For the last few months, the Energy Futures Lab has been in recruitment mode, searching for promising leaders and influencers from across Alberta’s energy landscape to join the EFL Fellowship.

We can’t wait to see the ingenuity and energy that the new cohort brings to the EFL Innovation Pathways.

Why is the EFL actively seeking new Fellows? Because Alberta and Canada need bold innovators to play a leading role in identifying, testing and scaling creative energy initiatives that will have a lasting impact on Albertans and Canadians. We also sensed a need for more diversity, and to close gaps in representation within the Fellowship.

The newest EFL Fellows bring increased representation from entrepreneurs, rural Alberta, women, and the technology sector. We are still seeking more Indigenous representation as well as leaders from the utilities and finance sectors to join the Fellowship.

The new Fellows have embarked on an exciting journey, where they will co-create solutions and initiatives. Systems-thinking is crucial to gaining insight into the evolution of Alberta’s energy system. For that, the new Fellows participate in the Newtonian Shift simulation and the Leadership Bootcamp as well as attend a number of Energy Futures Lab workshops. New Fellows join our veteran EFL Fellows in supporting and scaling initiatives of the Lab. We can’t wait to see the ingenuity and energy that the new cohort brings to the EFL Innovation Pathways.

I am proud to announce the first intake of EFL 2017 Fellows. Welcome to the Energy Futures Lab!

Candice Paton, Alberta Innovates
Chelsea Erhardt, Capital Power Corporation
Cor Koster, GP JOULE Canada
Elizabeth (Liz) Lappin, Castle Rock Consulting Ltd.
Elizabeth Shirt, Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA)
Gary Millard, Shell Canada Ltd.
Juli Rohl, The Alberta ReGeneration Project
James Van Leeuwen, Ventus Development Services Inc.
Laura Kennett, Enbridge
Maja Veljkovic, IBM
Melanie Popp, Alberta Innovation Engine
Patricia Bourne, EQUS REA LTD.

Meet all EFL Fellows.

Feature Energy Futures Lab Fellow

Meet Patricia Bourne, CEO of EQUS REA LTD., a rural-based power cooperative that distributes electricity to more than 12,000 homes and businesses across a large part of rural Alberta. Almost 25 years ago, she started as the first employee of CAREA, one of the predecessors of EQUS. Under her leadership, the organization has grown from one employee to over one hundred. She has won a Woman’s Award of Excellence in Business and the Professions in Central Alberta and has recently been nominated as a Woman of Excellence by Global TV Edmonton. Meet more EFL Fellows!

Alison Cretney manages the Energy Futures Lab and is Director, Knowledge and Design at the Natural Step Canada.