

Director General, Ecosystems Management | Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)

Kate Ladell is the Director General of Ecosystems Management within the Aquatic Ecosystems Sector of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.  Her areas of responsibility include administering the fish and fish habitat protection provisions of the Fisheries Act and certain provisions of the Species at Risk Act to conserve, protect, and restore fish and fish habitat for future generations in a way that respects Indigenous rights and supports sustainable development.

Kate joined Fisheries and Oceans Canada in 2009 and has held a number of roles in both the Pacific Region and the National Capital Region.  From 2009 – 2015, Kate worked as the Senior Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Program Manager out of Vancouver, responsible for establishment and management of Oceans Act MPAs.  In 2015, she relocated to Ottawa with her family, working for the Science & Policy Integration sector of Natural Resources Canada.  Since returning to DFO in 2016, she has held positions as the Manager of Marine Conservation in the Marine Planning & Conservation division, Director of the Species at Risk Operations division, and Director General of Biodiversity Management. 

Prior to her federal Public Service career, Kate worked with Living Oceans Society, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and as a biologist studying marine mammal ecology and physiology. Kate holds a Master of Science Degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Wesleyan University.

Candace Laing

President and CEO | Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Candace Laing, FCPHR, is an executive leader with progressive leadership experience in multiple sectors, including mining, manufacturing, agriculture, education and healthcare.

Candace’s career spans more than two decades, with roles in private and public sector organizations. She also has a strong entrepreneurial background with a focus on strategic business initiatives that foster long-term value and high-performance cultures. Notably, Candace worked for more than ten years at Nutrien, most recently as the organization’s Chief Human Resources Officer. Candace joined the Canadian Chamber’s Board of Directors in 2019 and served as Vice-Chair from 2021 to 2022, assuming the role of Chair of the Board of Directors in 2022. She became President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber in September 2024.

Wendy Lannin

Project Manager, Site C Clean Energy Project | AtkinsRéalis

Wendy Lannin has over 30 years of experience in the Hydro Power  Sector. During her career, she has worked on a number of large scale hydro projects, both in Canada and overseas, first as a hydrotechnical designer, to project engineering and then moving to Project Management roles. She is currently AtkinsRealis’s project manager for Site C.

Mark Locke

Senior Technical Director – Hydropower | GHD

Mark is GHD’s Senior Technical Director – Hydropower. With 30 years of experience encompassing hydropower, dams and geotechnical engineering, Mark leads GHD’s pumped hydropower team in Australia. He has designed large hydropower in Asia and run of river developments in British Columbia where he was involved with projects from concept through to EPC delivery. He has recently directed several pumped hydropower projects in Australia from site selection studies through pre-feasibility and feasibility designs. Mark will share insights of how pumped hydro is being developed in Australia through government and private sector involvement.

Albert Mikhail

Turbine Performance Testing Specialist | KGS Group

Albert Mikhail has over 48 years of experience in the hydropower sector and has performed over 600 turbine operational and performance acceptance tests. He specializes in pre- and post-unit rehabilitation performance comparisons, applying a range of analytical methods – many of which he developed himself – to assess hydroelectric unit performance.  Albert was also involved in developing the testing methods for the International Water Sharing Agreement between Canada and the United States at Niagara Falls.

Emmanuel Ngue

CEO and Principal Engineer | EN Solutions Hydro

Emmanuel Ngue is a licensed engineer in Quebec with a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering applied to Hydropower from École Polytechnique Montréal and a Maintenance Management Professional certificate from PEMAC. With over a decade in the energy industry, including roles at Andritz Hydro and GE Vernova, he has led major refurbishment and installation projects in Canada and the U.S. He is the founder of EN Solutions Hydro, a Canadian firm pioneering AI-powered maintenance solutions for the hydroelectric sector.

Jeff Norman

CEO | Clearlight Energy

Mr. Norman is the Chief Executive Officer of Clearlight Energy, responsible for the overall operational and financial performance of 3.6 GW of North American generating assets, and a development pipeline of more than 1.2 GW.

Prior to the launch of Clearlight in early 2025, Mr. Norman worked at the predecessor company, Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. He cofounded and served as President of the Algonquin Power Venture Fund from 2003 to 2008. In 2008, Mr. Norman assumed the role of VP of Project Development, responsible for growing the regulated and unregulated divisions at Algonquin Power & Utilities. He then became Chief Development Officer, and finally President of the Liberty Power division. Each role change represented an increase in responsibilities and scope within the organization. As President of Liberty Power, he oversaw operations of a 4 GW portfolio of non-regulated generation assets, and development of an 8 GW pipeline of renewable energy projects.

Mr. Norman brings to Clearlight his 30 years of skills and experience of acquiring, developing, financing, constructing, and operating renewable energy projects and acquiring electric, gas, and water utilities. Mr. Norman is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Accounting from the University of Waterloo.

Joanna Osawe

President & CEO | Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE)

Joanna Osawe is the President & CEO of WiRE – Women in Renewable Energy. Joanna attended Western University studying Languages, graduating with an Honours BA. Joanna works at Burns & McDonnell in the position of Senior Business Development. Joanna has used her language skills in a focused, 15+ year management career at leading renewable and energy sector companies in Canada and the United States. By carrying complex projects through many stages she has seen firsthand the vital role renewable energy and emerging technologies serve in moving the Canadian, American and global energy mix forward.

Joanna has been appointed to the Federal Sustainable Development Advisory Council, led by Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault. She looks forward to continuing to engage and contribute to the Council’s success. The Council is made up of the Canadian public that represent the views of different provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, as well as environmental non-governmental organizations and business and labour organizations.

Michael Powell

Vice President, Government Relations | Electricity Canada

Michael Powell is Vice President, Government Relations for Electricity Canada. Michael provides strategic advice to Electricity Canada’s member electricity companies on how to advance the sector’s interests with government stakeholders. This includes advocacy efforts in Canada and the United States on issues such as climate change, electrification, and security.

Before joining Electricity Canada, Michael provided strategic, public affairs and communications advice for Canadian and international clients with a leading boutique consultancy. He has led communications and advocacy campaigns in all provinces and across the North.

Eddie Rich

Chief Executive Officer | International Hydropower Association (IHA)

Eddie Rich has worked on the role of corporates in international development for over 20 years. He was appointed CEO of IHA in 2019. Since then, IHA has repositioned itself as a values-based organisation summed up in the San José Declaration on Sustainable Hydropower statement that “Going forward the only acceptable hydropower is sustainable hydropower.” And the no-go commitment for hydropower in World Heritage Sites. He was instrumental in the launch of the Hydropower Sustainability Standard in 2021 and the establishment of the influential International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower. In 2022, IHA was awarded International Association of the Year.

Previously, he was deputy head of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) since the international secretariat was established in 2007, including a period as its executive director. His prior experience included working as the UK Government Department for International Development (DFID)’s representative to Angola and deputy head in Kenya, and as head of DFID’s corporate social responsibility team.

Together with the EITI’s former executive director Jonas Moberg, Eddie developed an approach to multi-stakeholder governance that challenges conventional developmental wisdom. It is summarized in their book, ‘Beyond Governments: Making Collective Governance Work – Lessons from the EITI’. He has degrees from the University of Oxford and the University of Westminster.

Diego Rueda

Business Analyst & IoT Integration Specialist | EN Solutions Hydro

Diego Rueda is a certified Canadian Business Analyst with a background in electronic engineering from Universidad de los Andes (Colombia). With over six years of experience in industrial automation, condition monitoring, and IoT integration, he has played a key role in the development of predictive maintenance solutions and the expansion of EN Solutions Hydro across Latin America. His work bridges technology and operations, helping the hydroelectric sector improve efficiency and reliability with tangible business and societal benefits.

Emilie Sénéchal

Manager of First Nations and Inuit Relations | Hydro-Québec

Emilie Sénéchal joined Hydro-Québec in 2015 and held several key project management positions before going on to oversee Indigenous relations for the team collaborating with nations and communities in northern and western Québec. She has over 20 years’ experience in project and team management.

Her career path has led her to develop and demonstrate her expertise and skills through the management of complex and large-scale engineering, construction and energy projects, as well as strategic organizational change initiatives. Ms. Sénéchal holds a Bachelor of Science in project management from HEC Montréal and a Master’s degree in environmental studies with a specialization in sustainable development and governance from the Université de Sherbrooke. She also earned Project Management Professional (PMP) certification since 2013 and holds a training certification from the Collège des administrateurs de sociétés (CAS) in the governance of non-profit organizations.

Pascal Seret

Tractebel

Mr. Pascal Seret has 39 years of professional experience in Hydropower projects, working in Asia (China, South Korea, India, Thailand), Central Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe. He has been involved in the design and commissioning of electromechanical and electrical equipment for more than 40 hydropower projects, including numerous hydropower plants and pumped-storage power plants  of up to 2,000 MW.

He has developed extensive expertise in pumped-storage projects, with experience in commissioning seven PSPs totaling around 3,500 MW in South Korea, Thailand, China, Morocco, and France, both while working for a major equipment supplier and during design phases at Tractebel. His career includes the condition assessment and refurbishment of the Dinorwig and Ffestiniog PSPs in the United Kingdom, Owner’s Engineer services for the construction of the 4 × 250 MW Tehri PSP in India, the design and preparation of contract documents for the 300 MW Kokhav Hayarden PSP in Israel and the 300 MW Frasin PSP in Romania. From 2019 to 2024, he served as interface manager for the Snowy 2.0 project in Australia.

Greg Sheppard

Senior Project Manager | Tetra Tech

Greg is a Senior Project Manager with Tetra Tech, a leading provider of consulting, engineering, and technical services worldwide. Tetra Tech is built on a culture of innovation and is committed to creating positive, impactful change as we address the world’s most complex problems. Tetra Tech operates in major industrial sectors, including water, environment, infrastructure, and energy.

Greg is a civil engineering professional with more than 20 years of experience in design, project management, and contract administration. He has contributed to projects for renewable energy providers, utilities, mining companies, airports, and municipalities. Known for his ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams, Greg ensures the successful delivery of complex projects that achieve quality, budget, and schedule objectives.

He lives in St. John’s, NL with his wife, Miriam; they have two children, Samual and Jacob, and a dog, Rex. Greg enjoys walking, yoga and scuba diving.

Heather Shilton

Director | Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corporation

Heather is the Director for Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corporation (“NNC”) which is Nunavut’s first 100% Inuit-owned renewable energy developer, based in Iqaluit, NU. Since 2019, Heather has led the NNC team to ensure successful delivery of renewable energy initiatives through sound project development and collaboration with Rightsholding Organizations and stakeholders across the Territory.

Heather has a background in renewable energy development, having previously worked on community-owned wind and solar projects in Southern Canada and the Northeastern United States. She is a Certified Energy Manager with the Association of Energy Engineers, is a selected Member of Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Sustainable Development Advisory Committee, and serves on the Board of the Arctic Renewables Society. She was named one of Canada’s Top 30 Under 30 Sustainability Leaders with Corporate Knights in 2021, and was the recipient of the Clean50 Award in Renewable Energy in 2025.

She is currently pursuing an LLM in Energy and Infrastructure Law at Osgoode Hall Law School from her home in Iqaluit where she lives with her partner, David, and their dog, Scout.

Helga Sonnenberg

Founder and CEO, Aquatic Scientist, Ecotoxicologist, Regulatory Specialist | Ecoreg Solutions

Helga Sonnenberg has been an environmental scientist and consultant for 25 years. Her background is aquatic biology, toxicology and water science. She founded Ecoreg Solutions in 2016, a company with a progressive vision and diverse work culture, with innovation, research, and people at its core.

Helga has an in-depth knowledge of federal and provincial regulations as they relate to surface water and wastewater in mining, power, municipal wastewater and forestry. She has designed and conducted 100s of aquatic biomonitoring and receiving water quality assessments used to predict or measure impacts and risks to aquatic ecosystems. Whether part of baseline work for environmental assessments, permits and approvals, compliance monitoring or reclamation and closure work, the approach is the same. Integration of on and off-site water resources, a watershed approach and development of science and risk-based decisions is key to really understanding downstream and regional outcomes and providing actionable insights.

Candice Tourville

Business Development Officer | Taykwa Tagamou Nation (TTN)

Candice Tourville is an Omushkego Cree woman, member of Attawapiskat First Nation and proud affiliate of Taykwa Tagamou Nation (TTN).  Her role as Business Development Officer for TTN is crucial in exploring viable major projects and building meaningful partnerships with proponents who understand the importance of developing equal partnerships with the Nation.

As a mother of five daughters, and herself a daughter of a residential school and 50’s scoop survivor, Candice views opportunities through the lens of a seven generation mindset and how projects can support the building of a community that is strong in culture, health, wellness, education, and prosperity. Candice works closely with Agnico Eagle for the Detour Lake Mine, Canada Nickel’s future Crawford nickel site, OPG for project refurbishments within the territory, and is currently the Co-Chair of the Moose River Basin Co-Planning Committee that is reviewing opportunities for development within the Moose River Basin, a Nations led initiative where the communities are leading the process.

William Twardek

Fisheries Scientist | Ecofish Research Ltd.

William Twardek is a Fisheries Scientist with Ecofish Research, A Trinity Consultants Canada Team, with 10 years of experience conducting fisheries research. He supports effective and efficient evidence-based decision-making, bringing together critical information from field studies, experiments, modelling, and literature reviews. Will has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles with authors from around the world, and has led many technical reports for government, industry, and NGO partners. Will’s PhD focused on evaluating interactions between salmon and hydropower infrastructure in the Yukon, working closely with local First Nations, Yukon Energy, and the Canadian Wildlife Federation. He continues to work across organizations to identify wholistic approaches to developing hydropower while supporting salmon populations.

Brenna Vaughn

Executive Director | Northwest Hydroelectric Association (NWHA)

Brenna Vaughn is the Executive Director of the Northwest Hydroelectric Association (NWHA), where she leads the organization’s advocacy, communications, and member services across six states and Western Canada. A fourth-generation hydropower professional, Brenna brings deep industry roots and more than a decade of leadership experience to her role. Since joining NWHA in 2018, she has strengthened the association’s role as a regional voice for hydropower, championing policy reform, member engagement, and clean energy education. Her approach blends strategic leadership with a collaborative spirit to advance hydropower’s role in a resilient, carbon-free energy future.

Rachel Vanasse

Director, Engineering & Technical Services, Canadian Operations | Brookfield Renewable

Rachel is a professional engineer with over 12 years of experience in the renewable energy industry. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s in Engineering Management from the University of Ottawa.  As Director of Engineering and Technical Services for the Canadian Operations at Brookfield Renewable North America, Rachel leads technical due diligence for acquisitions and financings across Canada. Her team also provides centralized support to operations, with a focus on major project procurement, strategic planning, and risk mitigation. In previous roles, Rachel managed development projects and strategic growth initiatives, spanning various low-carbon technologies. Rachel also chairs the Canadian Climate Change Working Group with the objective to identify, reduce and mitigate the impacts of climate change across the business.

François Vitez

Hydropower Expert – VP Power Markets | BBA

Mr. Vitez is a Hydropower and Storage expert with over 25 years of experience in the development, engineering and construction management in North America and internationally. 

Early on in Francois’s career, he worked at developing numerous hydropower projects including his own Khudi Hydropower Project in Nepal.  Francois later worked as VP Hydro for BPR and SNC-Lavalin where he led the development of hydropower and pumped hydro projects of small and large size.

With technical background in hydraulics and geotechnical, Francois has managed and directed all phases of Energy Generation project developments and rehabilitation from studies, engineering, to construction, commissioning, and operations. With BBA, he leads an integrated team dedicated to supporting the electrification of our economy through appropriate and optimal technologies including Hydropower. Francois is engaged in promoting the multilayered value of hydro and long duration grid connected storage projects through day to day projects and numerous industry organisations.

Chris Vivone

Director, Government Relations | TC Energy

As Director, Government Relations, Chris provides strategic and functional leadership for TC Energy’s Government Relations team in Canada. He is based in Ottawa.

Before joining TC Energy, Chris spent five years building an Ottawa presence for Edelman, one of the world’s leading public relations consultancies. Prior to this, he led Government Relations at Cisco Systems Canada. Early in his career, he served as a senior political advisor to the Canadian Minister of Finance. Chris holds an MBA from the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.

Sterling Watson

Principal Engineer | Natel Energy

Sterling Watson leads FishSafe turbine design at Natel Energy. Her technical focus includes turbine performance assessment, fish passage test design and data collection, engagement with the scientific and stakeholder communities, and model development to inform high-performance, fish-safe turbine and hydropower plant designs. In 2024, Sterling received the inaugural Rising Star Award from the National Hydropower Association in recognition of her achievement and leadership as an early-career professional in the water power industry.

Sterling holds bachelors and masters degrees in mechanical engineering from MIT. Her passion for everything aquatic extends beyond the office and she can be found swimming, surfing, and sea foraging in the waters of San Francisco during her free time.

Ann Wen

Senior Geotechnical Engineer | Klohn Crippen Berger

Ann is a Senior Geotechnical Engineer and Team Lead with Klohn Crippen Berger’s Power and Transportation group. With over 17 years of experience, she has contributed to major dam and hydroelectric projects on all aspects of geotechnical design and management of large multidisciplinary design teams.

Since 2008, Ann has held several roles on the engineering design team for the BC Hydro’s Site C Clean Energy Project, initially as the lead geotechnical engineer for the underground works and more recently as deputy area manager for the Main Civil Works design team. In these roles, she has guided the design team through complex technical and construction challenges, ensuring the delivery of practical, resilient engineering solutions for one of Canada’s largest renewable energy projects.

Mike Westerman

Senior Technical Director – Hydropower | GHD

Mike leads the Global Hydropower practice within GHD, a leading international engineering and advisory service provider, with tertiary qualifications in engineering, business and law. He has 45 years’ experience in the energy sector almost all in hydro at all phases from origination to construction. For the past 7 years he has been establishing GHD as a leader in pumped hydro energy storage, who have carried out assignments on more than 40 projects, 2 of which are under construction. One is the unique Kidston PHES being constructed on a repurposed gold mine. He has comprehensive technical and commercial understanding of renewables projects including the revenue market, transaction due diligence, risk management and contract packaging. He has completed projects in Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Fiji, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Malaysia, Malawi, Myanmar, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, UK and UAE.

Mike Westgate

Vice President – Business Development, Canada | Barnard Constructors of Canada, LP.

Mike has over 20 years of experience managing, pursuing, and delivering large-scale civil projects across Canada. Mike joined Barnard’s business development team in 2019 after serving as Vice President of Major Projects for EllisDon’s civil division. He has great insight into the Canadian heavy civil market, having held leading roles on many successful civil and transportation projects at EllisDon. He provides management, strategy, and negotiation expertise on design-build and public-private partnership civil projects to promote project delivery efficiencies, value creation, and risk mitigation for his clients and partners.  Mike served as a board member for BBE Hydro Constructors on the Keeyask Generating Station project throughout procurement and construction from 2012 to 2019.

Malcolm Woolf

President and Chief Executive Officer | National Hydropower Association (NHA).

Malcolm Woolf is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hydropower Association.

Woolf comes to NHA after decades of experience in the energy and environment field. He was a Senior Vice President with Advanced Energy Economy and has extensive markets experience. He served in a cabinet level position for Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley where he worked to promote affordable, reliable, clean energy, and he also led energy policy for the National Governors Association.

Woolf has experience in both the executive branch and Capitol Hill having served at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and as a Congressional committee staff member. Woolf earned his law degree, as well as a Masters of Public Administration and Public Policy, from the University of Virginia. He holds a B.A. magna cum laude from Tufts University, with a year at Pembroke College, Oxford University.