YPE Vancouver

Zahra is an environmental engineer with 12 years of post-graduate experience. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Master’s degree related to contaminated soil remediation. Zahra’s main area of focus is contaminated site assessment and remediation, as well as the management of multi-disciplinary projects; howver, she began her career by spending a few years with Petro-Canada (now Suncor Energy) as a natural gas production and completions engineer. In 2017, Zahra received the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies BC (ACEC-BC) Young Professional Award for excellence in consulting business practices, and she is currently the President and Conference Chair for the Science Advisory Board for Contaminated Sites (SABCS). Zahra works at Stantec Consulting Ltd. as an Environmental Engineer and Project Manager.

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.

Jesse is Director of Project Management/Business Development with RAM. As a Project Management Professional (PMP) and Risk Management Professional (RMP), Jesse is experienced in all areas of project and construction leadership overseeing large, complex, high-profile municipal infrastructure and transportation projects. Jesse has an intimate knowledge with multiple project delivery methods, project management models, and scope, financial, schedule, and risk management tools and techniques. During Jesse’s career, he has developed an ability to understand his client’s “why”, work collaboratively leading teams, and implement successful strategic initiatives for multiple project stakeholders and groups. With a background as a Professional Engineer in Canada (P.Eng.) and the United States (PE), a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP), Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP), and a MMCD Certified Contract Administrator (MMCD CCA), Jesse has the ability to lead projects effectively, incorporate sustainable design and construction principles, interpret and administer contracts, and understand the technical aspects of his projects. His effective written and verbal communication, workshop facilitation, and engaging presentation skills to both technical and non-technical audiences, allow him to serve as a knowledgeable leader and advisor to his clients. Jesse enjoys being actively engaged in the project management/engineering community, volunteering as a Director/Board Member with the British Columbia Construction Roundtable (BCCR), PMI Canadian Westcoast Chapter (CWCC), and Young Professionals in Energy (YPE). Jesse is a graduate from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Civil Engineering.

Richard is a Project Manager at RAM Consulting, with an academic background in civil, environmental, and energy engineering from the University of Calgary.

As a growth-driven, creative, and aspiring sustainable urban development expert, Richard became a consultant in order to express his passion for problem solving, while rapidly honing his technical knowledge. Richard is an engineer-in-training with experience in engineering consulting, construction management, and project management, who possesses a wide array of technical skills in municipal engineering, land development planning and engineering, traffic engineering, and contaminated sites remediation and risk management. His diverse work experience has led him to work in Europe, Central America, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, the Arctic, and now, British Columbia – offering him a well-rounded perspective in his projects.