Neil Cumming

Andrea's Bio

Andrea Visser is the Director of Fund Development and External Relations at Iron & Earth. Holding a Bachelor of Science in Geography and working towards her Certified Human Resources Executive (CHRE) designation, Andrea has played a key role in building Iron & Earth from the ground up.

She has successfully secured significant funding from government, industry partners, and foundations, leading the organization’s growth. Andrea specializes in advancing renewable energy workforce development and community-based training programs, with a focus on rural and Indigenous communities across Canada.

Iron & Earth

Valerie's Bio

Valerie Miller (she/her) holds a PhD in land reclamation from the University of Alberta, which focused on building soils using mine waste at a diamond mine in northern Canada.

As Outreach and Engagement Lead for Future Energy Systems, a research program at the University of Alberta, Valerie manages the Energy Explorers training program, coordinates the extensive outreach and engagement program, and works with numerous external partners to provide public access to research and researchers. She is the author of The Energy Adventures of Tommy and Remi series.

Future Energy Systems

Dale's Bio

Dale Hansen is the Dean in the MacPhail School of Energy at SAIT, providing leadership for its academic programs that span across the energy industry.

Prior to joining SAIT, Dale spent 25 years in the oil and gas and mineral resource sectors. Through the course of his career in oil and gas, Dale filled a wide variety of leadership roles across many functions, including time spent in field locations such as the Oil Sands near Fort McMurray. This has provided him with a well-rounded perspective on the industry and an absolute passion for energy in all of its forms. Dale is an experienced facilitator and speaker who holds a Chartered Professional Accounting (CMA) designation and a Master of Arts degree in Leadership from Royal Roads University.

Holding a very strong belief that post-secondary education has a pivotal role to play in ensuring a supply of well educated, talented people across the energy system, Dale spends much of his effort building strong relationships with industry leaders. These relationships support SAIT’s effort to remain current in a rapidly changing environment as the industry seeks to transform itself on the path to decarbonization.

MacPhail School of Energy

Rory's Bio

With a background in energy security, Rory uses an interdisciplinary approach to navigate the complex regulatory and commercial ecosystem of project development. Since it’s inception, Rory has helping shape and propel Varme’s mission forward. His role within the company includes government engagement, policy strategy, business development, and grant writing.

Varme Energy