Speaker Bios

Administrator and CEO
Market Surveillance Administrator

Derek Olmstead is the Administrator & CEO at Alberta’s Market Surveillance Administrator (MSA). The MSA is mandated to conduct surveillance and enforcement in Alberta’s electricity and retail natural gas markets. Prior to being appointed to this position, he was responsible for the MSA’s enforcement and surveillance functions, including as Principal Economist. He has also worked at the Alberta Electric System Operator, the Australian Energy Regulator / Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator.

Derek holds a Ph.D. in economics and maintains an active research agenda in energy and environmental economics, applied industrial organization, and applied econometrics, with a particular focus on the competitive and regulated aspects of electricity markets. His research related to electricity markets has been published in, among other places, the Canadian Journal of Economics, The Energy Journal, Energy Economics, and The Electricity Journal.

President
Alta Solutions Inc.

Darin is President, Alta Solutions and provides strategic advice for those undertaking multi-billion dollar, complex and contentious projects. He has enjoyed over 30 years in the Capital Projects space on projects ranging from Gas Processing and Heavy Oil Production, though Combined Cycle Cogeneration and Renewable Energy Production, to large-scale Electric Transmission development and construction. Recently, Darin has engaged in the energy transition advising on energy storage and Small Nuclear Reactor deployment. Darin brings a unique and well-rounded perspective to each aspect of major project development, permitting, delivery and operations. Darin sits on the boards of Enfinite, a TD Asset Management Subsidiary, and Maskwa Environmental and he holds a Bachelor of Engineering (BE), Agriculture Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan.

Vice President, Planning Conservation and Resource Advocacy and Chief Energy Transition Officer
Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), Ontario

Mr. Farmer leads the planning of Ontario’s electricity system to ensure it is reliable, resilient and cost-efficient in the years ahead.

This includes assessing the future adequacy of Ontario’s electricity supply and the transmission system, identifying system needs, and securing the resources needed to meet system needs, including through the advancement of conservation efforts.

Prior to his current position, Mr. Farmer has held a variety of senior roles at the IESO and Ontario Power Authority in the areas of Power System Planning, Conservation, and Corporate Relations. His career began with Union Gas where he focused on the residential and commercial markets, and was Director for Market Knowledge and Demand Side Management.

Mr. Farmer is a graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business at The University of Western Ontario.

Vice President, Alberta
Wellington Advocacy

Areas of Expertise: Strategic Communications, Public Policy, Policy Analysis, Policy, Government, Political Campaigns, Politics, Public Speaking, Campaigns, Speech Writing, Political Science, Political Communication Political Consulting, Fundraising, International Relations, Grassroots Organizing, Grassroots

Brad is a longtime political activist in Alberta serving as a senior advisor to provincial political parties. Brad has a long track record of navigating the Government of Alberta’s political and department levels to deliver unparalleled value for clients. Brad has also served as a professional fundraiser for political parties and political action committees in Alberta. Brad is an energy expert having worked with numerous energy companies in his time with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

Executive Vice President, Commercial and Customer Relations
TransAlta

Blain van Melle is the Executive Vice President of Commercial and Customer Relations at TransAlta.

Blain oversees TransAlta’s Commercial and Customer Relationships globally.  He is responsible for all commercial partnerships, joint venture relationships, contracting, and revenue exposure, from TransAlta’s fleet of contracted and merchant facilities.  Along with Commercial and Customer relations, Blain oversees TransAlta’s asset optimization, customer origination, contracting, forecasting, fuel supply strategy, and ESG sustainability goals as it relates to TransAlta’s Alberta business.

Blain has 20 years of experience in deregulated power markets, having worked in roles ranging from Asset Optimization, Marketing, Proprietary Trading, and Dam Safety at TransAlta since his start in 2004.

Blain is active in the community, sitting on the Calgary Stampede International Agriculture and Agri-Food committee. He has previously served as a Board Member with Calgary Reads.

President and CEO
Capital Power

As the President and CEO of Capital Power, Avik leads the company in its growth and expansion across Canada and the U.S. and champions the team in accelerating its current strategic drive to net zero.

Avik is a seasoned global executive and transformational leader with over two decades in the energy business in roles spanning operations, entrepreneurial ventures, investment banking, and corporate advisory services. He has invested over $12 billion in growing long-term value for energy and energy transition companies.

Before joining Capital Power, Avik was Managing Director – Partner, and Co-Head of Carlyle International Energy Partners. He was also the CFO & Chief Transformation Officer for NOVA Chemicals, a leading global polyethylene producer.

Previously, Avik served as Managing Director and Head of Energy & Resources at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and was a member of the Global Leadership Team, Chair of the Energy & Resources Investment Committee, and Real Assets Investment & Management Committees. Under his leadership, the Energy & Resources group grew from an idea to a leading global investor focused on energy transition.

Avik strongly believes in fostering the next generation of entrepreneurs and currently serves as the Director of Enactus Canada, an international non-profit helping university students solve the world’s biggest problems through social innovation. He has previously served on the boards of Calpine Corporation, Seven Generations Energy, Teine Energy, Wolf Midstream, and Crestone Peak Resources.

Avik earned his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary and, in 2017, was named one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40.

Managing Director
O’Doig Consulting Services Inc.

Lisa Doig has over 30 years experience across the entire energy sector from power, oil and gas to chemicals.  She has been involved in developing large scale project  such as carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) to niche demand response and energy efficiency solutions. 

Lisa has a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alberta and is a licensed professional engineer in Alberta and has most recently served as the President and Board Chair of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta.  She rounds out her technical experience with a Masters of Business Administration from the Ivey School of Business.  

Minister, Affordability and Utilities
Government of Alberta

Nathan Neudorf was sworn in as Minister of Affordability and Utilities and Vice Chair of Treasury Board on June 9, 2023. He previously served as Deputy Premier and Minister of Infrastructure.

Prior to his service as an elected official, Mr. Neudorf worked in commercial construction. He has his civil and structural engineering diploma and is a red seal journeyman carpenter as well as a gold seal project manager.

An active community volunteer and leader, Mr. Neudorf served as the past president of the Lethbridge Construction Association and on the board of directors for the Alberta Construction Association, Alberta Construction Safety Association, and Worker’s Compensation Board.

Mr. Neudorf, his wife, Deanne, and their 5 children live in Lethbridge. In his spare time, he enjoys running, landscaping, and spending time outdoors.

Nathan Neudorf was first elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Lethbridge-East on April 16, 2019 and was re-elected on May 29, 2023.

Head, Grids & Utilities
BloombergNEF

Sanjeet Sanghera is the Head of Power Grids and Utilities at BloombergNEF. Based in London, he leads research into the future of electricity grids, digitalization and the strategies of utilities. Previously, Sanjeet worked for BC Hydro, one of Canada’s largest electric utilities, as an engineer in system planning and grid operations. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in electrical engineering from the University of British Columbia and an MBA from the University of Cambridge.

Director, Bureau of Economic Geology
University of Texas at Austin

Scott Tinker brings industry, government, academia, and nongovernmental organizations together to address major societal challenges in energy, the environment, and the economy. Dr. Tinker is Director of the Bureau of Economic Geology, the State Geologist of Texas, and a professor holding the Allday Endowed Chair in the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin. With Director Harry Lynch, Tinker co-produced the award-winning documentary films Switch and Switch On, which have been screened in over 50 countries. Dr. Tinker founded the nonprofit Switch Energy Alliance, whose educational materials appear from schools to board rooms globally. Tinker is the host of PBS Energy Switch, an energy and climate talk show appearing on over 200 PBS stations nationwide, and Earth Date, featured weekly on over 450 public radio stations in all 50 United States. In his visits to some 60 countries, Scott has given over 1000 keynote and invited lectures. Dr. Tinker presented a TEDx talk on The Dual Challenge: Energy and Environment. Scott serves on public company boards and science councils, Trinity University’s Board of Trustees, and is an angel investor who has helped bring companies from startup to acquisition. His writing has appeared from Forbes to Fortune to Scientific American. Dr. Tinker has served as president of several international professional associations and is an AGI Campbell Medalist, AAPG Halbouty Medalist, GCAGS Boyd Medalist, AIPG Parker Medalist, and a Geological Society of America Fellow.