Marine Renewables Canada welcomes three new board directors
Marine Renewables Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors. The new directors bring experience from working in offshore wind development as well as expertise in offshore and legal industries, environmental sustainability, and Indigenous engagement. Their unique perspectives will add to the national leadership of the association.
“As measures are taken to accelerate energy transition, we are seeing increasing opportunities for marine renewable energy in Canada and internationally,” said Marine Renewables Canada executive director Elisa Obermann. “To truly realize and maximize the potential of our sector, we need strong leaders that are committed to our members and the growth of tidal, offshore wind, wave, and river current energy. That’s why I am pleased to announce the appointment of new directors to our board: Adrienne Downey, Mohammad Ali Raza, and Richard MacLellan – their expertise and strengths will benefit the association and the sector.”
Adrienne Downey is the Principal Engineer and Country Manager for pure-play floating offshore wind developer and technology provider Hexicon in the US and Canada. Most recently, Adrienne was Principal Engineer for offshore wind for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). During her tenure, Adrienne led NYSERDA’s nation-leading offshore wind program with the goal of reaching 9 gigawatts (GW) by 2035, and successfully procured an excess of 4.1 GW. Previously, Adrienne supported the establishment of wind turbine original equipment manufacturer ENERCON’s operations in North America in addition to her own energy transition consulting practice, ADaptation.
Richard MacLellan is the Managing Director of Miawpukek Horizon Maritime Services, a partnership between Horizon Maritime and the Miawpukek First Nation. Miawpukek Horizon is focused on advancing Indigenous participation in the ocean economy. With Richard’s guidance, the company has been recognized for its innovative and sustainable approaches that protect the environment. Previously, Richard held senior positions in the municipal governments of Halifax and Region of Queens and Bridgewater. Richard has extensive experience in governance, environmental sustainability, and cultivating relationships with Indigenous peoples leading to strong partnerships.
Mohammad Ali Raza is a corporate lawyer at Cox & Palmer with a specialty in marine and energy related matters. He has worked both in private practice and as in-house counsel in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Canada. He has been a partner in the Halifax office of Cox & Palmer since 2019. Mohammad Ali has written and spoken extensively on Nova Scotia’s Marine Renewable Energy Act and regulations governing autonomous underwater vehicles. His experience includes significant energy infrastructure initiatives in multiple jurisdictions. He chairs the Canadian Bar Association National Section on Environment, Energy and Resources Law as well as the Cox & Palmer Ocean Innovation Practice Group of lawyers.
Their directorship terms began on January 1, 2023.
A new executive committee has also been established, with Dr. Mary Lou Lauria, VP of Operations at Advisian (part of the Worley Group) appointed as Vice Chair of the board and Mohammad Ali Raza of Cox and Palmer appointed as Treasurer. They join Chair of the board, Peter Huttges, Director of Ports and Coastal at Atlantic Towing.
Marine Renewables Canada would like to thank the outgoing directors of the board for their contributions and leadership: Dragan Tutic (Oneka Technologies) and Kim MacNeil (Nova Innovation).
For full Board of Directors’ biographies, please visit: https://marinerenewables.ca/board-of-directors/
About Marine Renewables Canada
Marine Renewables Canada is the national association for tidal, offshore wind, wave and river current energy, representing a membership of technology and project developers, suppliers, utilities, Indigenous organizations, researchers, and communities. The association works to build the sector by advocating for supportive policies, identifying domestic and international business development opportunities for its members, facilitating collaboration amongst its membership and broader ecosystem, providing education and outreach, and disseminating market intelligence. As part of its focus on developing the sector, Marine Renewables Canada is active in catalyzing opportunities for how marine renewable energy can contribute to achieving decarbonization goals through the production of green fuels such as hydrogen, as well as displacement of diesel in remote communities and marine industries.
More at www.marinerenewables.ca
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Media contact:
Elisa Obermann
Marine Renewables Canada
902-817-4317
elisa@marinerenewables.ca