Speaker Biographies

Senior Portfolio Manager and Director Canoe Financial Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Rafi Tahmazian has deep roots in Canada’s energy community. He has more than 31 years of oil and gas, energy banking and investment management experience.  He was a founder, and is Director and Senior Portfolio Manager at Canoe Financial, one of Canada’s fastest … Read more

Vice President, Energy Transition Heartland Generation Shana Boyd is the Vice President, Energy Transition for Heartland Generation, where she is responsible for developing decarbonization strategies and advancing low-carbon energy opportunities including hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, and renewables. Shana has more than 25 years of experience in the energy industry in engineering, operational and executive … Read more

Market Strategy, Energy and Process Industries Black & Veatch Shinu Thomas drives strategy for Black & Veatch’s Energy Utilities, Grid Solutions and Advance Power Generation teams. Her 20 years of professional experience span market and program design work, implementation and integration of utility demand response programs, DER integration and utility customer engagement programs. She’s worked … Read more

Minister, Environment and Protected Areas Government of Alberta  A life-long Albertan, Hon. Sonya Savage has been a strong voice and champion for sustainable resource development in Alberta. Earning a Master of Laws in Environment and Energy, she practiced law for 13 years before taking a job in the pipeline sector. After working 9 years at Enbridge, … Read more

Special Advisor to the Deputy MinisterEnvironment and Climate Change Canada Soren Halverson is Special Advisor to the Deputy Minister at Environment and Climate Change Canada, where he currently leads on the development of Canada’s Clean Electricity Regulations. Prior to this role, Soren served in senior positions in Canada’s Department of Finance, where he led work … Read more

Vice President Public Policy and Government Relations ENMAX Tim Boston has been leading government and public relations for the past 23 years in companies that span the value chain of the electricity industry.  The Hill Times has named him one of the top 100 lobbyists nationally twice.  Before that he spent a number of years … Read more

President and CEO Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA) As the Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA)’s president and CEO, Todd Snitchler represents companies that own competitive power generation assets and advocates for policies that focus on achieving and maintaining well-functioning and properly regulated competitive wholesale electricity markets. Prior to joining EPSA, Todd served as the Vice … Read more

President and CEO Canadian Renewable Energy Association As the President and CEO of CanREA, Vittoria Bellissimo leads a member association focused on ensuring that wind energy, solar energy and energy storage play a central role in transforming Canada’s energy mix. Vittoria was previously the Executive Director of the Industrial Power Consumers Association of Alberta and … Read more

Vice President, Technology Pathways Alliance Wes Jickling assumed the role of COSIA Chief Executive in August 2019 and became the Vice President, Technology Development and COSIA under the Pathways Alliance in May 2022.  Prior to joining COSIA, Wes was the Chief Executive Officer of Innovation Saskatchewan and Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs for Saskatchewan. Wes … Read more