Women+Power Third Annual Gala Luncheon

Welcome to the Women+Power Third Annual Gala Luncheon!

The Women+Power Annual Gala Luncheon is a premier event dedicated to celebrating and empowering women across Alberta’s power industry. Held annually, this prestigious luncheon gathers leaders, innovators, and advocates in support of women in Alberta's energy industry and to foster meaningful connections. This year’s gala features a sumptuous midday meal complemented by an engaging panel discussion. Attendees have the opportunity to network with influential figures and participate in a shared vision for advancing gender equity and leadership in Alberta’s energy industry. With its blend of elegance and purpose, the Women+Power Gala Luncheon stands as a beacon of strength and collaboration in the pursuit of women’s advancement.

We are excited to invite you to our 3rd Annual Gala Luncheon on November 26, 2024! This year, we’ll be exploring the important topic of “The Future of Utilities in a Changing Environment.”

Featured Speakers
Aaron Engen, President and CEO, AESO
Carolyn Dahl Rees, Chair, AUC
Moderated by Johanne Picard-Thompson, Chair, Women+Power & Executive Vice President, Customer & Corporate Services, AltaLink
Event Details
Date: November 26, 2024
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Location: The Hudson, 200 8 Ave SW, 6th floor, Calgary, AB, T2P 1B5
For: All Career Levels

Join us for a compelling discussion and a delicious 3-course lunch as we navigate the evolving landscape of utilities. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with industry leaders and fellow professionals.

Speaker Bios
Aaron Engen

Aaron Engen was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer for the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) effective August 2024. Mr. Engen first joined the AESO in 2020 as a member of the AESO Board and has acted as Chair of both the Power System and the Human Resources committees.
Mr. Engen has more than 30 years of experience in investment banking and law.
Prior to joining the AESO, Mr. Engen was Vice Chair, Investment & Corporate Banking at BMO Capital Markets. He co-headed the bank’s Power & Energy Infrastructure group focusing on energy infrastructure across North America including power generation, transmission and distribution, natural gas midstream, storage, transmission, liquefaction and distribution, and liquids storage and transmission. More recently Mr. Engen was co-head of BMO’s Energy Transition group which covered key sectors including hydrogen, carbon capture and sequestration, low carbon fuels, critical minerals, renewable natural gas, renewable power generation, energy storage, small modular reactors, cleantech, and sustainable finance.
Prior to joining BMO Capital Markets, Mr. Engen was a partner at McCarthy Tétrault, where he practiced corporate and securities law, primarily in the energy and utilities sectors.
Mr. Engen holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Alberta, as well as a Bachelor of Arts and Science from the University of Lethbridge.
Mr. Engen and his wife have deep family roots in the province with their four Alberta-born sons, all of whom live and work with their families in the Calgary area.

Carolyn Dahl Rees

Carolyn Dahl Rees was appointed​ chair of the AUC on June 24, 2020, after rejoining the Commission as a member in late March of the same year.

Ms. Dahl Rees was the AUC’s first acting chair immediately after it was established in 2008, and served as a member and as vice-chair from 2008 to 2012. She has chaired or served on Commission panels adjudicating some of the AUC’s most complex applications, in all areas of the AUC’s regulatory mandate.

Ms. Dahl Rees received a bachelor of laws degree from the University of Toronto after completing a bachelor’s degree in English at Houston, Texas’s Rice University and a master’s degree in medieval studies at the University of Toronto.

Ms. Dahl Rees rejoined the AUC from TransAlta Corporation, where she had served in several senior legal roles at various times, including special legal counsel, managing director for legal and compliance, vice-president of regulatory and compliance, and general counsel. She was also a member of the Calgary Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, serving twice as its first vice-chair.

Before being first appointed to the AUC, Ms. Dahl Rees was an acting member and member of the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board, an acting member of the Natural Resources Conservation Board, and the former chair of an independent review panel for the Alberta Beverage Container Management Board.

Ms. Dahl Rees has experien​​ce drafting legislation and regulations, and helped to prepare the Alberta Electric Utilities Act, the first rules for the Power Pool of Alberta, contracts setting up the restructured Alberta electric system, and the structure of Alberta’s first transmission administrator. In the late ’90s, Ms. Dahl Rees played a role in the development of the legislative amendments and power purchase arrangements used to deregulate Alberta’s utility generating units. She has been active in the Calgary community for many years through Calgary Opera.​

Moderator
Johanne Picard-Thompson
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.

Johanne has held various executive positions since joining AltaLInk in 2010 and is now Executive Vice President of Corporate Services.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Hudson, 200 8 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, Canada