Environmental Forum-Alberta’s Energy Future: An Environmental Perspective
It’s back…ACR Environmental Forums are returning in-person October 4, 2022, in Calgary, AB.
ACR’s environmental Forums have always been popular, and tickets sell fast. These events are known for offering diverse perspectives on hot topics in the resource sector. The Fall event will include three dynamic 20-minute speaker sessions and a moderated panel discussion to talk about Alberta’s Energy Future: An Environmental Perspective.
Speakers
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Rhonda is responsible for evolving SECURE’s ESG strategy and integrating it into all aspects of its business. This includes setting ESG goals and targets that will make SECURE’s business more sustainable by reducing risk, encouraging innovation, building business resilience, and identifying ESG related opportunities to enhance customer service. SECURE’s ESG strategy mandates the creation of opportunities to offer services that will help its customers reduce their environmental impact and to be an integral part of the energy transformation.
She has nearly 30 years of environmental industry experience. Prior to joining SECURE in 2021, she held positions with increasing scope and leadership responsibility at Tervita Corporation and Newalta Corporation. Within these organizations her portfolios have included: engineering, regulatory and compliance, health and safety, process safety management, closed sites/asset retirement, community relations, and indigenous relations. She has participated in various government created stakeholder groups that focused on updating existing regulations or developing new ones.
Prior to Newalta, she held various field-based operations and regulatory compliance positions at Waste Management Inc. Rhonda received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta, completed the Occupational Health and Safety Certificate program from Ryerson University, and is a registered professional engineer.
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Olex Vasetsky is the director of the electric and gas distribution group within the rates division of the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC).
During his career at the AUC, Olex has worked in roles with progressively increasing responsibilities and has acquired a well-rounded knowledge of all aspects of utility rate regulation. His expertise includes performance-based (incentive) regulation (PBR), cost of capital, and evaluation of capital expenditures, as well as emerging technologies and how they affect electric and natural gas systems. He was among the key staff supporting the development of the first (2013-2017) and second (2018-2022) generations of the AUC’s PBR plans for Alberta’s distribution utilities and is currently working on the third generation of PBR. Through the 2019 and 2020 period, he led the technology and innovation group supporting the AUC Distribution System Inquiry with the aim to map out key issues related to the future of the electric distribution grid, and to aid developing the necessary regulatory framework to accommodate the evolution of the electric system. Olex holds a master of arts in economics degree and a chartered financial analyst (CFA) professional designation.
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Jerry has been leading sustainability and ESG strategy development for more than 30 years, working with clients to drive sustainable development within their capital projects and corporate business models, which includes identifying material impacts and developing ESG strategies. Jerry’s expertise is based on a proven track record of leading sustainability, regulatory approvals, environmental, and social aspects of ESG including government relations and stakeholder engagement for companies.
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Brian received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Co-op) from the University of Alberta and lives here in Calgary, Alberta. With colleagues at Spartan, he collaborates with those in industry to improve environmental outcomes with expert services, integrated solutions and applied technology. To date Spartan has helped industry achieve 18 Mt CO2e cumulative reduction at a current pace of 3.7 Mt CO2e/y, which is equivalent to over 790,000 cars off the road. Brian has been with Spartan Controls for over 17 years in roles including Environment Solutions, Technical Specialist, Project Manager and Application Specialist for Petrochemical, Oil Sands and Oil and Gas industries. He is also actively involved with industry organizations and his community.
Brian is passionate about improving field efficiencies and enjoys finding resourceful means to do so. His efforts to reduce methane emissions have helped meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations, while improving process performance, reliability and safety.
