econext‘s Board of Directors provide direction and support to the organization’s staff in their work to accelerate clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The following ten (10) candidates, in alphabetical order by last name, have been nominated for a total of five (5) positions:
Nominee bios follow below.
Biography:
Laurie Coady, CPA/CMA, is a strategic, collaborative, and results-oriented leader with over 25 years of experience in energy, education and financial services in Newfoundland and Labrador and throughout Canada. She has an extensive background in corporate finance, commercial negotiations and risk management and a deep knowledge of the province’s energy industry.
Currently, as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at North Atlantic, Laurie oversees all the financial and technology-related activities for the network of residential, commercial, and wholesale business divisions while supporting its long-term renewables strategy. Laurie’s depth of experience across various finance disciplines, combined with her energy industry knowledge are key to driving North Atlantic’s operational acumen and delivering sustainable growth. While maintaining robust financial strength for North Atlantic’s ongoing business, Laurie will play a key role as the company advances its position at the forefront of the integrated renewable energy sector.
Prior to joining North Atlantic, Laurie held senior finance and commercial positions within the energy sector, including ExxonMobil Canada and the Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador. In these roles, Laurie led major initiatives in areas such as offshore crude marketing and transportation, acquisitions, joint venture negotiations and system and control implementations.
In addition to her CPA/CMA designation, Laurie has an MBA from Queen’s University, and her Bachelor of Commerce (Co-operative) degree is from Memorial University. Laurie has been actively involved in volunteer activities with several non-profit organizations including the Writers Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Avalon Minor Hockey Association and the Newfoundland and Labrador Lacrosse Association.
Laurie is currently a member of the Audit Committee with the Canadian Kennel Club, a position she has held since 2019.
Interest in econext’s Board of Directors:
The role of econext in the expanding and evolving energy sector, aligned to environmentally sustainable growth for Newfoundland and Labrador, has arguably, never been so important. As you support your members and remain true to your position as the environmental steward in this province, the challenges ahead will require an integrated approach to thought leadership and innovative solutions. My enthusiasm to collaborate as a member of econext’s Board of Directors, comes from my passion to advance your mandate together with other people who care as deeply about our province and its future as I do.
In summary, my objectives for serving on the econext Board of Directors are as follows:
Biography:
Kris is Director – Development and Operations with the Province’s oil and gas corporation. He is a civil engineer with a masters degree in oil and gas and a law degree. He has over 23 years of experience across a broad range of areas in the onshore and offshore industry. Kris is firmly focused on the responsible development of our offshore resources through the energy transition. Since 2016 he has been advancing the understanding of our offshore industry’s environmental performance in the global context, specifically our emissions intensity performance. Over the last four years he been working on studies related to our potential role during the energy transition to 2050 and beyond. The last two years have specifically seen Kris working on the Net Zero Project with econext and Energy NL, and he sees great potential in our offshore continuing to set the standard for environmental performance.
Interest in econext’s Board of Directors:
econext represents the best our Province has to offer in the environmental industries. The innovation and technical expertise in our Province is second to none. This means we can not only lead the way in our Province, but our member’s expertise can and should be exported worldwide. My background in the offshore will help to keep a focus on environmental oversight and performance in what continues to be an extremely important economic pillar in our Province. Furthermore, I believe the continued development of our offshore is not mutually exclusive from transitioning to a green economy. They can be complementary and econext members will be integral to that success.
Biography:
Donald Drew along with his wife Rosalynn are proud to call the historic Town of Bay Bulls home. As Operations Manager with Newco Metal and Auto Recycling Ltd he has assumed the responsibilities relate to acquisition and distribution of material and equipment. His duties also include Regional, Municipal, Provincial, and Federal approvals and agreements. Other responsibilities include corporate material acquisition, international export, health and safety requirements, environmental approvals and regulations. Mr. Drew is presently serving as a board member with ECONEXT and chair of the Finance Committee. He has 15 years’ experience as mayor, deputy-mayor, and councillor with the Town of Bay Bulls; duties included Chair of Finance, Public Works, Development, and Tourism. During that time Bay Bulls was honoured with more municipal awards than any other town in the province.
He has also served as Chair and Vice Chair of the Northeast Avalon Joint Town Council. 29 years as president of the Harbour Authority of Bay Bulls ( Longest serving Port Representative in Eastern Canada), 25 years as owner/operator of a commercial fishing enterprise, 8 years as a Marine Emergency Duties instructor, and 9 years as a Red Cross first Aid Instructor. He is the 2006 recipient of the Irish Loop Economic Development Board Volunteer of the Year Award and was the proud recipient of the National Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Small Craft Harbours 2011 Prix d ‘Excellence for “Individual Commitment” to the Canadian Ports and Harbours Program. He holds diplomas or certificates in Marine Diesel Engineering, Fishery Science Technical, and Marine Safety Instructor from the Marine Institute. Mr. Drew has also completed a certificate in Economic Development Tourism Relate with the University of Moncton, (Bouctouche training), along with training in Environmental Awareness, Health and Safety, and Community Leadership. He also serves as a volunteer on numerous committees and boards throughout the province, and is a volunteer fundraising organizer with a number of charities. Newco Metal & Auto Recycling Ltd is also proud to have received the Econext 2021 Business Excellence Award.
Interest in econext’s Board of Directors:
Since forming over 30 years ago Econext (Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industries Association) has continued to grow, expanded, and evolve into one of the most respected industry association of its type in the country. Allowing our members to benefit from the growth the association has experienced. Whether trade missions to other countries, partnerships with industry or government, network opportunities, or educational programs Econext has continued to be the catalyst for growth. As a member company representative its been a pleasure to play a part in the growth and experiencing the benefits of being involved. The diversity and involvement of the board along with the hard work and dedication of the staff has played a key part in the success of Econext. If I am re-elected to the board it will be my goal to continue on the strategic path that has been created. Always evolving as to what the industry, province, and the members require. The environment and all the industry that supports it have come a long way in the past 30 years in this province and I am please to say I have been actively playing a part in that growth. I ask for your support to continue that work with the association and an active position on the board.
Biography:
Ian is Tiller’s Manager of Business Development and Operational Excellence and has been a St. John’s City Councillor since 2017. He has a degree in Civil Engineering from Memorial University. Ian founded the social enterprise St. John’s Tool Library and has extensive community involvement, including senior Board leadership locally and nationally. With experience in two-levels of government, national organizations, and business, Ian brings a solutions-oriented leadership approach.
Interest in econext’s Board of Directors:
As a highly experienced Board Director, my primary objective as a member of the Econext Board of Directors would be to utilise my expertise and extensive board experience to advance the organisation’s mission of promoting sustainable business practices, accelerating clean growth and transitioning to a low-carbon economy in Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada.
I have a strong track record of strategy development, Board leadership, partnership development and organisational oversight. I’m currently the Manager of Business Development and Organisational Excellence at Tiller Engineering where I lead the pursuit of growth and business modernization. I am also a St. John’s City Councillor for Ward 4 and have been since October 2017. As a City Councillor, I have focused on a range of key issues, including climate change and environmental protection, public transit, parks and open spaces, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, representation of vulnerable communities, and budget oversight. I have provided strategic priority and financial oversight to senior staff managing the City budget and have liaised with government officials, community organisations, and stakeholders.
Additionally, I have served as Chair (and am currently Vice Chair) of the St. John’s Transportation Commission, which is the Board of Directors of the public transit operator in the St. John’s region. In this role, I guided the development of 5-year strategic priorities, capital plans, performance objectives and evaluation approaches.
Overall, I believe that my experience as at Tiller, as a City Councillor, engineer, and Board Director make me a valuable candidate for the Econext Board of Directors. I am confident that I can leverage my experience to help guide the organisation’s strategic direction and contribute to its efforts to accelerate clean growth in our province.
Biography:
Thomas Green, TJ as most know him, is a Canadian business executive with a passion for the environment and a proven track record of success in operations management. He is currently the Director of Operations at ASL Energy.
TJ’s experience in operations management includes Operations Lead and Operations Manager at Pennecon Marine from 2014 to 2021, where he oversaw the daily operations on-site, prepared for upcoming projects, pursued future work opportunities, and built a reputation as a leader in client satisfaction.
TJ’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to found Composite Mats Canada, where he served as CEO before merging the company with ASL Energy in 2023. Under his leadership, the company became a leading provider of composite matting solutions in Canada, while also working with industry players to form a plan for developing his ideas on new lines of environmentally sustainable products that will revolutionize the aerospace and subsea construction industries.
With a background in offshore oil and gas, he started his career as an Engine Room Operator at Canship Ugland Limited where he spent time working in Europe, Brazil and throughout the Eastern Seaboard of North America. TJ went on to work in the Subsea Engineering department on semi-submersible drilling rigs offshore Newfoundland. His diverse experiences have given him a unique perspective on the energy industry, which he leverages in his current role to excel in business development, project management, site management, and LEED initiatives.
TJ’s passion for the environment and innovative spirit makes him an ideal candidate for a role on the board of Econext, focused on driving change in the green economy. His expertise, experience, positive attitude, and innovative mindset, make him an asset to any team looking to make a positive impact in the world.
Interest in econext’s Board of Directors:
As a member of Econext’s board of directors, my primary objective is to help the organization achieve its mission of accelerating clean growth in NL by sharing my skills, expertise, and network. My extensive background in business development, project management, and operations management, combined with my passion for environmental sustainability, makes me an asset to the Board. As a millennial I offer a youthful and in-touch perspective that combines the values of conventional and progressive ways of working and conducting business.
My main goals as a Board member are to provide strategic guidance to the organization to help develop and implement plans for sustainable growth, and to support the advancement of innovative solutions for clean growth within our province. I will work to promote the organization’s values of sustainability, innovation, and collaboration, and help to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, investors, and community organizations.
I will actively participate in the organization’s activities and initiatives to lend support and to bring attention to the valuable work we do as an organization. I will support the organization’s leadership team to identify new opportunities for growth and innovation, and provide input on key initiatives, to help develop and implement plans to address challenges and opportunities in the green economy.
I am excited about the opportunity to serve as a member of Econext’s Board of Directors and to contribute my skills, expertise, and passion to help the organization achieve its mission. Together, we can create a more sustainable and prosperous future for our planet and future generations.
Biography:
Neil Heffern is an experienced professional engineer passionate about climate action through the development of clean energy projects to displace fossil-fuel combustion sources. He is presently employed by Nunacor Development Corporation (the economic development arm of NunatuKavut) as Commercial Energy Manager charged with leading the development of clean energy and demand-side management projects throughout NunatuKavut’s territory of Southern Labrador. In addition, Neil is the principal consultant of Heffern Consulting Inc., offering freelance engineering and construction management consulting services in the energy sector.
Neil graduated from MUN in 2005 with a degree in mechanical engineering (co-op), before going to work fulltime on mining and O&G projects in various field engineering and project engineering roles. His first clean energy project was the Wuskwatim Hydroelectric Facility in Northern Manitoba where he served as Engineering Manager. Upon completion of this project, he was promoted to Corporate Equipment Manager for a large heavy civil and mining contractor to manage the mobile heavy equipment business.
In 2013 Neil returned to construction and went to work with Exxon Mobil on the Hebron GBS project, where he was responsible for project owner oversight of all mechanical and electrical installations. Upon completion of this contract in 2014, Neil was awarded a long-term contract with Nalcor as Field Engineering Manager at the Muskrat Falls Hydroelectric Facility. In 2017, Neil was promoted to Area Construction Manager of hydromechanical systems and turbine/generator installations where he served until 2019.
In 2021, Neil went to work as Construction Manager for the Pesâkâstêw Solar Project in Weyburn, SK. Pesâkâstêw is a 10 MW AC utility-scale solar project between Natural Forces Inc. and two First Nation partners. Following completion of this project, Neil moved to Vancouver, BC in 2022 where he completed a Masters of Engineering Leadership – Clean Energy Engineering at UBC. During his time at UBC, Neil completed graduate studies in renewable energy technologies, energy storage, energy and the environment, leadership, strategy and innovation, indigenous economic reconciliation, energy policy, and data analytics. In addition, Neil focused on the hydrogen economy and production technologies for his masters projects.
Following completion of his graduate studies at UBC, Neil and his family returned home to Sandringham, NL where he continues to focus his business interests in clean energy transition. Outside of work, Neil enjoys backcountry adventure, automotive mechanics, and cycling. Neil volunteers at the local schools in his area at children’s bike riding clubs.
Interest in econext’s Board of Directors:
My objectives to serve on the board of directors for Econext are:
Biography:
Heather has 14 years experience in the environmental sector in both regulatory and consulting roles. Her career started as an environmental assessment technical reviewer and salmon habitat restoration coordinator for the Department of Natural Resources in New Brunswick. Since then, Heather has experience working as a consultant in environmental regulatory compliance and permitting for projects ranging from mining, renewable energy, offshore oil and gas and large-scale transmission projects both locally and internationally. Her technical expertise lies in freshwater aquatic biology and permitting/regulatory compliance surrounding environmental assessment and all associated acts.
Heather spent 8 years as a consultant on the Lower Churchill Project with the environment and regulatory compliance team. Heather’s role as a permit coordinator involved obtaining permits and navigating (very public) environmental constraints for both Muskrat Falls and the Labrador-Island Link. In addition to permits coordinator, Heather also served as an environmental coordinator for all on-site environmental monitors during construction and acted as a liaison between the project and regulatory agencies.
Since working with SEM, Heather has managed and executed several projects for operating mines in the province including IOC’s Carol Mine, Vale’s Voisey’s Bay Mine and Tacora’s Scully Mine. Heather has also worked with several mining companies on the island of Newfoundland including Envirogold’s Buchans River Delta Rehabilitation Project, Matador’s Cape Ray Exploration Project and Marathon’s Valentine Gold Project. The scope of these projects ranged from reducing reliance on diesel through wind energy implementation, completing Schedule 2 Amendments under the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations, stakeholder consultations, aquatic baseline studies, overall project environmental assessment/permitting and more. Besides several mining clients, Heather has also contributed to projects for Growler Energy on several of their renewable projects and recently for NL Hydro on their Bay D’Espoir Unit 8 expansion project.
Outside of her full-time employment at SEM, Heather has a passion for fitness and owns a small business in St. John’s called “Islander Athletics” which is a CrossFit gym located in center city. Through her involvement at Islander, Heather has led a team of 12 staff, managed the business portfolio/finances and grew the business from 38 members to over 700 members in 6 years of taking ownership (and during a pandemic). The community and facilities that has grown at Islander is something that Heather is very proud of accomplishing. Now that the gym is a self-run machine, Heather has more time to focus on her career, spend time on her hobbies (sewing and being outdoors) and hanging out at home with her family.
Interest in econext’s Board of Directors:
Serving on the Board of Directors for a non-profit organization like econext is an excellent opportunity to be a part of a group of other like-minded, yet diverse, individuals that develop opportunities and learn about the future green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador through experience and interaction with the members. Exploring my passions for environmental sustainability through becoming a board member would not only mark a career goal of mine, it would also bring more meaning to my role as an environmental scientist. My objectives for serving on the board for econext would be to first support the vision for a clean energy economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. With that in mind it is important to foster environmental sustainability through advocating policy and regulatory frameworks that allow for industry success. In addition, my objectives for serving on the board will be to network with industry and other stakeholders to solidify and develop key partnerships for moving projects forward. Finally, I’d to keep an open mind, learn about and support developing cleantech industries in our province.
Biography:
Since January 2022 I have been working as the CTO of a recent entrant into the clean-tech space called Enaimco. Our mission is to apply intelligence in support of a sustainable world, and we plan to do that by developing digital technology to help energy producers deliver cleaner energy. Personally, I spend most of my days working with my team, figuring out how to best build software to achieve this vision, and the remainder of my time is spent helping the company identify ways to enter the challenging market of energy producers.
Prior to that, I spent almost two years at another local tech company called ClearRisk as their VP of Product, fulfilling a similar role as I do currently but navigating the unique challenges of building upon an already existing software foundation.
And before that, I spent more than a decade in various roles at one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most successful tech companies, Verafin. During that time, my role transitioned between software developer and team lead in various capacities until I left the company in 2020. It was during that time that I gained technical experience by learning from some of the best software developers and engineers in the province, and leadership and business experience by learning from the very people who made Verafin’s success possible. There was also a pretty great reading list that helped fill in the blanks along the way.
While it is difficult to compete with the experience gained from working with great companies, I would be remiss not to mention the completion of my MBA from Memorial University in 2021. Having completed my B.Sc in Computer Science several years earlier, entering into the Faculty of Business was a bit of a different world and I’m thankful for having done it. The professors were excellent, and I learned just as much from my peers doing the program alongside me.
Beyond working with others to solve interesting business and technical problems, which I truly love doing, I try to round out life with other activities. I’ve recently started a family and I’m loving every minute of it (I’d be telling you all about that, but I don’t think the information would be quite as useful). I enjoy being active – playing sports, hiking, donating to a gym. I read as much as I can and catch the scattered episode of whatever series is on the go. And one day, I hope to actually be able to play guitar.
While it may be noted that I don’t have much in the way of experience, beyond my current job, working towards a cleaner future, many who know me would agree that I’ve been passionate about environmental causes for quite some time. I was struck by Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth while in high school, I’ve read books by Naomi Klein, and I drive an electric car (and not just because it’s cool). I figure it’s about time I start helping to make a difference for real!
Interest in econext’s Board of Directors:
Given technology’s necessary role in accelerating clean growth, my objective will primarily be to bring a level of technical expertise that can contribute to the board and organization’s ability to identify and assess any opportunities that arises. I believe there are also opportunities to further exploit technology currently in use or brand-new technology, such as the now popular large language models like ChatGPT (which was not used to write this document – even though it did a better job), to generate new ideas and further accelerate the clean growth mission.
In addition, with my experience working for and leading in high growth companies, a secondary objective will be to leverage that background, along with my business, education, to create more, and more meaningful, engagements with businesses and other stakeholders to help in the mission to foster environmentally sustainable economic development within the province. This can involve anything from sharing insight and resources into relevant tactics and strategies that have helped these companies succeed to making introductions to some of the real experts in the field that I have worked with in the past.
Biography:
David was born and raised in Newfoundland and Labrador and completed Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Marine Biology at Memorial. He started his career as an environmental scientist after 5 years in fisheries research. He worked for 14 years as an environmental consultant conducting and managing environmental assessments and environmental effects monitoring programs for various industries in the province. The subsequent 11 years were spent in the oil and gas industry as an environmental and regulatory advisor. During that time, David served on several advisory committees related to environmental effects monitoring including IAAC’s Regional Assessment Follow-up Committee for Exploratory Drilling Offshore NL, CAPP’s Environment and Sustainability Committee, IPIECA’s Operating in the Marine Environment Task Force and the CSA’s committee to develop a standard for oil and gas operations in the Arctic. In 2021, David took on the role of Policy and Regulatory Lead with the Net Zero Project, where he studied and reported on the regulatory and policy frameworks for emissions reduction and pathways to net-zero within the offshore energy industry. For more than a decade, David has been a trusted resource for industry, during opportunities for engagement with government and in formulating advocacy positions around environmental policy and environmental assessment legislation. David is currently the Environment and Sustainability Manager with World Energy GH2, where is responsible for the environmental assessment, compliance, and monitoring for project Nujio’qonik. In his current role, David is also supporting an understanding of the regulatory framework of the hydrogen and wind energy in Newfoundland and Labrador. In his spare time, David enjoys cooking, hiking and salmon fishing.
Interest in econext’s Board of Directors:
I am interested in becoming a member of the Board of Directors at econext to help member companies advance opportunities within the traditional and emerging energy sectors. I see generational opportunities arising from the sustainable development of the natural resources within Newfoundland and Labrador. We can play a leading role at the local, national, and international levels in the fields of clean energy production, emissions reduction, blue economy, and green rural economic development, for example. We are incredibly fortunate to have an abundance of the clean power, wind, land, and water that are required to produce green hydrogen. Green hydrogen is becoming the transitional fuel used to power the hard-to-abate industries and sectors. I would like to help econext members identify the opportunities within this emerging sector. My background in environmental and regulatory consulting can also be leveraged to assist members identify new and emerging opportunities in resource development. I have a solid understanding of governments policy direction around emissions reduction and the green economy and how it creates opportunity. As an experienced advocate for responsible development, I can help position econext and its members in their engagement with governments and stakeholders.
Biography:
Justin So is a biologist with WSP E&I Canada, with expertise in marine environmental surveys, environmental effects monitoring (EEM), and environmental assessment (EA). He holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biology from Memorial University and a Graduate Diploma in Science Communications from Laurentian University. He specializes in assessing the impact of natural resource projects on the marine environment and has worked on numerous baseline characterizations, environmental assessments, and monitoring projects for coastal and offshore developments.
Interest in econext’s Board of Directors:
Exploring opportunities for industry is important considering the challenging economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. Justin is keen to support Econext’s initiatives in fostering of the green economy; in particular through sector growth, and training and development opportunities. He believes that consideration of the environment is key in developing a sustainable path forward.
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