Georgina Newell

Georgina Newell
Georgina Newell

CIP Senior Manager and Manager, Operations Compliance, Document Control and Asset Information
TransAlta

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”

Michael Jordan

Georgina manages a team of multi-disciplinary professionals who oversee compliance risk, regulatory policy, growth projects, engineering and asset information management across TransAlta’s North America portfolio. She has spent 20 years of her career working in power distribution, generation, transmission and regulatory compliance. Currently, she chairs an industry group for the implementation of reliability standards and the associated best practices. Also, she sits on a sub-committee run by the Idaho National lab for the advancement of careers in Operational Technology.  She loves the people and the challenges of working in power generation. Georgina is passionate about helping women in the industry and would like to give back by providing utility knowledge to young women just starting out in their careers. Now is her chance to make an impact!

Johanne Picard-Thompson

Johanne Picard-Thompson
Johanne Picard-Thompson

Executive Vice President, Customer and Corporate Services
AltaLink

Board Chair

Johanne is a graduate from the University of Toronto’s Engineering Science Program and Queen’s University Master of Business Administration program. Prior to joining AltaLink, Johanne held senior executive roles in the oil and gas and manufacturing sectors. At Shell Canada she was the General Manager, Oil Sands Growth Operations, and oversaw operations, commissioning, and startup planning for expansion projects. At Celestica she was the Senior Vice President of Canadian Operations, responsible for multiple production facilities and more than 40 production lines.

Other notable career highlights include serving on the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s (NAIT) Advisory Board for the Shell Manufacturing Centre and receiving the Globe and Mail’s recognition as one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 for her leadership in growing Celestica’s Canadian Operations. Johanne also received the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Engineering 2T5 Mid-Career Achievement Award recognizing alumni who have earned respect within the profession and within the broader Canadian community.

Katrina Edgerton-McGhan

Katrina Edgerton-McGhan
Katrina Edgerton-McGhan

Counsel
DLA Piper (Canada) LLP

“Please do more to hire, support, and encourage talented women who want to work. Women don’t look or talk like Perry Mason, and you don’t want us to. We often are more creative, smarter, more persistent, and harder-working than men, and we actually win cases. So call me a Lady Lawyer. Just don’t underestimate me in Court.”

Lisa Blatt

Katrina is a litigation lawyer who supports clients in the power industry. As part of her role, she learns in an in-depth way about her clients’ business and goals to help them through challenging times and achieve their desired outcomes. Katrina is an extremely committed pro bono diversity advocate, particularly in the areas of equity and diversity in traditionally male-dominated industries. She feels privileged to be involved in such an important initiative in the power industry.

Kristjana Kellgren

Kristjana Kellgren
Kristjana Kellgren

Executive director, Rates
Alberta Utilities Commission

The most effective way to do it, is to do it.

Amelia Earhart

Kristjana is an active member of the AUC’s executive team, and leads a division of multi-disciplinary professionals who support the Commission’s determination of rate and tariff-related matters. Before her current role, Kristjana held a variety of roles at the AUC including director of the electric and gas distribution team and as in-house counsel. Prior to joining the AUC, Kristjana worked as a lawyer in private practice with a particular focus on municipal, regulatory and administrative law matters.

Kristjana is passionate about the empowerment of women, and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion more broadly. She hopes to contribute to Women + Power’s continued momentum and success!  

Shanelle Sinclair

Shanelle Sinclair
Shanelle Sinclair

Manager, Regulatory
Heartland Generation Ltd.

“Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.”

Anne Sweeney

Shanelle is responsible for implementing Heartland’s strategic vision for the Alberta wholesale electricity market and managing the company’s portfolio of regulatory applications. She has considerable experience in competition law relating to electricity markets, compliance, and the regulatory aspects of project development. Shanelle finds it energizing to collaborate with likeminded women through Women+Power.

Suha Shehadeh

Suha Shehadeh
Suha Shehadeh

Director, Strategy and Corporate Services
AESO

“It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about where you get yourself in the end. There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice.”

Michelle Obama, “Becoming”

Suha is an experienced technology strategist who has led and delivered multimillion-dollar digital transformation programs that required significant change management and collaboration. She continues to play a key role in enabling digital transformation that advances the AESO’s strategic goals and offers an engaging IT experience for the AESO and its stakeholders.

Suha has extensive experience in the energy utilities and transportation industries and is passionate about shaping a culture of belonging and diversity for women within the utilities sector. By actively sharing her experiences with other women, Suha is contributing to a future of inclusivity, where individuals from all walks of life can thrive together and leaders of all genders can one day be seamlessly woven into the fabric of an organization without experiencing any unnecessary hurdles.

Yining Yuan

Yining Yuan
Yining Yuan

Investment Banking Associate
Macquarie Group

Yining provides Capital Markets & Advisory services at Macquarie Group to clients in the power industry and the energy transition space. With a decade of experience, Yining has worked in various roles in the power industry from engineering, operations, strategy & corporate development, concessionary financing to capital markets & advisory, with a transmission provider, an Independent Power Producer, a government agency and an investment bank. In her career often as the only female sitting at the table, Yining believes it has been long overdue to have more women in the industry and is passionate about being a part of that transition.

Evan Bahry

Evan Bahry
Evan Bahry

Executive Director
Energy Connections Canada

“You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.”

Margaret Thatcher

Evan has spent a career in public policy; first working in Ottawa for a Minister in Mulroney’s government, then as Executive Director of the Independent Power Producers Society of Alberta (IPPSA) and now as Executive Director of Energy Connections Canada. He’s learned a) never to confuse correct with popular, b) there are way more sides than two in any given issue, especially when it comes to electricity policy, and c) and that leadership starts with listening. He’s a devoted husband and proud father.

He recognizes the strong role women have had in Alberta’s electricity industry and wants to help by increasing the opportunities for women, reducing barriers and expanding allies.