OTTAWA (June 2) - This June, Electricity Canada will celebrate National Electricity Month by celebrating individual achievements within the sector. The annual “Faces of the Industry” award is presented to six outstanding leaders in the sector and their achievements will be featured throughout the month.
Electricity Canada is a national trade association that represents the companies that generate, transmit and distribute electricity in Canada. The association launched the award in 2024 to highlight individual innovation, leadership and impact.
This years’ Faces of the Industry award winners were selected by an independent judging panel. Regionally, they represent six provinces and professionally, their experience includes executive leadership, finance, procurement, engineering and line work.
The 2025 recipients include:
Jennifer Williams – President and CEO Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro
Jennifer led a historic agreement last year by renegotiating the decades-old Upper Churchill contract 17 years ahead of schedule. This is one of the largest energy deals in North American history that will benefit future generations in Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Sandra Haskins - Senior Vice President and CFO at Capital Power
Sandra has over three decades of groundbreaking financial leadership and has raised over $3 billion in public capital markets over the past two years—an outstanding achievement for a publicly-traded independent power producer.
Jeffrey Laninga – Live Line Engineer and Section Head at Manitoba Hydro
Jeffrey is an innovator in safety and live lines who invented tools to make powerline technicians’ work safer. Jeffrey’s groundbreaking tools and techniques have revolutionized field practices and are protecting workers across Canada and around the world.
Joy Brake – Senior Technical Advisor, System Planning at Nova Scotia Power
Joy is a leader in building Nova Scotia’s renewable future by designing and implementing critical transmission strategies to integrate wind, solar, and battery storage, facilitating Nova Scotia’s transition from coal to renewables in the next five years.
Mohamed ElNozahy – Engineering Manager – EMT Studies, from Independent Electricity System Operator
Mohamed is a pioneer in power system engineering, and he’s transformed Ontario’s future grid planning through electromagnetic transient modeling (or EMT) which will become an important tool for safe and reliable integration of renewables.
Dan Irvine – Director of Procurement and Contracts at SaskPower
Dan has redefined SaskPower’s procurement strategy in Saskatchewan. He has championed the growth of the domestic supply chain and built capacity for procurement using local and Indigenous suppliers.
The recipients will be featured in an Electricity Canada social media campaign during National Electricity Month throughout June.
QUOTES
“The Faces of the Industry Award comes out a simple philosophy: the electricity sector isn’t made up of companies—it’s made up of people. This National Electricity Month, we want to show the creativity, innovation, leadership and grace under pressure that make Canada’s electricity system the envy of the world. This year’s winners genuinely care about the provision of electricity, and about making our sector the best it can be. On behalf of Electricity Canada and its member companies, we are privileged to have the leadership of Jennifer, Sandra, Mohamed, Dan, Jeff and Joy. These six recipients represent the very best of us.”
– Francis Bradley, President and CEO, Electricity Canada
"Jennifer Williams is a visionary and an outstanding leader of Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and its employees. She has also been a driving force behind the transformational projects outlined in the recent Memorandum of Understanding with Hydro-Quebec. These projects will redefine the future of electrical energy in the province and beyond and benefit generations of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. I speak for all Hydro Board members when I say we are honoured to witness Jennifer guide her team as they navigate the rapidly changing energy landscape. We are delighted to congratulate her on being named one of Electricity Canada’s Faces of the Industry."
- John Green, Chair, Board of Directors, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro
"Sandra Haskins’ ability to balance strategic vision with practical execution has positioned our proudly Canadian company as a leader in the North American power industry. Sandra’s achievements have significantly contributed to not only Capital Power’s success and growth, but the advancement of a resilient energy system and beyond—a testament to Sandra’s life-long impact as an innovative leader in the electricity industry. Capital Power is thrilled that Sandra has been awarded as one of Electricity Canada’s Faces of the Industry for 2025."
- Avik Dey, CEO, Capital Power
"Joy Brake is leading critical work, alongside our broader system planning team, to understand and advance the system changes that enable Nova Scotia to develop and integrate more renewable energy sources. As a leader of this team, Joy represents the best of the electricity sector in her determination and focus on maintaining grid performance and stability while supporting our provincial and federal climate goals to reach 80% renewables and move off coal by 2030. We are delighted that Electricity Canada has recognized this important work by naming Joy one of its Faces of the Industry."
- Chris Milligan, Director, System Planning & Grid Integration, Nova Scotia Power
"Jeffrey Laninga’s safety innovations are saving lives across the globe and have rewritten the rules of live line work. Very few people have seen a problem that threatened worker safety and then invented something that fixes it. Jeff has not only found solutions to things, crafted in care, but these solutions have been implemented internationally. This is a testament to what happens when practical experience meets relentless dedication to worker safety. Manitoba Hydro is proud of Jeff’s work, and for his recognition as one of Electricity Canada’s Faces of the Industry."
- Allen Danforth, President and CEO, Manitoba Hydro
"Dan Irvine’s passion lies in helping grow supplier capacity. For years, Dan has focused his team on supplier development and helping Saskatchewan companies grow their profile with SaskPower to demonstrate valuable experience that will enable them to bid on work across Canada. Many organizations in Saskatchewan achieved their first large contract with SaskPower and are now able to compete and win meaningful work across Canada and North America."
- Howard Matthews, Vice-President, Generation, SaskPower
“The capability to carry out electromagnetic transient simulations and modeling is essential to integrating renewables into the grid. Mohamed and his team have worked hard to develop this capability within the IESO, which supports the reliable integration of renewables while safeguarding our grid. Mohamed and his team built this system from the ground up and it now sets the global benchmark. The IESO congratulates Mohamed on being named one of Electricity Canada’s Faces of the Industry.”
- Robby Sohi, Chief Operating Officer and Vice-President of Markets and Reliability, IESO
