Chair of WPC Energy Canada, Dean has over 30 years of experience in the petroleum industry, both domestically and internationally, working with junior, intermediate, senior and integrated multinational companies, as well as time spent in the service sector. He has worked on exploration, production and development projects as well as A&D and corporate restructuring in North America, South America, Africa and the North Sea. Between 2003 and 2014 Dean held senior management roles at a number of oil and gas companies, most recently Chief Operating Officer of Caracal Energy Inc.

Sandrine Berezowski is the Co-Founder and CEO of Philosoph-AI, a Canadian–Genevan consultancy specializing in AI governance, ethical deployment, and strategic GenAI integration across sectors. With over 20 years of executive leadership experience and ongoing doctoral research in AI Governance, Ethics, and the Future of Work at the University of Alberta, she bridges technical innovation with real-world governance, change management, and impact strategy.

Kate McKenzie empowers people to share their story so it’s remembered and shared.

What makes Kate uniquely equipped to help others build their brand is her blend of lived experience and professional expertise. As an ICF-certified leadership coach, former Director of Marketing and Communications, and brand spokesperson, she understands both the personal and public sides of storytelling — from shaping reputation and managing narratives to evolving brands over time. With a Master’s in Digital Media, Kate combines creative strategy with deep insight into how people connect and communicate. And as someone who simply loves a good story, she ensures your story never sounds like marketing fluff — it resonates with real people in a real way.

Rob Dressler has over 20 years of experience supporting Canadian land teams through technology and data solutions. He has held roles with CNRL, Ovintiv/Encana, and Devon Energy, and now serves as Product Manager at Stack Technologies. Rob specializes in building practical solutions that help land teams reduce rework, improve data integrity, and make faster, more confident decisions.

Chris is part of the Account Management team and one of AbaData’s Software Trainers. Prior to joining AbaData, Chris spent 10+ years working in a variety of roles in surface land as a land agent, administrator and, First Nation facilitator across Alberta and BC.  Chris works hard to better understand the needs of AbaData’s partners to help them achieve success in their respective fields.  Drawing on his past experiences, he understands and values the importance of having access to good mapping and reliable datasets.  He has a great deal of appreciation and respect for the work performed by LEMAC’s membership.  When he’s not working, Chris enjoys spending his time volunteering and being outside with his family.

Aref Najafi, PhD, PEng, EP, CEM, PMP, is a prominent thought leader in carbon capture, utilization, and decarbonization. With over twenty years of experience in the oil and gas sector, he has been instrumental in developing and implementing various technologies. His extensive background includes roles in operations and major project development during the concept selection, design, and construction phases.

Matti Lemmens is a partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group at Stikeman Elliot. Her practice focuses on all aspects of dispute resolution, including domestic and international litigation, arbitration, and mediation. She has a diverse background across all areas of commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on oil and gas, securities, intellectual property, banking and insolvency, construction, real property, utilities, insurance, mining, and environmental matters.

A sustainable development and public affairs professional with over 15 years of experience that includes environmental engineering, municipal sustainability program management, the upstream oil and gas industry and Indigenous relations. She is motivated by the strong conviction that energy is about people and that abundant, affordable, low-emission energy is a precondition for growing the middle class, protecting the environment and in Canada, advancing reconciliation.

Currently serving as Chair of Energy for a Secure Future, Ms. Joseph spent close to 10 years in progressively senior roles at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, including as Senior Manager of Research and Development with its Green Municipal Fund and as the founding Director of the Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program, a $75 million capacity building and granting program focused on climate change mitigation and adaption at the community level.

John Desjarlais, a Nehinaw (Cree)-Métis leader from Cumberland House, Saskatchewan, serves as Executive Director of the Indigenous Resource Network (IRN) since March 2023. He has been instrumental in driving IRN’s advocacy to ensure Indigenous peoples are meaningfully included in Canada’s resource economy—from board leadership to leading public campaigns like Ownership is Reconciliation.

An engineer by training (B.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan) with business credentials including an MBA and certifications in governance and communications, John brings extensive leadership experience. He’s held senior roles in engineering, mining operations, occupational safety, and First Nations economic development, notably serving as president of Engineers & Geoscientists Saskatchewan (APEGS). He also led an industrial contracting and construction firm as General Manager.

Larson Starlight is a proud member of both the Tsuut’ina Nation and Siksika Nation. He was raised on the Tsuut’ina Nation and completed his primary and secondary education in the City of Calgary before pursuing post-secondary studies in British Columbia.

Larson began his professional career as a golfer at Redwood Meadows Golf and Country Club, where he developed his leadership and teamwork skills. He later transitioned into the gaming industry, serving as General Manager of the Charities Department at Grey Eagle Casino, where he oversaw community benefit initiatives and partnerships.

Today, Larson serves as the Director of External Affairs for Northern Dancer Energy. In this role, he focuses on building meaningful relationships between First Nations communities and the energy sector, ensuring that Indigenous perspectives and partnerships are integrated into Northern Dancer’s projects across Western Canada.

Vishal Saini holds a Bachelor of Commerce with Distinction in Petroleum Land Management from the University of Calgary and completed the Public Policy Executive Leadership Program at the University of Ottawa. Since November 2024, he has served as Acting Manager, Policy at Indian Oil and Gas Canada (IOGC), where he collaborates with the Department of Justice and First Nations to amend legislation for oil and gas development on First Nation lands.

Dr. Trina Read, a Sexologist and host of the Pursuit of Pleasure podcast, is an accomplished author, educator, and speaker dedicated to helping people build stronger, healthier, and more fulfilling relationships. With a Doctorate in Human Sexuality and a background in communication, she has spent her career demystifying complex topics and making them approachable, practical, and engaging.

Sag is an Enterprise Data Architect by trade, but prefers the title Data Shepherd , which on most days, seems far more appropriate. Just as a shepherd guides and protects their flock, Sag helps organizations understand the data they possess, identify what truly matters, and herd it toward quality, security, governance, and ultimately, meaningful business value. He has extensive experience with every breed of information management, data classification, and regulatory compliance program, and is actively learning everything he can about the implications of AI on both enterprise and personal data.

Lars De Pauw has guided Alberta’s Orphan Well Association (OWA) through a transformative era since joining the organization in 2017. Under his leadership, OWA has emerged as one of Canada’s largest and most active energy-site closure agencies, accelerating the decommissioning and reclamation of legacy oil and gas infrastructure across the province.

A seasoned environmental engineer, Lars brings a technical background in environmental reclamation and organizational leadership to the OWA. His early experience working with energy producers and service companies laid the foundation for his current role, where he leads cross-sector collaboration to ensure Alberta’s lands are safely and sustainably restored.

Ericka Rios brings over 15 years of expertise in clean energy and sustainability to her role at Alberta Innovates. As Clean Technology Manager, she leads pioneering projects across hydrogen innovation and Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS)—including advanced CO₂ removal techniques and BECCS (biomass with carbon capture) solutions.

Holding a Chemical Engineering degree from Universidad Industrial de Santander (Colombia) and an M.Sc. in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering from the University of Calgary, Ericka blends strong technical foundations with global insights. Her professional journey spans influential roles as a New Ventures Analyst, Project Engineer at CNOOC, and a key contributor to cross-sector clean-tech initiatives at InnoTech Alberta.

Scott Clark grew up on a family farm in Northern Alberta, and still works the land with his father and extended family. After graduating from the University of Alberta with a degree in Economics, he began a career as a Surface Landman, Realtor, and Project Manager.

Scott manages the acquisition of land, permitting and rezoning for energy infrastructure, mining projects, industrial facilities, commercial and residential projects, and agricultural programs. His experience has enabled him to execute effectively on projects across North America and collaborate closely with governments, municipalities, and First Nations to achieve mutually beneficial results.

Grace has over a decade of experience in renewable energy policy and program development. She has served on the Board of Directors for Solar Alberta, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating Alberta’s transition to a just and sustainable energy future, for over three years. Grace’s career spans roles in both Canada and the United States, including work in residential solar, electricity policy, and clean energy advocacy. She brings a systems-level perspective and a strong commitment to community-driven energy transformation to her work. In her free time, she can be found exploring the mountains with her family or attempting to recreate tasty dishes from her travels.

Ryan Tourigny is the Chief Development Officer (CDO) and a co-founder of Nucleon Energy Inc., a Calgary-based Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology and operations company focused on deploying modular nuclear technologies across North America. In his role as CDO, Mr. Tourigny oversees sight selection and stakeholder inclusion with special focus on forming public-private-Indigenous project partnerships suited to the coordination and alignment required to make SMR deployments successful. He has been involved in the company’s efforts in Alberta, North Dakota and Texas, and has been actively engaged in legislative discussions regarding the future deployment of nuclear power.