Denise Beaven

Maxwell's Bio

Maxwell Shedd | Team Captain, University of Calgary Solar Car Team
Innovation Gallery (Saturday morning)

The University of Calgary Solar Car Team has the vision of leading the community in the pursuit of sustainable technology. To do so, our team members design, build and race practical solar cars that engage the community and encourage the growth of student leaders.

Throughout our 18 years of impact in the community, our team has aimed to educate younger generations, innovate within our Calgarian community, and inspire the automotive industry to push for the implementation of renewable energies within our daily lives.

University of Calgary Solar Car Team

Lisa's Bio

Lisa Dryden | Environmental Innovation and Research Advisor, Vertex Resource Group Ltd.
Innovation Gallery (Saturday morning)

Lisa Dryden, Environmental Innovation and Research Advisor with Vertex Resource Group Ltd., holds a BSc. in Environmental and Conservation Sciences, majoring in Land Reclamation from the University of Alberta, and a Professional Agrologist (P.Ag.) Designation in Alberta. She started her career as an Environmental Scientist where she consulted on remediation and reclamation projects for upstream oil and gas.

Also working in the non-profit world, she fostered relationships that promoted an industry association and the environment industry with other industry sectors and levels of government. Lisa currently works in Research and Development at Vertex Resource Group Ltd., focusing on managing and expanding projects that better the environment industry and promotes the company’s long-term success. 

Vertex

Jessica's Bio

Jessica Needham | Youth Advisory Council Coordinator, Ducks Unlimited Canada
Projects in Action Workshops (Saturday morning)

Jessica is currently the Youth Advisory Council Coordinator for Ducks Unlimited Canada. She has the privilege of working with youth from across Canada who are helping to shape the future of conservation and youth engagement at DUC. Jessica is also a part of the National Education Team at Ducks Unlimited Canada, where she helps to develop and deliver educational programming.

In recent years, Jessica has been conducting research on how to transform local knowledge into spatial data that can be used to help make conservation decisions. She completed the Master of Environmental Studies program and a BSc in Environmental Science at Dalhousie University.

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Sam's Bio

Sam Effah | Canada Games Gold Medalist, Right to Play Ambassador, Amazing Race Canada Finalist
Keynote Speaker

As a native Albertan, Sam has speed. He represented Canada at 3 World Championships, 3 World University Games, 2 Commonwealth Games and was inducted into the 2021 Canada West Hall of Fame. Most recently, Sam was named co-Chef de Mission for the 2022.

As a volunteer, he’s an athlete ambassador with Right To Play and a past Classroom Champions mentor, where he focuses on using his platform to inspire the next generation of youth around the world.

In 2019 he was cast on The Amazing Race Canada Season 7 and placed second overall. 

Outside of athletics and in-office work, Sam loves to speak. He leads a strong stage presence, developed over the course of a ten-year career as a seminar speaker, workshop facilitator, and motivational presenter.

Learn More About Sam Effah