BVGEC Board Members
Jeff Roberts, Chair
Jeff is a semi-retired energy executive with 40+ yrs experience in operations, technology, and project development. Jeff is passionate about assisting society in the impending energy transition both through energy efficiency as well as sustainable energy production.
Jeff’s has been involved in the electricity industry since Alberta began deregulation in 1996, first helping to establish electricity exports from industrial developments in Northeastern Alberta, followed by developments establishing electrical transmission interconnection to support cogeneration facilities located on adjacent industrial developments. During the mid-2000’s Jeff was appointed to the Alberta Electric System Operators Industry Advisory Committee. Jeff has provided expert testimony at Regulatory Hearings into both Transmission and Oilsand Developments. Prior to retirement, Jeff played a key role in deployment and operation of energy efficient technologies in large industrial developments.
Jeff is a registered professional engineer in Alberta and has graduate and post-graduate engineering degrees from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He has also completed post graduate studies in Business at both University of Alberta and Ivey School of Business in London, Ontario.
Jeff and Dorelle reside in Canmore, are parents to three grown children, and thoroughly enjoy the lifestyle that the Bow Valley offers. They can be often found on the local golf course in summer and on the slopes in the winter.
Sue Hayduk, Secretary
Sue has enjoyed a 20-year history as an environmental educator and sustainability specialist. Much of her time has been spent delivering environmental change projects in the communities she has lived and worked in.
Focused primarily on incorporating environmental sustainability goals within the project management process, she has helped hundreds of community and private sector organizations align with sustainability practices.
She looks forward to assisting Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative in engaging citizens in meaningful conversations and fostering successful partnerships with our members, funders, investors, and community partners to advance renewable energy projects in the Bow Valley.
Outside of her environmental work, she is usually on the road travelling to find the sun or a cat sit; taking walks with husband Rob, or spending time painting vivid landscapes as an up-and-coming Canmore artist.
Mike Agnew, Treasurer
Mike is a retired energy industry executive with over 30 years of experience in leadership, operations and engineering. Mike is passionate about the energy transition and is excited to be part of a community-based organization that is working to promote and action local green energy.
Through his experience leading large industrial sites and as a corporate executive in environment, health and safety Mike has gained extensive shareholder engagement experience. He is passionate about working to develop mutually beneficial solutions based on strong relationships with all stakeholders, including communities, politicians, regulators and investors.
Mike has an engineering degree from Queen’s University. He has previously served on various community focused boards including a health foundation and a large corporate foundation.
Mike and his wife Jill are Canmore residents and are parents to two grown children. They thoroughly enjoy the active lifestyle of the community with golfing, skiing and hiking at the top of their list. Family time is a priority for Mike.
Jodi Conuel
Jodi Conuel is a sustainability leader and project manager with expertise in renewable energy, climate action, and community engagement. She played a key role in advancing community energy in the Bow Valley through her work as the former Shift Climate Transitions Program Coordinator at the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley, where she led the development and impact measurement of several climate initiatives. This included a community energy feasibility study that helped catalyze the formation of the Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative (BVGEC), where she continues to serve as a founding board member.
Beyond her work with BVGEC, Jodi works nationally as Manager and RECEI Project Lead with Community Energy Cooperative Canada (CECC), bringing firsthand experience in building a renewable energy co-operative from the ground up to support the growth and success of renewable energy co-operatives across the country. She is also a proud owner of her own solar array, grounding her professional work in lived experience with clean energy.
Outside of work and volunteering, Jodi enjoys cooking up a storm, spending time in her garden, and exploring the great outdoors with her favourite people and pets.
Peter Driftmier
Peter has been involved in BVGEC as a member and investor, and recently was proud to have helped as a host site for BVGEC's first array in Calgary. He is also a proud member of Alberta's other two operating renewable energy co-ops, and is passionate about this model for getting more community investment out of Bay Street and into greening our local grids.
He has prior experience in cooperatives, having helped found a worker-owned cooperative bakery in Calgary (The Grain Exchange) which never ended up launching our storefront but which went through the process of cooperative development, member recruitment, and financing. As part of this, he took a cooperative development course through COOPzone. His other main board experience has been with Temple B'nai Tikvah - currently as Environment Chair - for the past 5 years.
In his career, he holds a Masters in Social Work and is a mental health therapist working with refugee and immigrant youth. he is an active human rights activist and community organizer on the side. His past community organizing has always focused on public outreach and mobilization, including: helping found small grassroots group YYC For A Green New Deal, helped lead the 2019 University of Calgary Climate Strike, and campaigning with the Sierra Club and the Vancouver Bus Riders Union.
He lives with his wife Amy in Calgary where they just installed their own solar array.
Don MacDiarmid
Don spent more than 35 years in the energy industry, both domestically and internationally, before retiring. After 5 years working as a petroleum engineer, Don trained as a lawyer. He spent 18 years in private practice with two large national law firms, followed by more than a decade as in-house counsel. In addition to supporting a broad range of activities in the upstream and midstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, Don also worked extensively on the development of independent power projects in Alberta.
Don holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering from Queen's University and an LLB from Dalhousie University.
Don lives with his wife, Ruth, in Calgary. They have two grown daughters. Don has been involved in numerous community volunteer roles, including several political campaigns, fundraising for university, cancer and kidney charities, coaching junior soccer, and working at the Inn from the Cold. He recently retired from the Board of the Calgary Centre for Newcomers after spending 12 years on that Board, including a term as Chair.
Joey O’Brien
Edmund is a retired research scientist with a doctorate in Pharmacology & Toxicology from Queen's University. A neuropharmacologist by specialty, his scientific background spans both laboratory and clinical research in positions at Queen's, University of California Irvine, and Duke University.
Since moving to Canmore in 2020, Edmund has invested his capacities into environmental NGOs tackling climate change. He is currently active in local climate action advocacy and as a regional lead for a national electric vehicle outreach and education non-profit. In these roles, he focuses on advancing evidence-based, grassroots action on climate change through outreach, education, advocacy, and persuasion.
In a melding of his advocacy work and personal life, Edmund has become deeply versed in the field of building science during the design and construction of his home. That home is on track for Net-Zero Passive House certification with PHIUS following the recent installation of his own solar array. The experience has given Edmund a detailed appreciation for the challenges and opportunities in buildings and distributed energy.
Edmund and his wife Monica cherish the community they have found in Canmore and their life in the mountains. One or both of them can routinely be found hiking, biking, skiing, or paddling across the landscape.
Joey has lived in Canmore for 16 years with his wife, 5 children and 2 grandchildren. He was one of the first in town to install solar panels (10 KW- 40 panels) on his home and it is now energy positive annually.
Joey is the president of SustainDriven, an innovative provider of environmental consulting and event operations that executes sustainable water, waste, global greenhouse gas and energy solutions. His professional passion is environmental sustainability, mitigation and education.
In addition, Joey is a hiking guide, a ski instructor, a ski coach, a first-class power engineer, a soccer player and enjoys building things.
Edmund Ong
Ralph Walicki
Ralph Walicki founded Enveratek Corporation, a company specializing in enterprise risk assessment and management system integration, in 2016. Prior to founding his own firm, Ralph was Senior Operations, Technical and Business Development Manager for Western Canada at SAI Global, where he managed and directed business development and operations for management systems assessment, audit program management and certification professional services provider.
As a seasoned management systems and compliance auditor Ralph has focused on integrated risk assessment encompassing environmental, quality, health & safety, emergency and asset/integrity management systems with alignment to voluntary ISO Standards and regulatory requirements under CER OPR for pipeline industry and Alberta’s TEIR GHG Program.
Ralph holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Master of Science in Environmental Engineering degrees from University of Guelph. He is a registered Professional Engineer with APEGA and PEO as well as an Environmental Professional with ECO Canada and was a former member ofthe Electric Utilities Quality Committee (EUQC). He is a current member of the Environmental Advisory Review Committee (EARC) for the Town of Canmore, and served as a member of APEGA’s Environment Committee and on the Alberta Environment Task Force on Greenhouse Gas Emission Verifications.
Ralph has been involved in alpine ski racing in race official and race track setter capacities for 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and Worldcup Alpine Ski Races at Lake Louise in Canadian Rockies. In his spare time Ralph enjoys skiing, pickleball, cycling, kayaking and curling with his wife and son.
BVGEC Supporters & Partners
BVGEC Funders
BVGEC Installers
