2020 AWARDS ALUMNI

2020 AWARDS ALUMNI

Ana Villarreal-Escudero, Mechanical Design Engineer, Canada Gas Projects, TC Energy

  • As a champion and change agent for energy sustainability, mechanical engineer Ana Villarreal-Escudero is elevating the conversation through industry-wide collaboration and innovative technical application. 

    As Co-Chair of the Young Pipeliners Association of Canada (YPAC) Calgary Chapter, Ana was instrumental in the development of the YPAC x AVATAR Program in 2020. This program has enabled a network of passionate and ambitious individuals to “ask big questions and come up with big solutions” says Ana, related to energy transition and sustainability. With inspiration from industry leaders, participants in the cohort collaborated virtually on solutions for various topics such as hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, digitization, advocacy, and innovative construction.  The program garnered national media attention, federal and provincial government interest and support from executive industry leaders. 

    “YPAC x AVATAR is the most successful thing to have emerged from our organization yet – and the resonating impact of this virtual offering speaks to what bold, creative, and focused people can do.” says Molly Beckel, President & CEO of YPAC (also a YWE Awards Alumni). Catapulting from the success in 2020, Ana is eager to engage a larger cohort of 300 participants at Avatar in early 2021 to continue advocating and innovating for the future of the Energy industry.

    As a mechanical engineer at TC Energy, Ana plays a central role in developing innovative approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions at operating facilities across Canada.  Her remarkable work has resulted in design standards that can be applied in a repeatable fashion in future projects, contributing to TC Energy’s sustainability ambitions. Being one of few female mechanical engineers on her team that has embraced both field and office-based roles, she is a role model and mentor to other young women inspired to pursue technical roles. 

    Ana’s ambition and work ethic is inspired by parents whose hard work, vision and perseverance gave her and her siblings the opportunity to move from Mexico and grow up living in several countries before arriving in Canada. “I care very deeply about the things I choose to do, and I want to do them very well.” says Ana. Ana also strives to ensure people feel valued and heard with a seat at the table as part of a cohesive team. It is evident that passion, ambition, and commitment to inclusivity ring true when you reflect on Ana’s accomplishments to date and the reputation she has established within the industry.  

    In addition to Ana’s contributions to the Energy industry, she is also committed to giving back to the community. She volunteers at Canada Olympic Park as a ski instructor for skiers with disabilities.  Her desire to dedicate her time is fueled by the joy she witnesses from not just her students but their families that come out to cheer them on. The appreciation for the outdoors, pursuit of fun and activity, and unwavering support for one another is inspiring.  

    Ana will no doubt be an amazing ambassador of YWE. She is excited for the development opportunities that winning this award provides as well as connecting with other like-minded young professionals to further action on energy transition and sustainability. 

    Congrats Ana!

    Written by: Christa Ferguson
    Photography by: Katherine Calnan Photography

Candice Paton, Executive Director, Clean Technology, Alberta Innovates

  • Candice Paton is a connector and relationship builder in the energy industry. In her role as Executive Director, Clean Technology at Alberta Innovates, Candice works to connect her team of subject matter experts with the right stakeholders in order to move projects forward that have the potential to benefit all Albertans. She takes on the task of removing barriers for her people, and holds herself to high standards, delivering growth across the Advanced Hydrocarbons and Clean Technology portfolios over the last 5 years with Alberta Innovates. While she is passionate about the potential to create new economic opportunities and aligning energy with the environment, she is also incredibly optimistic about the potential for clean technology to increase diversity and inclusion in Alberta’s energy industry.

    When asked about the challenges she sees in advancing her work, Candice points to the task of connecting such a diverse group of stakeholders, and aligning them in spite of their competing interests, to make sure that energy transition is advanced in such a way that it creates equity, rather than disparity. While there are many challenges, Candice is undoubtedly up for the task of advancing Alberta’s energy transition and is hopeful that change is on the horizon given the momentum she sees in her work. She’s encouraged by the progress that is being made as the energy industry as a whole seems to be recognizing the interconnectedness of the different players in industry and they are starting to collaborate to advance solutions to industry problems. Candice is leveraging experience she developed connecting industry and academic researchers through the Solvent Leadership Series of workshops, and applying that experience to growing Alberta’s clean technology economy, leveraging Albertans skills and knowledge in the oil and gas sector and applying that knowledge and training in new ways to emerging energy opportunities like hydrogen, carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) and grid modernization. One of the best pieces of advice that Candice received from a mentor early on in her career was that she should approach career and life as a team with her family. She found that advice transformative as she and her husband determined that it would be best for him to stay home with their kids, so that she would have the capacity to fully invest the time and energy required to have a substantial impact through her career. When she thinks of how to pay it forward for others that are just starting out on their careers, Candice suggests that anyone that is just starting their career engage in self-reflection and determine what really drives them and what type of impact they are hoping to have in the world. Then, she suggests, you need to be flexible about how you deliver on your purpose. Candice had always imagined a career in academia for herself but found that her current journey working directly with and supporting industry has been incredibly rewarding, and more in line with what drives her, since she is able to link research with tangible action and impact in the world. 

    Candice’s colleague wrote in her application for the YWE award, “I find that every opportunity to connect with Candice leaves me energized and motivated to do more and do better. Her potential and ambition to drive positive change is limitless.” 

    Written by: Sarah Lerner
    Photography by: Crystal Tsang

Cheryl Johnson, Manager, Sustainability and Policy, TC Energy

  • Changing the face of energy is something that Cheryl has been motivated by through her entire career and has shaped the path to her latest role as Manager, Sustainability and Policy at TC Energy.  As she says, this motivation comes from ‘people working to make their communities better,’ and this is apparent when you talk to her about her career path and this award win.  

    In her role at TC Energy, she has become a pioneer in the space and conceptualized and delivered upon a vision and strategy to guide TC Energy’s sustainability focus and promote public policy positions on a wide range of issues impacting the energy industry.  Driving this vision for TC Energy, she recognized early that in order to truly effect this change within her organization, she had to focus on the strategic imperative and business outcomes related to sustainability. Through embedding these financial impacts and outcomes and harnessing the drive from across the organization to continuously improve what they do and how they do it, the profile of sustainability has become more entrenched in the day to day activities at TC Energy.

    Cheryl also attributes this motivation and drive to the volunteering she has done within her community and in politics.  She has led and supported communications, strategy, policy and research, and volunteer management in municipal, provincial and federal candidate and party campaigns.  The time that she has dedicated to these various campaigns has helped to support her in her roles at TC Energy by giving her a place to hone and leverage her leadership skills.  Cheryl’s passion and commitment to her responsibilities allows her to create a groundswell of support from the people she gets to work with – motivated to follow in her footsteps and be a part of the journey with her.

    Cheryl hopes that the YWE Award can showcase to others that the diversity of your own experiences and skills – not just those we view as most associated with our industry – coupled with those of the teams you surround yourself with, can lead to successful careers within the energy industry.  Cheryl also reminds us ‘this path can change and evolve, and you don’t have to know the answer when you start out.  But if you put the energy into learning, challenging the status quo and growing, you will be successful – in whatever way that looks to you.’ 

    Congratulations Cheryl!

    Written by: Jessica Wiseman 
    Photography by: Katherine Calnan Photography

Kirsten Baker, Director, Digital Operations, PWC

  • After finishing university in 2011, Kirsten began a career at PwC in a non-traditional engineering role. She was unsure of where that path would lead, but as she reflects now, that openness and willingness to take a path less travelled has helped her to grow and develop as a leader, a colleague and as a mom of two young children. As Kirsten has progressed through her career, she has had to trust in her own abilities and find her voice and confidence. While this experience hasn’t been without challenges, she knows that these experiences have encouraged her to undertake tremendous time in self-reflection, and from that, developed a self-awareness of her leadership style and values. She finds joy in building  meaningful relationships, draws energy from her interactions with others and feels incredible pride supporting the professional development of her colleagues and celebrating their achievements.. 

    Her experiences and self-reflection have propelled her to advocate for others and take action to support them. After returning from maternity leave, Kirsten co-founded the Parents @ PwC network to provide a community of support for individuals that found themselves feeling left behind when they returned from parental leave. She’s also co-lead of the Women’s Inclusion Network at PwC, which she helped pivot early in the COVID-19 pandemic to focus on the unique personal, professional and societal demands that women at her organization were facing. 

    There’s no doubt that the negative public perception of the energy industry is a key challenge, but one that Kirsten believes can be changed. She feels that there is a lot to be excited about in the energy industry, and that by unleashing brilliant people who are grounded in their values, the industry will be able to successfully adapt. She also points out that the changes our industry needs to address can be best tackled in smaller and more manageable ‘bites’, so that the industry progresses towards the future, while respecting the reality of the present. 

    While Kirsten has had substantial impact in her organization, she is also keen on creating an energy industry where diversity, equity and inclusion are core values and behaviours, rather than just topics added to an agenda. As a mother to two small children, Kirsten strives to find her definition of balance, achieving both personal and professional goals. Kirsten’s children remind her to respect her boundaries, trust in her values and focus on what matters most. Her goal is to be a role model for her children and the next generation of leaders entering the energy industry.

    Congratulations Kirsten!

    Written by: Sarah Lerner

Megan Marshall, Senior Community Programs Advisor, Cenovus Energy Inc.

  • Megan Marshall’s enthusiasm for community involvement is infectious. Her passion for creating change makes you want to jump in and help, and this same energy has spread to her colleagues. It’s clear that Megan has found a great fit as Senior Community Programs Advisor at Cenovus Energy.

    Giving back has always been a core part of Megan’s identity. She attributes her commitment to community to her upbringing in a small, rural Alberta town. Megan began volunteering in local programs at a young age and, even in elementary school, could usually be found with a daytimer in hand as she planned her next initiative. 

    She has translated her deep-rooted community values with her skills in project management, strategic planning and relationship-building into an award-winning employee giving and volunteering program in the energy sector. “I was drawn to working in energy - and at Cenovus - because of the entrepreneurial spirit that is at the core of the industry”. 

    Starting with a clean slate, Megan built the Cenovus employee community involvement portfolio from the ground up. This included founding Cenovus’s annual giving campaign and year-round giving programs (which have resulted in over $30 million in donations to over 1,000 charitable organizations), developing signature community partnerships, executing over 600 volunteer events, and designing a suite of volunteer programs that support business priorities, reflect employee interests and skills, and address community needs. 

    Because she loves what she does, Megan doesn’t differentiate between work and play. In her own time, she has served her local community through volunteer roles for organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Canadian Red Cross, Social Venture Partners Calgary, United Way of Calgary and Area, Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta and the Calgary Foundation, to name a few.

    A decade after taking on her role, she is proud that the programs she envisioned and built have created lasting impact, not only for the recipients but also for the employees at Cenovus who participate. The programs give Cenovus staff the opportunity to give back in ways most meaningful to them. One of the best rewards she receives is hearing colleagues say they’re proud to work at Cenovus because of her efforts. 

    These results prove that what’s good for the community is also good for business and Megan is excited to see that more research is supporting the economic argument for corporate social responsibility. She knows that, more than ever, employees want to work for companies that give back and have a social purpose. 

    With the YWE Award platform, Megan hopes to highlight the positive contributions that the energy sector and its employees make in our communities. In particular, she would like to build a larger appreciation for the incredible generosity of employees who are enabled to give back. 

    In 2020 alone, Megan has witnessed countless acts of community service that she says are informal, but crucial, to how we build community. As we enter 2021, she acknowledges that there will be a lot of work to do in the post-pandemic community recovery and, as always, she’s ready to roll up her sleeves to help and provide others with opportunities to do the same.

    Congratulations Megan!

    Written by: Shara Petrie

Nagwan Al-Guneid, Communications Lead and Machine Learning & AI Co-Lead, Energy Futures Lab

  • When meeting Nagwan for the first time, you are immediately struck by how she is – as she puts it – thinking global, acting local, and bringing social and environmental justice to the spaces she inhabits.  That focus also showcases the optimism she has in situations both in her personal, work, and volunteer life. 

    Born and raised in Yemen, Nagwan moved to Calgary alone at the age of 17 after winning the Nexen Scholarship Program. In her time with Total E&P in France, Yemen, UK and Canada, Nagwan, being trilingual, was often called upon to participate in critical government relations, and conflict resolution meetings or socials with villagers in remote areas to cement stakeholder activities and ensure nothing was lost in translation. 

    Being this close to people on the front lines really highlighted to Nagwan, her desire to look at the future of energy and of our generation - towards sustainability and climate change. Recognizing this trend as an opportunity to chase her passions, she pursued a Master’s in Sustainable Energy Development with a focus on addressing climate change through collaboration between the public and private sectors. Today in her role with the Energy Futures Lab (EFL), she gets to focus on the opportunity in our energy future here in Alberta - leveraging Alberta’s talent and assets and leading the way to a new energy future. Her work at the Lab has allowed her to connect her systems-level thinking to the Lab’s work as well as lead and co-create systems-level solutions with diverse leaders and innovators within the energy industry. 

    Thes focus on Alberta’s future at EFL also extends to her spare time. As past president of Ask Her YYC, Nagwan is involved in shaping the future of Alberta by working to get more women at critical decision levels in government.  And if you have heard of the recently-launched The Next 30, then you are in good company – Nagwan is one of the co-founders of this amazing initiative, working towards bringing bold ideas and policy alternatives in Alberta.  

    As mentioned, Nagwan’s optimism can be summed up in what she shared with us: ‘even when working in a big corporation, you can find a way to make a change. The impact may be small, but the change will still be there.’ Thank you to Nagwan for such an amazing reminder for us all.

    Congratulations Nagwan!

    Written by: Jessica Wiseman 

Nicole Wiedman, Indigenous Relations Manager, MEG Energy

  • Nicole Wiedman moved to Washington, DC in 2012 with the intention of pursuing a career in international relations, but soon realized she wanted to end up back in Alberta. She explained that she was drawn back to Calgary because “Alberta is gritty and entrepreneurial – it’s home”.

    After arming herself with a Master of Public Policy from the University of Calgary, Nicole joined MEG Energy. Nicole’s first role with MEG was in the position of Community Relations Advisor, which combined her interests in sustainability, diplomacy, and Indigenous relations. This position allowed her to meet and work alongside the people and communities around her company’s operations. Now, as the Indigenous Relations Manager, she led MEG’s consultation activities while respecting the unique needs of each community, creating and implementing mutually agreeable solutions. Her approachable yet purposeful demeanor allows her to be successful in managing diverse and often sensitive discussions with stakeholders.

    Nicole is now recognized as MEG’s subject matter expert in Indigenous and Stakeholder Relations. As she has grown into this leadership role at MEG, her interest in sustainability has expanded, which has led her to a deeper involvement with the company’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) efforts. Nicole spearheaded MEG’s first ESG assessment to identify the priority ESG topics that present the most risk and opportunity to MEG. Following sustainability frameworks, Nicole designed a survey for employees, Executives, the Board of Directors, Indigenous communities and suppliers to help MEG gauge the nature, scope and timelines of the financial impacts of key non-financial factors.

    A continual theme in Nicole’s career path is the pursuit of learning. She approaches her activities with thoughtful analysis and research to support the “why” before she takes action. Her peers describe her as a “fact-based” professional, which shines through in the way she carefully strategizes her initiatives based on quantitative information. 

    This theme carries through to her work outside of the office. In 2017, Nicole was selected for a year-long fellowship in a national policy engagement and leadership development program led by the Public Policy Forum and Action Canada. This experience studying the future of energy in Canada helped hone her skills in bridging interests, as she worked with diverse groups and regions across the country.

    Nicole is currently volunteering on the Research Committee for DirectHer, a women-led, not-for-profit dedicated to empowering Albertan women with the tools and support to serve on boards. As she compiles evidence about why diversity and inclusion is important, she has become even more passionate in her advocacy for female and diverse empowerment.  

    Now, as a mother to a two-and-a-half-year-old, Nicole is finding even more reasons to continue her efforts in creating equality. As a 2020 YWE Award Winner, she is looking forward to learning from the experiences of others in her cohort. She also hopes that she will be able to share ideas about corporate social responsibility with the YWE community, who can then advocate for the same within their organizations.

    Congratulations Nicole!

    Written by: Shara Petrie

Robyn Seetal, Principal Consultant, IkTaar Sustainability

  • Early in Robyn’s career she knew that there was an opportunity to bridge her accounting background as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) with her passion for sustainability and social impact. Robyn is an independent sustainability consultant and has worked with the majority of Calgary’s energy companies over the past decade. As a consultant, Robyn is able to combine her enterprise risk management skill set, accounting background, and sustainability expertise to create shared value for her clients and their stakeholders. She lends her expertise to the Carbon Disclosure Standards Board as a member of their international technical working group. 

    Robyn was nominated to the World Economic Forum’s Global Shaper Community in 2016 and serves on the 1t.org Advisory Committee and as the Co-Chair of Climate and Environment Steering Committee. She also serves on the Board of the Trans Canada Trail and The Nature Foundation which inspires Canadians to invest in Nature. In 2017, Robyn was recognized as Corporate Knights Top 30 Under 30 among sustainability professionals across Canada and was invited to attend and speak the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in 2020 as part of the #Davos50 cohort. .

    Robyn's passion for building compassionate and resilient communities led her to become a founding board member of Local Investing YYC; an investment cooperative in Calgary that supports local businesses that generate financial, social and environmental returns. To date this organization has invested  $700,000 in local businesses in Calgary. In 2021, Local Investing YYC has targeted to raise $2 million dollars of community capital and reinvest it in the local economy through  five to eight businesses. 

    Joining a community of ambitious young women in the energy sector is what Robyn is most looking forward to by being a  YWE Award Winner. By being able to engage and bring diversity of thought to what the future of the economy can look like is a unique opportunity that Robyn is eager to offer the YWE community. 

    In 2021 and beyond, Robyn is looking forward to continuing to grow her impact through her consulting business and exploring applications of eco-centric leadership while also diversifying the Calgary economy through her involvement in Local Investing YYC. Robyn wants to continue to be a thought leader in energy, specifically, as it relates to the energy transition to net zero emissions by catalyzing communities and stakeholders to create a unified pathway and vision.

    Congratulations Robyn!

    Written by: Samantha Heigl

Sarah Waseem, Real Estate Services Manager, Shell Canada Ltd.

  • A chemical Engineer, Sarah Waseem, is inspiring women in STEM by smashing gender barriers in the pursuit of energy conservation and sustainable development.  

    Sarah’s passion, intelligence and creative spirit is immediately evident upon first meeting her. As a kid, Sarah was more interested in making her own music instead of reading off a music sheet.  There is no better metaphor for the impressive person that Sarah is today. Not only does she literally create and digitize her own music in her spare time, but she has forged her own way in life that is chock full of chasing opportunities to challenge the status quo. 

    Sarah was born in Pakistan but relocated with her family while she was still young to a small mining town in Zambia to follow her father’s career. It was there that she witnessed two contrasting realities that in part shaped her core values. On one hand she saw poverty, pollution and poor environmental practices. On the other hand, she was embraced by a supportive, inclusive and joyful community. Upon moving to Canada, she was inspired to use the advantage and privilege that was evident to make lives better. This fueled her passion for energy conservation, waste reduction and responsible energy management. 

    Early insight into environmental monitoring through an internship was a self-proclaimed eye-opener. “I was able to see how passionate people are at being responsible with energy management, when people really care about each other and the environment,” says Sarah.  After graduating from McGill University with a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Sarah was hired into Shell’s Engineer In Training (EIT) program and started her rotation as a Drilling Rig Site Supervisor. This field-based role, working at the heart of energy extraction, proved to be inspirational for Sarah.  She was immersed in front-line technical training, developed an understanding of the essential HSE practices that come along with high risk operations and was able to begin her formal leadership journey.  

    Sarah held various other positions at Shell as part of her EIT rotational experience and beyond.  During this time, she spearheaded the successful implementation of an industrial cold-steam dehydrator which utilized exhaust as a power source instead of fuel. She was recognized as the Canada-wide winner of the 2018 Shell Low Carbon Competition for Top 5 Realized Opportunities. This innovation resulted in fuel conservation and carbon offsetting. Sarah continues to be a member of Shell’s Low Carbon Ambition Team to promote sustainable development. 

    Sarah is currently the Real Estate Services Manager at Shell Canada where she has been instrumental in managing Shell’s COVID-19 response efforts to ensure the safeguarding of personnel in a highly dynamic situation.  This required extensive cross-functional collaboration and forward thinking as there was clearly no playbook in place for a pandemic quite like this one.   

    Passionate about combating gender biases and promoting inclusiveness, Sarah is the Co-Chair of the Learning and Development committee of the Gender Equity Network. She led several initiatives including a collaboration with the African Network and the LGBTQ+ Network to promote actionable inclusive leadership principles, and they donated Shell gas cards to the Women In Needs Society (WINS).

    Sarah intends to use the YWE platform to continue inspiring other women to be brave in seeking STEM roles, manifest the best version of our selves, and “make ripples to change the world”, she says. It’s clear to see that this one is going to make waves!

    Congrats Sarah!

    Written by: Christa Ferguson

Vanessa Goodman, Manager, External Relations, North West Redwater Partnership

  • Growing up just a few minutes away from Canada’s largest hydrocarbon processing region, Vanessa Goodman often curiously pondered the industrial neighbours of her childhood community.  Why were the lights so bright and always on? What was coming from those stacks? And how does a maze of metal make fuel or fertilizer? This interest in understanding the story inside the fence line led Vanessa to pursue a career in communications within the energy industry. 

    When Vanessa delivered her first 4-H speech at the age of nine, it sparked a fondness for connecting audiences and information. That fondness turned into an external relations profession for Vanessa, inviting the world in through communication . As the youngest member of the Senior Leadership Team, and the lead on community, media, government, internal, and industry relations, Vanessa has risen to the occasion, regardless of the challenge. Particularly over the past year, Vanessa relied on her creativity and strategic thinking to address the complexities that COVID-19 has had in her workplace at the refinery, in local communities, and on individuals. 

    Vanessa’s drive for perfection and endless desire for challenge has not only benefited her career but has allowed her to help strengthen neighbouring communities. Specifically, through community investment recycling challenges, campaigns about the local benefits of turnarounds, instant public notification system for incidents, a virtual launch of the world’s largest pipeline for CO2 from human activity, the largest employee-sourced corporate donation of personal protective equipment in the region during last year’s United Way campaign, and employment programs to support under-represented groups, including local First Nations and women, are just some among many other of her incredible achievements. 

    Both in her own career, and by being involved in the hockey association for her three young sons, Vanessa has seen the impact mentorship can play in one’s continual growth. Vanessa values leadership that seeks to continually encourage, inspire, and challenge, in order to empower people to be the best they can be regardless of their background, experiences, or gender. As a 2020 YWE Award recipient, Vanessa is looking forward to building on the mentorship she has received and connecting with YWE Awards Alumni in the Edmonton area and across the province. 

    In 2021 and beyond, Vanessa envisions continuing to transform how people understand and interact with the energy industry in Canada. Vanessa aspires for a future where she is influencing corporate decisions for sustainability and innovation, advocating for government policy to incentivize clean growth and energy efficiency, all while connecting the tidal wave of information with the public in a way that is meaningful and understood. 

    Congratulations Vanessa!

    Written by: Samantha Heigl