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Meet the YEPN Executive Team

The Young Energy Professionals Network (YEPN) gathers exceptional individuals from across the country, representing Canada’s diverse energy sector. Meet the dynamic executive team leading Canada’s next generation of excellence in energy. 

Click our names to read our bios!

Harshivam Bawa

Chair

Manager, Public Affairs, Energy for a Secure Future
Harshivam.Bawa@EnergySecureFuture.ca

Pedro Torres-Basanta bio

Pedro Torres-Basanta

Vice Chair

Managing Consultant, Guidehouse
ptorresbasanta@guidehouse.com

Headshot Cherida Walter

Cherida Walter

Director, Communications

Advisor in Consumer Policy & Compliance with the Ontario Energy Board
Cherida.Walter@oeb.ca

Esther Kang

Director, Professional Development

Regulatory Affairs Consultant, Energy Policy & Government Relations, Toronto Hydro-Electric Systems Limited
ekang@torontohydro.com

Vanshaj Verma

Director, Membership

Energy Procurement & Sustainability Consultant at E&C Consultants
vanshaj@eecc.be

Colin Turner

Director, Outreach & Engagement

Deputy Director, Government & Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Gas Association
CTurner@cga.ca

Harshivam Bawa

Executive Member: Chair

Manager, Public Affairs, Energy for a Secure Future
Harshivam.Bawa@EnergySecureFuture.ca

A former journalist turned public affairs professional, Harshivam has been involved in the Canadian energy sector for over 5 years now. Currently, he works as a Public Affairs Manager for Energy for a Secure Future (ESF), a non-partisan civil society initiative that brings together Canadian business leaders, Indigenous peoples, organizations, and experts in a new conversation about energy and building a secure future for Canada and our allies around the world. In his current role, he focuses on media relations, government relations, advocacy, community engagement, and content creation. Previously, Harshivam worked for the Canadian Gas Association in several roles gaining a robust understanding of Canada’s natural gas sector. Harshivam holds a bachelor’s in journalism and communications from Guru Nanak Dev University in India and professional post graduate certificates in Broadcast Journalism – Television News and Public Relations – Corporate Communications from Fanshawe College in London, ON. Harshivam is also on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Business Communicators – Canada East Region.

Connect with Harshivam and the YEPN team on LinkedIn:
Energy Council of Canada’s Young Energy Professionals Network

Pedro Torres-Basanta

Executive Member: Vice Chair

Managing Consultant, Guidehouse
ptorresbasanta@guidehouse.com

Pedro is currently a Managing Consultant for Energy Providers in the Energy, Sustainability, and Infrastructure practice at Guidehouse, a management consulting firm. He has experience in consulting for utilities, independent power producers and government agencies. He has worked on projects related to regulatory strategy and compliance, asset valuation, corporate and integrated resource planning strategy, continuous business improvement, market research, and resiliency of energy systems. Pedro is interested in the challenges and opportunities of global decarbonization, and sustainable urban growth.

Pedro holds a B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering with a from Queen’s University and a Masters of Engineering in Cities Engineering and Management from the University of Toronto. He is trilingual in French, Spanish, and English.

As Vice-Chair of the YEPN, Pedro is looking forward to empowering the YEPN executive committee to meet its goals for 2024, and to be a steward of Canadian energy excellence.

Connect with Pedro and the YEPN team on LinkedIn:
Energy Council of Canada’s Young Energy Professionals Network

Cherida Walter

Executive Member: Communications

Advisor in Consumer Policy & Compliance with the Ontario Energy Board
Cherida.Walter@oeb.ca

Cherida Walter is a Project Manager and regulatory professional with experience working in the energy and financial sectors. Cherida is presently an Advisor at the Ontario Energy Board where she reviews and assesses potential non-compliance by regulated entities and supports investigations as a subject matter expert. Cherida also oversees the management and operation of the Ontario Electricity Support Program, which provides an on-bill credit for consumers in Ontario. Cherida is currently leading an initiative to increase the income eligibility thresholds for the Ontario Electricity Support Program, which will make more electricity consumers eligible for bill relief.

Prior to this role, Cherida held four positions at the Ontario Energy Board working in the adjudicative and policy divisions, and before that, she worked in the financial sector.

Cherida holds a Master of Environmental Studies from York University, a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies from York University, and a Business Diploma from Schulich School of Business.

Cherida is a certified Project Management Professional who speaks English and conversational French. Cherida is a member of the Ontario Energy Board’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, and the Society of United Professional’s Coalition of Racialized Professionals Committee.

Connect with Cherida and the YEPN team on LinkedIn:
Energy Council of Canada’s Young Energy Professionals Network

Esther Kang

Executive Member: Professional Development

Regulatory Affairs Consultant, Energy Policy & Government Relations, Toronto Hydro-Electric Systems Limited
ekang@torontohydro.com

Esther is an energy policy and regulatory professional with 7+ years of experience in Ontario’s regulated energy industry with demonstrated knowledge in policy, project management, business planning, and change management consulting. In her current role as a Regulatory Affairs Consultant at Toronto Hydro, she is focused on policy advocacy and development, stakeholder engagement, and conducting research and analysis on emerging policy issues in the energy industry. Her diverse experience in the utility sector includes previous roles in change management, organizational effectiveness, and community relations.

Esther holds a Master of Science in Energy Policy from the University of Sussex and a B.B.A in International Business from the University of Toronto along with certifications as an ISO55001 Asset Management Practitioner and Contract & Commercial Management Practitioner.  

Connect with Esther and the YEPN team on LinkedIn:
Energy Council of Canada’s Young Energy Professionals Network

Vanshaj Verma

Executive Member: Membership

Energy Procurement & Sustainability Consultant at E&C Consultants
vanshaj@eecc.be

Vanshaj is a Product Owner and an Energy Procurement & Sustainability Consultant at E&C Consultants since 2019. He graduated with a M.S. in Earth & Environmental Engineering (Sustainable Energy) from Columbia University, NYC in 2018. Prior to that he worked with America’s largest city-wide environmental agency – NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany.

 

Connect with Vanshaj and the YEPN team on LinkedIn:
Energy Council of Canada’s Young Energy Professionals Network

Colin Turner

Executive Member: Outreach & Engagement

Deputy Director, Government & Regulatory Affairs, Canadian Gas Association
CTurner@cga.ca

Colin is a government relations professional, currently the Deputy Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs at the Canadian Gas Association. In this role, works to understand the regulatory landscape of the energy sector, advocating for association members at the federal level. His expertise extends to developing GR strategies, crafting submissions for government consultations, and organizing key industry events like Hill lobby days. Colin’s journey in this field began at the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, an experience spanning nearly four years, which included a co-op term during his studies in Political Science and Communications at the University of Ottawa.

Connect with Colin and the YEPN team on LinkedIn:
Energy Council of Canada’s Young Energy Professionals Network