Marc Riopelle

At Women+Power, we’re committed to creating spaces where women in energy can lead, innovate, and inspire. Alberta’s power industry is undergoing a historic transformation as inverter-based resources (IBRs) like wind, solar, and battery storage become central to the grid. Meeting this challenge requires technical excellence and inclusive leadership. That’s why we’re excited to spotlight Astried Schneider, Director, Engineering – Projects at AltaLink. With more than 20 years of experience shaping Alberta’s transmission infrastructure, Astried combines engineering expertise with a deep commitment to collaboration. Her leadership reflects how innovation and inclusion work hand in hand to build a more resilient, future-ready grid.

About AltaLink

Headquartered in Calgary, with offices in Edmonton, Red Deer and Lethbridge, AltaLink is Alberta’s largest electricity transmission provider, with more than 13,400 kilometres of transmission lines and more than 310 substations. AltaLink is partnering with its customers to provide innovative solutions to meet the province’s demand for reliable and affordable energy.

AltaLink supports a diverse and inclusive work environment that celebrates the differences of its employees, ensures everyone feels valued, respected and empowered, and enhances the connections we have to the communities in which we live and work. AltaLink is proud to support Women+Power in connecting and empowering women in Alberta’s power industry, while working to promote increased diversity and inclusion within the sector.

About the Speaker:

Astried Schneider, Director, Engineering – Projects,  AltaLink

A registered professional engineer with over two decades of dedicated service at AltaLink, Astried brings engineering and leadership experience to her role overseeing the engineering teams responsible for the planning and design of new transmission facilities. In addition to guiding the development of Altalink’ s infrastructure, she oversees the company’s quality management and engineering standards, ensuring technical excellence across all projects.

Throughout her career at Altalink, Astried has held a range of leadership and engineering positions across both project execution and operations. Notable accomplishments include; Incident Commander for AltaLink’ s emergency response team, led the selection and design of a new outage management system and processes to improve coordination with customers, co-authored technical papers with peers and utility vendors, and developed a variety of engineering standards. This breath of experience has given her a deep understanding of Altalink’ s business, its people, and customers. Astried is known for her commitment to employee development, operational excellence, and exceptional customer service. 

Q & A with Astried

What excites you most about your work in IBR and grid reliability?

IBR type generators like solar panels, wind turbines and battery storage do not operate like traditional gas or coal generators. This technology uses power electronics to interface with the existing electric grid resulting in a re-design of the regulatory framework and fundamental principles of grid operation. It drives substantial  engineering challenges and opportunities for innovation to solve real world problems using new technology and data analysis.

What emerging challenges or opportunities are you seeing as Alberta’s grid evolves?

Voltage and frequency control, modeling and simulation of IBR controls, and energy supply dispatch are among some of the engineering challenges that are driving cutting edge research and technology development in Alberta. We are looking into Grid Enhancing technology (GET)  like Dynamic Line ratings, advanced conductors and other voltage and control equipment to optimize the capacity of the existing Grid and ensure system stability. Improving IBR models and simulation also present an opportunity for engineering development and grid operation. 

Can you share a defining moment in your career that shaped your leadership journey?

In my previous role in System Operations, I had the opportunity to work directly with large industrial customers, gaining insight into their operations and the importance of uninterrupted power supply. I also led restorations efforts during emergency events, which was a highly rewarding experience. 

How have you seen innovation and inclusion intersect in your work?

Innovation and inclusion have intersected my work through the collaboration with professionals from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds. These teams composed of individuals from across the globe have come together to scope and execute projects aimed at reducing interconnection costs for costumers, enhancing the efficiency and affordability of grid access.  The variety of perspectives and experiences on our teams consistently drive creative problem solving, operational resilience, and customer-focused outcomes. 

What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to women pursuing careers in the sector?

For women pursuing a career in the transmission utility industry, I would recommend:

• Pursue degrees in electrical engineering with focus in power systems and energy management.
• Join industry networks like IEEE Power and Energy Society.
• Learn regulatory frameworks and industry policies. 
• Stay informed about the latest technologies, the industry is shifting towards smart grids and automation.
• Build leadership and interpersonal skills alongside technical expertise.

What role do you think diverse leadership plays in advancing grid reliability and energy transition?

Leaders from varied backgrounds and across the globe bring their unique experience in the integration and operation of renewable systems. This enables the adoption of advanced technologies like smart grids and grid enhancing equipment. It also fosters collaboration and sharing across the industry including Regulatory frameworks and industry policies.

Why is it important to bring more voices and perspectives to technical leadership in energy?

Diverse leadership teams offer a broader range of experiences and problem-solving approaches, which leads to more creative and effective solutions.  This is especially important as the power industry navigates through complex challenges like grid modernization, renewable integration, and climate adaptation. Inclusive leadership also attracts and retains talent as employees feel valued and empowered. 

Hear more from Astried…

Astried will bring her expertise and perspective to Women+Power’s upcoming virtual panel, Inverter-Based Resources and Grid Reliability: Navigating the Future of Electricity Panel Presentation, on September 24, 2025. Alongside leaders from Enfinite, ENMAX, and AESO, she’ll explore the innovations, challenges, and collaborative strategies shaping the future of Alberta’s electricity system. This conversation is essential for anyone navigating the energy transition—from utility professionals to policy advocates and emerging leaders in the sector. Don’t miss this chance to learn from Astried and her peers. Register today to secure your spot.

As we gear up for our upcoming Inverter-Based Resources and Grid Reliability: Navigating the Future of Electricity Panel Presentation, we’re spotlighting the leaders who will be sharing their expertise. In this feature, we’re highlighting Mike Schoenenberger, Vice President, Development & Markets at Enfinite.

Mike leads Enfinite’s project development, regulatory engagement, and market integration strategies, helping to advance innovative energy storage and generation solutions that strengthen grid reliability. With a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, he is also shaping a culture that empowers women and underrepresented groups in energy and leadership.

About Enfinite

Enfinite is a Canadian leader in power generation and energy storage, delivering innovative solutions that enhance grid reliability and support a resilient energy future. As an owner and operator, the company is committed to seamlessly integrating its technologies with existing infrastructure to ensure energy stability and progress for all.

At the heart of Enfinite is a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. The company proudly supports and empowers women in energy and leadership, recognizing their critical role in driving innovation and shaping Canada’s energy landscape. As a signatory of the Electricity Human Resources Canada Leadership Accord on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Enfinite actively fosters a workplace where every voice is heard, valued, and respected. Guided by its core values – safety, people, collaboration, innovation, integrity, and resilience Enfinite is building a culture that celebrates diverse strengths and perspectives. For Enfinite, people are their greatest source of energy, and inclusion fuels shared success.

About the Speaker: Mike Schoenenberger

Mike Schoenenberger is the Vice President of Development & Markets at Enfinite, where he leads the company’s project development, regulatory, and market integration strategies. With over a decade of experience in engineering, project development, and smart grid technologies, Mike brings a deep understanding of both the oil and gas and power sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Calgary and is a registered Professional Engineer (P.Eng.).

Since joining Enfinite over four years ago as a Facilities Engineer, Mike has advanced through several key roles, reflecting his strong leadership and technical expertise. He now represents Enfinite in regulatory working groups and plays a pivotal role in advancing energy solutions that support a resilient grid.

A strong advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion, Mike has been a panelist with Women+Power and is actively building an inclusive Development and Markets team, including the advancement of women in leadership roles.

Q&A with Mike

What excites you most about your work in IBR and grid reliability?

Grid reliability ensures lights stay on, hospitals operate, data centers run, and economies function. My work allows me to contribute, in a small but meaningful way, to the backbone of modern civilization, solving problems that have real, immediate impact.

What role do you think diverse leadership plays in advancing grid reliability and energy transition?

We are currently experiencing a generational shift in how power is generated and used. The needs and requirements are fundamentally different which requires a shift in how we approach solutions. A diverse perspective is critical to drive new and innovative ideas that break the mold. 

Don’t miss this exciting Panel Presentation

Mike’s insights will be invaluable as we explore how inverter-based resources are reshaping Alberta’s grid and what it takes to ensure system reliability in a time of rapid change.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from Mike and our other expert panelists at Women+Power’s upcoming session:

📅 Date: September 24, 2025
🕛 Time: 12:00 – 1:15 PM (MT)
📍 Location: Online
💬 Format: Moderator-led panel with audience Q&A

👉 Register today and join the conversation: REGISTER NOW

As the energy industry undergoes one of the most transformative shifts in history, leaders like Tracy Spratt, Manager of ENMAX Power’s Office of the Chief Engineer, are helping shape how we navigate the challenges and opportunities of inverter-based resources (IBRs). With over two decades at ENMAX, Tracy has built her career leading technical teams, improving processes, and driving collaboration across the power sector.

In addition to her leadership at ENMAX, she serves as Chair of the Alberta Power Industry Consortium (APIC) and Electricity Canada’s Grid Modernization Committee, where she drives forward industry-wide conversations on reliability and technological change. Her insights on building strong technical foundations, embracing diverse perspectives, and leading through change are invaluable for anyone seeking to thrive in Alberta’s evolving energy landscape.

About ENMAX

ENMAX provides electricity services, products and solutions across the energy value chain—from regulated wires and power generation to energy retail. ENMAX is deeply committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve. We know diversity brings fresh perspectives, drives innovation and strengthens our culture. It’s not just a value—it’s integral to how we lead, grow and power the future. ENMAX is proud to have women represent 36 per cent of our workforce, 41 per cent of our leadership, and 63 per cent of our senior leadership. We are also building momentum toward long-term inclusion and belonging through both organizational and employee-led efforts, including employee resource groups and leadership training focused on equity and inclusion. By embedding these values across our culture, we’re creating a workplace where all employees feel respected, supported and empowered—and where diverse voices help shape the future of energy in the communities we serve.

About the Speaker: Tracy Spratt

Managing ENMAX Power’s Office of the Chief Engineer, Tracy leads a team that provides technical direction for ENMAX Power’s wide scope of Transmission and Distribution regulated business.  Tracy has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and is a professional engineer and responsible member with APEGA.  Having been with ENMAX for over 20 years,  most of it spent leading technical teams, Tracy has a passion for improving processes, inspiring collaboration and enhancing the development of the technical capabilities of ENMAX team members through mentorship and training.  She is chair of the board of the Alberta Power Industry Consortium (APIC) as well as Electricity Canada’s Grid Modernization Committee. 

Q & A with Tracy

What’s one piece of advice you’d offer to women pursuing careers in the sector?
I encourage women pursuing careers in power to spend the first few years gaining a solid base of technical understanding in your area; and then to move to various roles if you can; or collaborate with other role partners if moving around roles is challenging.  Find not only a mentor but a sponsor.  Be curious and open to new opportunities and different perspectives to broaden your knowledge of the industry.  Be ready for change.

Why is it important to bring more voices and perspectives to technical leadership in energy?
There are incredible opportunities not only in leadership of people, but leadership of technological change and advancement.  We grow when we surround ourselves with diversity of thought.  We will advance faster as an industry with increased perspectives collaborating; including people who look at challenges from different perspectives based on their life experience and their strengths.  Together there’s definitely a brighter energy future.

Register Today

Hear directly from Tracy and other industry leaders at Inverter-Based Resources and Grid Reliability: Navigating the Future of Electricity, a Women+Power virtual panel on September 24, 2025 (12:00–1:15 PM MT).

🔗 Register today to secure your spot and join the conversation shaping the future of Alberta’s electricity grid.

February 17, 2022

Post Author: Sharleen Gatcha, CEO & Founder, Women+Power

Tara Mohr, a career coach and author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead, has noticed something in her years of coaching women to reach their potential: we’re often not good at owning our accomplishments. As Mohr explains in her book, this is often why women excel as students: it’s quiet, heads-down work that’s then graded independently—it’s good work that’s then recognized as good work, without the need to draw any extra attention. This “good girl” modelling doesn’t serve us very well in the real world, though, where it’s easy to get overlooked if you’re not inclined to point out all of your accomplishments. Mohr explains her answers to some of the most important questions on the topic of women and self-promotion below.

Why is self-promotion so tricky for women?

It’s tricky for women to talk about their accomplishments and their abilities for a few different reasons. In the workplace, we tend to be judged more harshly than men for self-promoting, particularly when it’s other women who are doing the judging. (Yes, sadly, the research suggests that women are more likely than men to deem other women who advocate for themselves strongly as “unlikable.”) Combine that with good girl conditioning that tells us to never do anything that could come across as “full of ourselves,” and many women end up uncomfortable talking about their accomplishments, quite worried about coming across as “bragging” or “arrogant.” Then, in our discomfort, it’s easy to assume that putting a key accomplishment on a resumé is enough for it to be noticed in a job interview process, so we never bring it up in the interview. Or we assume, for years, that working hard and getting great results in our job is enough—but we don’t realize that the leaders around us are too busy to notice what we’ve done! What I’ve found working with women, is that at some point in their careers, many realize that to be put in the roles they want, to get the projects, the clients, the opportunities they desire, they have to figure out how to make people aware of their great performance. This is a realization many women are late to come by, especially if they were good student types in school because self-advocacy isn’t needed much to excel in the classroom. In school, we get used to doing heads-down, quiet, quality work without ever having to talk it up. In the workplace, the rules change. And yet, even as women realize they need to make their good work more visible to others, they also sense that they will probably need to do that in a little bit of a different way than their male counterparts do if they don’t want to be seen as arrogant, or not team-oriented. And that’s where many women feel stuck.

Are there ways to make the whole concept of self-promotion for women more comfortable (or is that uneasiness in and of itself, the real problem)?

What’s been helpful for me, and for so many women I work with, is to not think of self-promotion as pumping yourself up, faking, or striving to prove anything. Instead, it can be more of a centered, honest sharing, and highlighting of what you’ve truly accomplished. It’s really just what you’d say if we were able to take your inner critic and your fear of being seen as arrogant out of the conversation.
If the idea of self-promotion makes you cringe and want to run the other direction, here are a few tips for reframing the concept:

1. Don’t use the term “self-promotion”—even in your own head! That may sound too pushy, ego-centric, or just annoying to you. Think about “making your work visible” instead. That’s a much more comfortable framing for many women.
2. Focus on being of greater service. Instead of thinking about promoting yourself, call to mind the ways your talents and your work are of service to others. Get excited about the idea of having an impact – and expanding that to any positive impact on others.

How can women make their work visible? How does that manifest?

This first thing to do is to simply start living with this idea—that your works’ visibility is important and something to be mindful of. In my courses for women, I find that when women begin looking at their careers through that new lens, it often sparks a lot of insight for them, as well as ideas about how they can make their work more visible. Ask yourself, “Are my accomplishments visible within my organization?” Or, if you are an entrepreneur, you might ask, are my important accomplishments and best work visible in some way to current and potential clients, desired partners, or even my industry more broadly? It’s also helpful to think about the “who.” Who do you want to be aware of your good work? Who are the decision-makers impacting your career? Who are the leaders you’d like to work with more or be “tapped” by for future roles or special projects? Is anything currently in place that would make them aware of your good work? If not, what might help them become aware? You can brainstorm from there about ideas. For example, posting an updated portfolio of your great work on your website and sending out an announcement about it to past clients might move the needle. Or, if you work inside a large organization, you might send out an email commending the recent great work of your team, knowing that their work reflects well on you, as their manager. Or, you could set up a brown bag lunch for other departments in your organization to learn about the cool project your team has been working on, and to share best practices that you know would benefit the rest of the organization. The specifics will look different depending on your goals and organizational culture, but there are lots of ways to gracefully make you and your work more visible.

If a woman feels like they’re being overlooked in the workplace, how should they address this?

Sometimes the issue is that you’re doing great work but it’s not visible. If that’s the case, you need to brainstorm ideas for more visibility, like the ones above. Sometimes the issue is that you aren’t yet delivering the standout work that’s enough to get noticed. A lot of us are still waiting in some way for permission to play big, to share our voices. We’re waiting to be noticed by someone important—as if after that we’ll really start shining. But it works the other way around! If this is your situation, ask yourself, “What are my greatest strengths and are they coming forth here?” Think back on what abilities you’ve often been recognized for, or what talents propelled your biggest accomplishments. Are you using those strengths much in your current job? If not, brainstorm how you could use them more in your work. For example, if you realize you’ve been praised a lot for your abilities with numbers, maybe you want to take a bigger role in the quantitative planning your team does.

A second great question to ask is, “How can I add more value?” How can I contribute more of what will really move the dial for what matters to my company or team? Start doing those things! Or, if needed, talk with the appropriate person in your organization about your ideas for how you could add more value, and with them, decide on one or more to get started on.

And last but not least, ask some curious questions. Approach the people that you feel overlooked by and ask them: “Am I contributing what you’d like me to contribute? What would you like to see more of from me?” Aim to be surprised at least once by what you learn in this conversation. (If you are truly asking curious questions and listening carefully to the answers, you’ll be surprised by something you learn from them.)

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated globally on March 8 to honour the cultural, political, and socio-economic achievements of women. This year’s theme, #BreakTheBias, reminds us that conscious and unconscious bias serves as a significant barrier in limiting women, both personally and professionally. Your commitment to action is necessary to change this narrative.

To mark IWD, Women+Power is inviting members to submit an inspiring story about a time they acted or witnessed action that directly called out gender bias, discrimination, or stereotyping. Everyone that submits a story will be entered in a draw for a chance to win a $100 CAD Cadillac Fairview gift card. Women+Power will share some of the most powerful submissions in the days leading up to IWD 2022. The contest winner’s name and story will be published by Women+Power on March 8, 2022.
*A Google account is required for submission. Click here to create your account.