35th Annual Emerald Awards Judges

Vicki Lightbown

Vicki is the Executive Director for Environmental Innovation at Alberta Innovates. For over 14 years, she has worked with stakeholders across the province to identify critical technology and knowledge gaps and support world-class research in developing solutions for some of the biggest environmental challenges in Alberta. Prior to Alberta Innovates, she spent several years in environmental consulting, working on upstream oil and gas and petrochemical remediation projects

Angela Li

Angela is the Certification, ESG & Carbon Project Coordinator at Stok, giving her an in-depth understanding of green building certifications and a broad range of sustainability-related subjects. Her unwavering commitment to environmental excellence, combined with her extensive knowledge, makes her an invaluable addition to the judging panel for the Emerald Awards.

Clint Goodman

Clint is the Senior Corporate Environment Specialist with the City of Airdrie and Co-Chair of the Nose Creek Watershed Partnership. With 15+ years of experience across academia, conservation, energy, and municipal sectors, he leads initiatives in watershed planning, compliance, and regulatory engagement. An accredited Professional Agrologist and Environment Professional, Clint champions sustainable development and science-based stewardship. Under his co-leadership, NCWP earned the 2023 Alberta Emerald Award for Governance in collaborative watershed management.

Jennifer Saldana

Jennifer is the Director of Sustainability and Indigenous Relations at ENMAX. Jennifer integrates environmental, social and governance (ESG) management into corporate strategy and organizational performance. Jennifer leads the development of annual ESG reports, as well as climate and water strategies across the organization. Jennifer developed the Indigenous Relations Framework and governance and works closely with Indigenous communities and organizations to build and maintain meaningful relationships

Hannah Cunningham

Since completing her MSc in Environmental Sociology at the University of Alberta in 2022, Hannah has worked on a variety of community-based research projects examining the implications of climate change on communities in Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and more recently has worked in federal program evaluation and corporate reporting. Hannah has a strong interest in public participation and engagement in sustainability governance.

Denise Chang-Yen

Denise is a purpose-driven senior business leader with over 25 years of experience in energy transition and low-carbon solutions. She has led ventures and multi-disciplinary working groups in renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation, nature-based solutions, and carbon offset projects. She has worked with corporations, Indigenous communities, environmental organizations, and municipalities. Denise is currently working with the City of Edmonton’s Environment and Climate Resilience team. 

Catherine Pierce

Catherine is the Executive Director for the Battle River Watershed Alliance, a Watershed Planning and Advisory Council supporting Water for Life: Alberta’s Strategy for Sustainability. Catherine has also served as the Executive Director for the Pigeon Lake Watershed Association and has an extensive background working on pan-Canadian programs for non-profit organizations. She is dedicated to fostering strong collaborations to steward resilient communities.

Daniel Schiffner

Dan is a Consultant at Nichols Applied Management. Dan spent several years working in both health care and the oil and gas industry in Calgary prior to moving to Edmonton in 2018 to pursue a Masters of Science degree at the University of Alberta. During this time, he discovered a passion for renewable energy and environmental sustainability as his research investigated the economics of repurposing disused petroleum wells for geothermal energy production.

Kurstyn Perrin

Kurstyn is the Program Coordinator at the Alberta Lake Management Society (ALMS), where she leads the Indigenous Community-Based Monitoring and LakeKeepers programs, supporting comprehensive water quality monitoring across Alberta, including in the oil sands region. Through her fieldwork and collaborative partnerships, she aims to develop sustainable programs that provide meaningful insights and help address key questions related to water, land, and human health in a focused and effective manner that weaves diverse perspectives
together.

Steven Andersen

Steven was formerly the founder, CEO, and principal consultant at Frostbyte Consulting, an environmental data management and strategy firm serving industrial, commercial, and government clients globally, with a particular personal focus on climate change issues in the energy industry. Since exiting Frostbyte, Steven continues to work as an environmental advocate, building on previous advocacy work on coal mining and parks privatization initiatives, and is continually on the lookout for new problems to tackle.

Victoria Smith

Victoria (Tori) is a Senior Manager at Stok. She spent 10 years in Management Consulting Advisory Services where she specialized  in providing support to public sector clients specifically in areas related to the environment and social services. This experience included advisory support for clients such as Climate Change and Emissions  Management Corporation, Alberta Climate Change Office, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, among others.

Donald Jantz

Donald is the founder of Strategic Sustainability Consulting, a consultancy which helps organizations develop and implement sustainability strategy, reporting, and engagement. He leads transformational strategic initiatives for post secondaries and clean-tech startups. Donald is also the founder of the national nonprofit, Sustainable Campus Collaborative. Donald holds a Master’s in Environment and Business (Waterloo), is a CPA, and earned degrees from UCalgary and UAlberta together.

Kerry Margetts

Kerry is a chemical engineer with over 38 years of experience in the Oil and Gas Industry, most recently at Cenovus as the Vice President of Canadian Downstream and before that, as President of NWR Sturgeon Refinery. Kerry has a lifelong passion for nature and the environment, which has guided his work inside industry, leading projects to reduce emissions and capture CO2. 

Stephanie Bailey

Stephanie is a Policy Specialist of Government Affairs for Cenovus Energy. With over 20 years of professional environmental experience in Canada and the United States as a member of industry, a consultant, an investor, and a leader in a non-profit organization, she has demonstrated expertise in environmental and climate policy, sustainable program development, and ESG strategy.

Heather Shewchuk

Heather is the Director, Stewardship Programs at the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA). Heather is dedicated to promoting recycling and provides strategic and operational leadership to ARMA’s Stewardship Programs. Through her work in both the public and not-for-profit sectors, Heather has fostered relationships with stakeholders and engaged communities to drive positive outcomes.

Brittany Onysyk

Brittany is the Program Manager at the Alberta Lake Management Society, where she oversees the operation of the LakeWatch Program, a long-term water monitoring initiative focused on tracking water quality across the province. Through her great appreciation for the environment and deep passion for sustainability and conservation, Brittany aims to bring a holistic approach to lake and watershed management. She is committed to fostering community engagement, driving data-driven decision-making, and promoting collaborative partnerships to protect Alberta’s natural resources for future generations. 

Kelly Parker

Kelly Parker is Director of Projects at CarbonAi, leading global carbon offset initiatives targeting methane emissions in the energy and waste sectors. Previously, she managed GHG data governance strategies for multinational clients at Ernst & Young and led collaborative emissions reduction initiatives at Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance. Kelly brings expertise in carbon markets, digital MRV systems, and regulatory compliance, integrating technical, regulatory, and market perspectives across multi-stakeholder environmental initiatives.