YPE Vancouver

Izzah is a Public Policy and Government Relations Analyst at FortisBC. Her team is currently involved with advancing climate change objectives inside FortisBC and externally. Her team often works with various stakeholders that include municipal, provincial and federal governments, NGOs, non-profits and academic institutions. A key priority for her team is advancing the production of renewable gases to decrease the footprint left by conventional natural gas, and expanding LNG infrastructure to replace diesel and other more carbon intensive fossil fuels.

Izzah recently completed a Master’s degree in Public Policy from SFU and wrote her thesis on the CleanBC 15% renewable gas target. Prior to her Masters, Izzah worked at the Alberta Energy Regulator on the Climate Policy team. She also holds an undergraduate Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary, with a specialization in Energy Management.

Izzah is passionate about engaging with young professionals, youth and students and getting them more involved in the energy industry and increasing energy literacy among other young professionals. Outside of her career, Izzah enjoys hiking, yoga, running, biking, snowboarding, trying new foods and traveling.

Will leads an external relations team in planning and executing major projects for FortisBC. An strategic communicator and experienced leader, Will believes in engaging locally impacted municipalities, communities, and regulatory authorities to develop projects that meet the needs of stakeholders and customers in a financial and socially responsible manner.

Will has a background in political science and government relations with a focus in federal, provincial and municipal legislative processes as well as stakeholder engagement. He has a keen eye for policy impacts and opportunities, and is knowledgeable in a number of different regulatory processes that energy projects are accountable to.

An avid skier, trail runner, and all around fresh air junkie, you’ll often find him bothering his friends about the future of energy on the uphill as well as the downhill.

Madison is a Vancouver-based energy lawyer at Fasken. Her practice focusses on the areas of Aboriginal, regulatory, and environmental law. She assists clients with matters before regulatory tribunals, including the BC Utilities Commission, and with disputes before the courts.

Madison is a graduate of the Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia. She also holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Biology and came to law after working in academia and industry.

Bonita Chester is the director of communications and media at Oklo Inc., a company
developing advanced fission clean technology. As the director of communications and
media of Oklo, Bonita leads communications, external events, and media relations
efforts. Bonita has attained features and strong relationships in the press, including
TIME, CNN, Politico, Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Bloomberg, Newsweek, and more.
Before joining Oklo, Bonita was the Commercial Lead for the small modular reactor
commercial program at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL). At CNL, Bonita
helped launch one of the largest Canadian national lab programs, the Canadian Nuclear
Research Initiative, to accelerate advanced reactor deployment in Canada.