Generation Power encourages Indigenous youth to explore careers in clean energy. It is also an essential piece of the clean energy landscape in Canada that nurtures the leadership potential of both Indigenous youth and energy sector employers to advance a sustainable and equitable energy future.
John Jensen has a degree from the University of Phoenix BSc in Business Management, and pursued a Master of Environmental Management from Royal Roads University. John was a director of the Yukon Energy Board. John is from the Gaanaxtedi Clan for the Carcross Tagish First Nation (CTFN). John has experience in directing private development of clean tech energy systems. John’s ambition is to create sustainable energy for the Yukon and work on business developments for the three corporations he owns. Currently, John is working on implementing Vision AI.
Sara Fralin is a 4th generation Canadian, born and raised in Vancouver on the traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples. Sara’s Jewish ancestors escaped the Pogroms of Russia and arrived in Canada in 1923 as refugee immigrants. Sara is grateful to live on the unceded, ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəjˀəm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil Waututh) Nations.
Sara’s appreciation for nature led her to pursue a Master of Arts degree in Sustainability Studies from Trent University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Environment Studies from the University of Victoria.
Sara currently works with the Aboriginal Housing Management Association as an Energy Advisor for Indigenous Housing. She works to support peer learning and share success stories among Indigenous housing providers in B.C. to improve sustainability, reduce energy use and build capacity in energy management.
Sara has worked in the cleantech sector since 2014. She has experience in renewable energy generation, electric vehicles, climate change adaptation, and green building.
Leona Humchitt is the Climate Action Coordinator for the Haiłzaqv Nation of Bella Bella, British Columbia.
She credits her journey and capacity building for clean energy to the Indigenous Clean Energy Leadership program, the 20/20 Catalyst Program, an intensive clean energy capacity-building program that provides practical and applied learning about renewable energy, community energy planning, energy efficiency and conservation.
She is currently working locally and regionally with a peer network of Climate Action Coordinators that has representation of eight participating Coastal First Nations of B.C. They support each other and collaborate on efforts to decarbonize our coast, transition off diesel generation and reduce transportation of fossil fuels through our ecologically and culturally significant territories.
Nationally, the Haiłzaqv Nation is one of 15 remote and rural First Nations communities participating in the Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative (IOD). The Haiłzaqv Nation has just completed its community-led Clean Energy Plan. As a grandmother, this work has become much more meaningful and important for Leona. “We have an obligation to ensure that through climate action, we protect and preserve our collective future for our children yet to come. “
She serves on many boards related to climate change. Leona is a member of the Indigenous Clean Energy Advisory Board and was recently blessed to attend COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland with ICE. She deems this a game-changer and an amazing opportunity to represent her nation on the international platform.
As the first point of entry for all industry undertakings, Kyla’s main priority is protecting the rights and interests of Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan Anishinaabek, along with teaching her community how to adapt in a changing climate. She sees the truly value in the use of green/clean energy in order to fight Climate Change and lower carbon emissions for the next generations. Kyla also works closely alongside the Community Planner and Development Manager researching best practices as they push forward into construction. She has been exploring clean energy initiatives to help her community move forward to achieve their vision of a Green Community and has a profound passion for environmental preservation and protection. Kyla believes if humanity works together to understand and carry out these clean energy initiatives, our world will still be here seven generations from now. In addition, she has strong feelings towards youth engagement, talking to them, listening to them, including them in the dialogue and teaching them new ways of seeing. Equipping the youth of tomorrow with all the tools of today is so important. Kyla is the mother of six Ojibway children and co-author of The Palgrave Handbook of Global Arts Education.
Ed Genova is a Mi’kmaq from Metepenagiag First Nation. He graduated from the University of New Brunswick in Biology and Physical Education. Ed worked as an educator and administrator for 10 years. In 2007, he left the education field to work in the industry and has been with New Brunswick Power Corporation for over 10 years. As a part of the First Nations Affairs Team at NB Power, Ed has had the opportunity to take human resource management and energy fundamentals for leaders. His work has helped him improve relations, deal with legacy issues, offer guidance, support and facilitation to Indigenous communities here in NB.
Ed has been given the opportunity to work with many Indigenous organizations, Government departments, funding agencies and Indigenous people in various areas of the workforce. He is a passionate educator and believes that in order for communities to reach self-sufficiency, more capacity-building is needed.
Mi’kmaw/Settler from K’jpuktuk, a member of the Indigenous Professional Association of Canada and co-founder of Indigenous Treaty Partners (ITP), Corey Mattie has always been involved with supporting Canadians through complex topics. As a professional keynote speaker to international audiences, including the G7 Research summit, United Nation Canada, and Parliament Hill, Corey strongly advocates for the importance of environmental enhancement, social responsibility, and ethical business practices. A local from Mi’Kma’ki (Atlantic Canada), Corey places strong value on the adoption of Indigenous practice and a triple bottom line for corporate Canada.
Holding a Bachelor of Commerce from Saint Mary’s University, a Certificate in ISO Management from the University of Toronto and Ryerson, a Certificate from the Foundation for Environmental Stewardship, a LEED Accreditation, Antiracism training from both the Human Rights Commission and InterActivist. Corey is well-rounded in various aspects of the Canadian economic industry and ethical management.
Currently, he supports various NGOs, including Community Foundations of Canada which supports the mobilization of 93 billion dollars in community endowments, Sector Council of Nova Scotia, which supports the enhancement of non-profits across Canada; and Scotia Wind, a medium sized for-profit renewable energy producer. Here Corey Mattie offers years of experience to maximize impact and support knowledge sharing of Indigenous practices, partnership, and decolonization.
Calvin is a proud member of the Mikisew Cree people. Walking in two worlds, he has braided western and traditional teachings to benefit the community of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, and the Athabasca region. He moved back home in 2014 as a Community Liaison/substitute teacher at Athabasca Delta Community School in Fort Chip and to manage a local store. From 2017 to 2020, Calvin served as elected Councillor of the Mikisew Cree First Nation. His accomplishments included a leadership role in securing funding for a new water treatment for his people. During his term, he worked hard to build up Mikisew’s economic and environmental capacity to create a path towards sovereignty while making space at the table for environmental protection through indigenous inclusion.He also served as a Director of Mikisew Group of Companies 2017-2020 and Co-Chair for Mikisew Government-Industry Relations, where he was a part of the 49 per cent interest deal in Suncor’s East Tank Farm Development (ETFD)(November 2017) and part of the phase 1 of the Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Park (March 2018).
Calvin was active in the 2018 founding and start-up of Three Nations Energy – a 100 per cent indigenous-owned partnership responsible for developing, owning and operating a 2.35 MW Fort Chipewyan Solar Farm. He also played a lead role in initiating several green energy/housing projects with Mikisew Cree First Nation.Since early high school, Calvin has been passionate about protecting and stewarding Mother Earth and, specifically, the significance of Indigenous climate action as we transition into a climate-friendly world. Calvin was an early 20/20 Catalyst program participant with Indigenous Clean Energy. He now serves on the ICE Advisory Council and is a coach and mentor for the 20/20 catalyst program and the Generation Power Program. In 2021, he also acted as facilitator/host of Indigenous Clean Energy’s “Power hour” webinar.
Calvin has recently joined Greenplanet Energy Analytics as an Advisor, Technology Analyst and Community Educator. At the same time, he continues working with youth, elders and the community in Fort Chipewyan and beyond on a wide range of social, cultural and environmental initiatives.
Kekinusuqs, Dr. Judith Sayers, is the President of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and an adjunct professor with the School of Business and Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria.Judith practiced law for 18 years and served fourteen years as Chief of the Hupacasath First Nation. As Chief of her First Nation, she focused on capacity building and sustainable development. Judith was instrumental in several sustainable development projects and put in place mechanisms to help protect Hupacasath territory.
Judith is on the boards of BC Ferries, Clean Energy BC, Island Corridor Foundation, BC Achievement Foundation and New Relationship Trust Foundation.
Judith received Clean Energy BC’s Lifetime Achievement Award, was inducted into the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business Hall of Fame and has been the recipient of the Bora Laskin Fellowship on Human Rights, a Finalist for the Buffet award for indigenous leadership and twice awarded the Woman of Distinction from the Alberni Chamber of Commerce. She has received the Silver Award from the Canadian Environmental Association for Climate Change. Judith has also been admitted as a member of the Order of Canada.
Blair Hogan is a Teslin Tlingit First Nation Citizen who has a strong history of effective community leadership in business development, economic development, and intergovernmental relations. Blair has assisted his self-governing first nation, the Teslin Tlingit Council and Community of Teslin, in developing political and financial strategies to access a wide-range of funds necessary to facilitate local community development and local opportunity creation. One of the biggest successes from Blair’s tenure as Executive Councillor is the successful development, launch, and long-term financing of Teslin’s local economic development agency, the Dèslin Development Corporation (DDC). Also working with various directors and subject matter experts to determine the best approaches to developing and capturing own source revenue as a self-governing First Nation and working to create multiple opportunities for the community.
Blair has also helped the community of Teslin, Yukon implement one of the Yukon’s most successful biomass district heating systems supplied from locally sourced wood chips.
Melina is Lubicon Cree from Northern Alberta. She has worked on social, environmental and climate jMelina is Lubicon Cree from Northern Alberta. She has worked on social, environmental and climate justice issues for the past 20 years. Melina is the Just Transition Director at Indigenous Climate Action, the Founder of Sacred Earth Solar and a Fellow at the David Suzuki Foundation. She is also the host of a TV series called Power to the People, which profiles renewable energy, food security and eco-housing projects in Indigenous communities across Canada. Facing firsthand impacts of the Alberta tar sands in her traditional territory, Melina has been a vocal advocate for Indigenous rights and environmental justice. For over a decade, Melina worked as a Climate and Energy Campaigner with Greenpeace Canada and the Indigenous Environmental Network internationally. She has written for various publications and produced short documentaries on the tar sands, climate change, water issues and Indigenous cultural revitalization. Melina has studied, campaigned, and worked in Brazil, Australia, Mexico, Canada, and Europe, focusing on resource extraction, climate change impacts, media literacy, and Indigenous rights & responsibilities.
Melina also works on the issue of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women in Canada after the suspicious death of her sister Bella whose case remains unsolved. Melina currently serves on the boards of Seeding Sovereignty and NDN Collective, as well as the executive steering committee of the Indigenous Clean Energy Social Enterprise.
Mr. Troy Jerome is a citizen of the Mi’gmaq Nation, residing at Listuguj, Québec. He has devoted much of his career serving the Mi’gmaq Nation as a firm believer in the inherent right to self-government and their permanent sovereignty over their lands and resources.
From 2004, Mr. Jerome began to closely monitor the development of the Wind Energy industry taking hold in Gespe’gewa’gi. Seeing that Quebec was mobilizing to install over 40% of its 4,000 MW of wind energy projects ($4.0 Billion investment) in his people’s territory, he pushed to have Chiefs and Councils demand that the Quebec Assembly discuss energy projects with the Mi’gmaq on a Nation-to-Nation basis.
After discussions with Chiefs regarding natural resources, title rights and nation-building strategies; including a plan to put forward a major wind energy initiative for the Mi’gmaq, Mr. Jerome was asked to serve as Executive Director and Nutewistoq for the Mi’gmaq of Gespe’gewa’gi’s political lobbying office, the Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Secretariat (MMS). This initiative was considered successful when the 150 MW wind farm became operational in December 2016 — this Mi’gmaq wind farm continues to bring power to 30,000 households.
After completing his tenure with the MMS, Troy created SEN’TI Environmental and Indigenous Services, followed by SEN’TI Innovations. Troy continues to bring forward a future in which renewables and clean technology become mainstream.
SEN’TI is currently working to build and operate a first-of-its-kind in North America. It will be the first commercial, small-scale, Green Ammonia plant in the world.
SEN’TI will synthesize green ammonia in the Gaspesie using renewable energy from wind farms and hydro dams and will provide the green ammonia as a de-nox agent to reduce the emissions from the manufacturing of cement.
SEN’TI sees a future wherein Quebec and the Maritime provinces synthesize green ammonia as a safe and carbon-free alternative to diesel – as a clean power fuel for heavy equipment and marine vessels and as a large-scale battery for northern communities.
Mr. Jerome also serves as a Co-Chair and mentor with the Indigenous Clean Energy Social Enterprise supporting Indigenous communities in becoming energy independent and helping Indigenous Nations lead Canada away from fossil fuels and the transition into renewable and clean technology.
Ms. Scott is founder and principal investigator of Kishk Anaquot Health Research (KAHR), an independent Indigenous owned and operated consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, program design, performance measurement, partnership development and environmental sustainability with a varied client base of universities, government departments, professional associations, international and non-governmental organizations, school boards, health centres and communities.Her career spans a broad spectrum of activities related to public health, governance, comprehensive sustainability planning as well as international, organizational, and community development. Ms. Scott holds a Master of Science from the University of Waterloo. She is a member of the International Society of Sustainability Professionals and the Canadian Sustainability Indicators Network. Her professional interests include advancing democracy through distributed, community-owned clean energy systems, reinforcing moral independence and self-directing freedom for Indigenous communities through energy independence and amplifying the nexus between human health, energy, and environmental integrity.