About Us

Bio

As President and Chief Executive Officer of the International CCS Knowledge Centre, James Fann is responsible for the overall leadership and strategic guidance of our initiatives. With a focus on enhancing business growth, developing partnerships and seeking new business opportunities to support the development of CCS projects globally, James is dedicated to keeping the Knowledge Centre at the front of this developing industry.

Prior to joining the Knowledge Centre, James spent nearly two decades working in Canada’s energy sector. His career to date has spanned technical and leadership roles in upstream, midstream, downstream and technology development, as well as strategic and corporate functions that include acquisition and divestitures, investor relations, corporate planning and human resources.  He has extensive experience working on strategic initiatives at the executive and board level.

James holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo and a Global Energy Executive MBA from the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary.

Bio

Debbie Kajati serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President of Corporate Services at the International CCS Knowledge Centre. She plays a critical role in upholding the organization’s integrity, ensuring robust governance, and overseeing the delivery of essential corporate services. 

Debbie provides the leadership, management, and vision essential for driving the organization’s growth, maintaining its financial integrity, and ensuring efficient operations with strong oversight. In addition to her role in corporate governance, she oversees the communications, marketing, and media relations functions, safeguarding the vibrancy of the Knowledge Centre’s brand and ensuring alignment with its principles and mandate.

Before joining the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Debbie spent two decades at SaskPower, where she served as the Manager of the Coal Combustion Products and Contracts Management Department. In this role, she was responsible for developing, implementing, and leading the Contracts Management Department. Debbie’s career at SaskPower began in 1994, where she played a pivotal role in establishing and managing SaskPower International Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SaskPower Corporation.

Bio

As Chief Operating Officer at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Breanne O’Reilly oversees daily operations, ensuring efficient delivery of technical and strategic services. Her responsibilities include developing strategic plans, managing budgets, overseeing proposal development, and mentoring a high-performing operations team.

Breanne spearheads transformative initiatives to advance carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions across Canada. She is dedicated to positioning the Knowledge Centre at the forefront of sustainable development, aligning it with Canada’s carbon reduction goals. Her expertise in consulting and communications, coupled with her strategic leadership, drives the organization’s efforts in knowledge-sharing activities and securing new funding opportunities.

With a career dedicated to understanding Canada’s evolving energy landscape, Breanne has built collaborative relationships and shared valuable information with industry, government, and the public. Her strong foundation in public relations and extensive experience enable her to combine strategic thinking with hands-on expertise, driving meaningful change in the pursuit of a low-carbon future.

Bio

As the Director of Technical Services, Shannon Timmons, is responsible for management and effective delivery of technical services at the International CCS Knowledge Centre.

Shannon oversees technical service delivery, ensuring high standards and strategic alignment across the organization. Driving efficiency in our project management processes, Shannon maintains market awareness and provide technical advice to the team and our clients. 

Before joining the Knowledge Centre, she spent 14 years in engineering, project management, and strategic planning within the Canadian upstream oil and gas sector, with a focus on coal bed methane, shale gas, and polymer flood oil recovery. Her expertise includes project management, execution, long-term area development planning, portfolio management, and large-scale project evaluations. 

Shannon holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Saskatchewan.

Bio

Luke Montague is the Manager of Mechanical Engineering at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, responsible for the development, analysis, and optimization of mechanical systems. With nearly fifteen years of diverse experience in petrochemical, chemical, mining, potash, and utilities Luke ensures that projects meet performance, quality, and regulatory standards.

Luke is a licensed mechanical engineer with expertise across all project life cycle phases, including development, feasibility, FEED, detailed design, construction, and commissioning. His diverse background includes training as a refinery process operator, supporting well testing offshore in the Norwegian Continental Shelf, and leading the execution of a fire insurance rebuild project in a refinery.

Bio

Pai Sanpasertparnich is the Manager of Process Engineering at the International CCS Knowledge Centre with over 15 years of experience in power generation, oil and gas, and carbon capture. 

Pai is an experienced Mechanical and Process Engineer, as well as a Project Engineer/Manager, with a proven track record in the design industry. Pai specializes in engineering services such as Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED), process flow diagrams (PFD), piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&ID), plant layout, process and hydraulic modeling, 3D modeling, equipment selection, piping design, energy-saving options, project conceptualization, and cost-benefit reviews.

Holding a Professional Engineer (P.Eng) certification, Pai is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with a Certified Energy Management (CEM) designation.

Bio

Laura Westover is the Manager of Engineering & Economic Analysis at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, responsible for overseeing the development and application of engineering principles, economic models, and analytical tools to evaluate projects.

Laura is a natural collaborator and is adept at coordinating cross-functional teams to deliver strong business results. Prior to joining the Knowledge Centre, she spent nine years working for various business units at Cenovus Energy. During her tenure, she worked across various business units including conventional oil and gas, enhanced oil recovery, SAGD, and technology development. Laura has expertise in project management, decision analysis, economic modelling, and long-term development planning. Her experience also includes CO2 surface facilities engineering and evaluations of a diverse set of large and small projects.

Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta and is a registered professional engineer in the province of Alberta.

Bio

Yuewu Feng is a Principal Mechanical Engineer at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, where he provides expert advice on CCS projects by reviewing designs and performing feasibility studies. He applies his direct experience and lessons learned from the SaskPower Boundary Dam 3 (BD3) CCS facility to assist owners in advancing CCS implementation.

Prior to joining the Knowledge Centre, Yuewu had worked at SaskPower BD3 CCS facility as an engineer and lead on mechanical commissioning in capture island from 2011 to 2018. His areas of focus were on reviewing design, managing supply and install contracts in owner’s scope, mechanical commissioning, resolving deficiencies, improving performance, and supporting the overall operation and maintenance.

Holding a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, Yuewu has 18 years of experience within the power generation industry, encompassing studies, project initiatives, design, design reviews, equipment supply management, installation, commissioning, and technical support for operation, maintenance, and overhaul of fossil fuel power stations.

Bio

Colin Campbell is the Principal Chemist at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, with over 25+ years of experience in a broad range of chemistry related areas including liquid and gas analyses, instrument selection, analytical techniques and troubleshooting capture plant processes.

Colin served as SaskPower’s manager of chemical services during the development and start-up of the Boundary Dam 3 (BD3) CCS facility, gaining firsthand experience with the chemistry-related challenges encountered post-startup. Since the successful operation of BD3, he has also been involved in pilot plant design and responsible for reviewing test data.

Bio

As Principal Chemical Engineer at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Keith Hill lends considerable knowledge and expertise to the team. 

Bringing 15 years of direct CCS experience from his previous role as SaskPower’s primary chemical engineer for the Boundary Dam Unit 3 (BD3) CCS facility. Keith’s responsibilities span across evaluation, recommendation, construction, start-up, and commissioning, with ongoing involvement in operational process optimization and troubleshooting. Recently, his focus has shifted to investigating and implementing solutions for amine health and contaminant cleaning to further enhance the CCS process.

Bio

As the Principal Mechanical Engineer at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Brent Jacobs leverages his extensive experience from the development of the Boundary Dam 3 (BD3) CCS facility. His expertise spans from initial feasibility studies to design, procurement, and operation.

While the BD3 project was the highlight of his 25-year tenure at SaskPower, Brent also worked in areas of the Power Plant Thermal Performance and Generation Planning teams. He has been with the Knowledge Centre for over six years and is dedicated to applying and sharing his expertise with other developing CCS projects across Canada. 

Brent holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan and a Masters in Process Systems Engineering from the University of Regina.

Bio

As the Senior Project Manager at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Everett Rueve provides leadership, mentorship, and senior project management to carbon capture projects that span across heavy emitting industries.

Everett has 25+ years in the energy sector, consisting of oil and gas refining, hydrogen processing, gas to liquids refining, hydrogenated-derived renewable diesel refining, used motor oil refining, crude oil storage terminal operations and pipeline design. He also has experience with ammonia processes through project development discussions with licensed vendors.

With experience at the Co-op Refinery Complex (1998-2010) and Gibson Energy (2010-2020), he possesses in-depth knowledge of project development, construction, operations, and maintenance. His career includes several management roles, culminating in his most recent position as Manager of Project Development and Execution.

Everett is the president and owner of Rueve Energy Projects Inc. (2021–Present), an engineering consulting firm based in White City, SK. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan and an Executive Master’s in Business Administration from the Kenneth Levene Graduate School of Business at the University of Regina.

Bio

As a Technical Specialist at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Collins Nyarko plays a vital role in offering technical assistance and supporting initiatives aimed at advancing CCS projects to align with environmental and industry standards. His proficiency in data analysis and visualization is a valuable resource in providing key inputs for new CCS plants.

Before joining the Knowledge Centre, Collins worked as a research assistant, focusing on pilot testing amine-based CO₂ capture systems and process optimization. He has extensive experience analyzing the impact of flue gas constituents on solvent integrity and overall capture system efficiency.

Collins holds a Master of Applied Science in Process Systems Engineering from the University of Regina and an active member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS).

Bio

As a Technical Specialist at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Patit Pradoo is responsible for supporting pre-feasibility, feasibility, and Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) studies for various CCS projects across Canada.

With a talent for understanding and communicating complex topics clearly, Patit is an invaluable team member dedicated to finding innovative solutions for challenging CCS problems. He is skilled in process simulation, data analysis, and project coordination, which he has applied to assist SaskPower in optimizing the Boundary Dam Unit 3 (BD3) CCS facility.

Patit holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Thailand, focusing on process simulation, and a Master of Applied Science in Process Systems Engineering from the University of Regina, with a specialization in amine degradation in CCS applied to industrial processes.

Bio

As a Technical Specialist at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Esther Praise Avor conducts economic and technical analyses of CCS process designs to ensure they meet emissions reduction targets. She brings comprehensive knowledge and hands-on experience in amine-based carbon capture technology and the use of membranes to advance sustainable and environmentally responsible carbon capture solutions.

Esther’s expertise in CCS technologies equips her to design and implement innovative processes for greenhouse gas reduction. She is eager to apply her experience in solvent development, process design, and optimization to contribute to projects that combat climate change and promote a sustainable future.

Esther holds a Master of Applied Science in Process Systems Engineering from the University of Regina and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS).

Bio

As a Process Specialist at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Bew Tantikhajorngosol holds a wide range of understanding for carbon capture technologies.

In his time at the Knowledge Centre, Bew has built a track record of innovative problem solving by combining multiple skill sets to analyze large chemistry data sets. He continues to grow his knowledge in the areas of capture plant sizing, flue gas analysis and technology evaluation.

Bew holds a Ph.D. in Energy Technology from KMUTT, Bangkok, with a focus on carbon capture using membranes. Currently, he is also completing a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Regina.

Bio

As Manager of Policy and Commercial at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Mac Walton leads a team that offers comprehensive analytical, strategic, and operational guidance to clients within the CCS industry and in policy development.

Mac connects lessons learned from building, operating, and optimizing CCS facilities to the challenges of navigating regulatory and incentive frameworks, helping governments and businesses advance CCS projects to final investment decisions. He is passionate about the economic opportunities CCS projects offer to rural communities as part of efforts to significantly reduce emissions across the economy.

Before joining the Knowledge Centre, Mac worked with Prairies Economic Development Canada as a Senior Business Officer, managing the Alberta Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative and administering community economic development projects. A member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Mac has also worked as an educator and management consultant in First Nation and Métis communities in Northern Alberta.

Bio

Zoe Hardowa is the Lead of Communications & Media at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, bringing a diverse background in communications and marketing from sectors such as carbon management and financial planning. 

Holding a bachelor’s degree in public relations and communications from Mount Royal University in Calgary, Zoe’s versatile skills include strategic planning, brand development, event coordination, and proficiency in graphic design and digital communications. 

Bio

As the Lead of Commercial Insights at the International CCS Knowledge Centre Evan plays a critical role in implementing the Knowledge Centre’s strategic initiatives by identifying and pursuing new opportunities, managing key partnerships and contributing to the Knowledge Centre’s growth objectives. Evan’s focus is on extending the Knowledge Centre’s impact across the CCS landscape to drive tangible progress in Canada’s Carbon reduction pathway. 

Prior to joining the Knowledge Centre, Evan spent a decade acquiring an array of experience in technical, corporate and advisory roles in the Canadian and European markets. He spent eight years at Cenovus in diverse roles ranging from subsurface exploration and development to asset development planning, budget optimization and capital management strategy. Most recently at a leading energy transition management consultancy in the United Kingdom, Evan provided strategic advisory for major international energy companies, government organizations and prominent global asset managers. His priorities were focused on building the firm’s offerings in decarbonization strategies, emissions management and commercial due diligence for energy transition investments, building bespoke techno-economic models to assess opportunities in various energy transition technologies like Carbon Capture and Sequestration, Hydrogen and Renewable Energy assets. 

Evan holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Alberta and an MBA majoring in Finance from the University of Cambridge, Judge Business School. He passed Level I of the CFA program in 2019 and is a registered professional geologist in the province of Alberta.

Bio

Mansi Dhaundiyal is a Technical Specialist at the International CCS Knowledge Centre. She conducts technical analyses of emerging CCUS technologies, including life cycle and techno-economic viability assessments, and evaluates the impact of policies and regulations on various decarbonization strategies. 

Holding a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of British Columbia and is an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) with APEGA, Mansi is eager to deepen her understanding of policy assessment to accelerate CCS/CCUS development in Canada.

Bio

Katherine Fadum is the International CCS Knowledge Centre’s Advisor of Communications & Events. She works with the team to develop and implement effective marketing and communication strategies that elevate the organizations brand and fosters new business opportunities.

Prior to joining the Knowledge Centre, Katherine worked for nearly a decade in legal marketing, communications, and business development, serving three of Canada’s largest corporate law firms. She was also the manager of operations for a national provider of employee group benefits.

Katherine also has an extensive career as a professional performing artist, working across stage, film, television, radio, and web. Her dynamic background has fostered a deep appreciation for the power of storytelling and communication in both performance and branding.

Katherine is a graduate of Theatre & Film Studies at Red Deer College and Music Theatre Performance at Sheridan College.

Bio

As Manager of the CCUS Insight Accelerator at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Kayley Fardi leads the CCS Knowledge Sharing Initiative. She is responsible for guiding the project team and overseeing the development, implementation, and coordination of knowledge-sharing activities. Her goal is to accelerate CCS learning, reduce costs and risks for large-scale investments, and contribute to Canada’s climate change objectives.

Before joining the Knowledge Centre, Kayley spent over 13 years in the oil and gas industry, with extensive experience in SAGD. Her roles ranged from technical optimization of operations as a production and reservoir engineer to long-term asset development planning and capital management. Kayley has expertise in integrating project teams across various functions in the oil sands, developing high-quality business cases, and overseeing projects through the stage-gated process.

Kayley holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary and is a registered professional engineer in the province of Alberta.

Bio

As a Senior Strategic CCS Advisor with the Knowledge Centre, Taylor is supporting the CCUS Insight Accelerator. She is a CCUS subject matter expert and is uniquely positioned to develop geotechnical and public-facing resources aimed at accelerating CCS learning, reducing costs and risks for large scale investments, and contributing to Canada’s climate change initiatives.

Prior to joining the Knowledge Center, Taylor accumulated 15 years of relevant subsurface experience from previous roles as a senior geologist at Carbon Alpha, Whitecap Resources and Cenovus Energy. She has expertise in carbon storage site selection, CCUS project management, MMV risk and uncertainty management, operations drilling support, stakeholder engagement and Indigenous relations.

Taylor holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Calgary School of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Science degree with a Major in Earth Sciences from Simon Fraser University. Taylor is also a founder, volunteer, public speaker and chair of several technical subsurface and Carbon Capture and Storage groups in Calgary. Her ability to translate complex technical concepts into approachable content will support the broader goals of the Knowledge Center and, specifically, their CCUS Insight Accelerator.

Bio

Mandy Selzer is the Office Manager & Executive Assistant at the International CCS Knowledge Centre. Before joining the Knowledge Centre, she spent four years at SaskPower with the Integrated Carbon Capture & Storage team, contributing to the development of the Boundary Dam 3 (BD3) Unit 3 CCS Facility. 

Mandy brings over 15 years of experience in the administrative field.

Bio

Randy Brunet is a Partner with MLT Aikins LLP and a key member of the firm’s Innovation, Data and Technology practice group.  Randy’s practice is focused on innovation and technology projects as well as privacy and cybersecurity.  Randy has extensive experience with CO₂ capture, transportation, utilization and storage projects (CCUS). He was a key participant in the PTRC’s Weyburn/Midale EOR and Aquistore research projects. He has also advised on many CCUS projects and has presented at CCUS conferences and webinars.

Bio

Dr. Graham Winkelman is the Vice President, Climate at BHP Group Ltd. based in Melbourne, where his global role covers BHP’s response to climate change and energy policy, leadership of carbon capture and storage initiatives and accountability for the strategic design of the Company’s public climate change targets. Graham represents BHP through a number of high-profile fora, including the International Council of Mining and Metals (ICMM), the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA), the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) and the World Bank’s Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC). Graham is a key representative for BHP on the Energy Transitions Commission, which ‘aims to identify pathways for change in our energy systems to ensure both better growth and a better climate’ and is a Board Member of the International CCS Knowledge Centre and the Australian Industry Greenhouse Network (AIGN).

Bio

Caralyn Bennett is President of the Canadian Heavy Oil Association, an organization dedicated to building community and creating opportunities that will spark the shifts and drive the advances necessary to differentiate the Canadian barrel as the global barrel of choice.  Caralyn also sits on the Board of Directors of two publicly traded companies, Acceleware Ltd. and Tamarack Valley Energy Ltd., and one private oil and gas producer.

Prior to her retirement in 2023, Ms. Bennett was Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of GLJ Ltd., a Canadian energy consulting firm. She has over 30 years of energy industry experience in resource governance, business strategy, subsurface risk and uncertainty, emerging technology, and energy decarbonization and transition.  Most recently, Caralyn oversaw GLJ’s diversification of services to include include sustainability and decarbonization strategies, carbon capture utilization and sequestration project validation, ESG reporting, new energy venture evaluation, integrated studies, and technology readiness assessments.

Caralyn advises the Dean of the MacPhail School of Energy at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and serves as a committee member of the Industrial Curricular Advisory Board, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering for the University of Waterloo and the Awards and Recognition Formation Evaluation Committee of the Society of Petroleum Engineering.

A professional engineer, Ms. Bennett holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree (Honours) in Geological Engineering from the University of Waterloo and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).

Bio

Tim Dixon is Director and General Manager for the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEAGHG). He has been at IEAGHG since 2008, and is responsible for managing the R&D programme, ensuring that IEAGHG activities provide the technical evidence-base to support CCS development and deployment, including the IEAGHG technical studies, Research Networks, GHGT Conferences, and Summer Schools, and for inputting to regulatory and policy developments. Tim is chair of several international committees on CCS, including the GHGT Conference Committees.​

Tim is also an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas in Austin, and an Honorary Lecturer at the School of Geosciences at University of Edinburgh. He is a Director on the Board for The International CCS Knowledge Centre in Regina, Canada, and was an original Board Member of the UKCCSRC. He sits on advisory committees for several CCS R&D projects. Previously Tim worked in CCS, emissions trading, clean coal technologies, renewable energy and related areas for the UK Government‘s Department of Trade and Industry, for AEA Technology, and for the Global CCS Institute. He was a lead negotiator for CCS in the CDM at UNFCCC COP-17, for CCS in the London Convention and OSPAR, and for CCS in the EU ETS.​

Tim has a BSc in Applied Physics and an MBA, and is a member of the UK Institute of Physics, UK Energy Institute, and UK Environmental Law Association.​

Bio

Darren Foster is the Executive Director of Corporate Strategy & Planning at SaskPower. His work is focused on the energy transition and advancing the strategic direction that will solidify SaskPower’s long-term success. This includes guiding Executive leadership and the Board of Directors in developing solutions and collaborative partnerships that will deliver on key strategic initiatives.

Darren brings extensive experience in strategy development, sustainability, regulatory affairs, corporate performance, communications, and shareholder relations. In addition to various roles at SaskPower, his career has included a decade leading his own consultancy, as well as time as a Creative Director at a national advertising agency, administrator at a university college, and journalist at a third world news agency based in London, UK.

Darren holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communications from the University of Regina and has studied extensively at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

Bio

Donovan is the President of Scovan, which he incorporated in 2010, and has grown the company organically and through acquisitions to provide strategic vertically integrated services. A passionate entrepreneur and professional engineer with vast experience in the energy industry, his focus is on delivering integrated projects from oil and gas, power generation, to renewable energy, which have led to the creation of transformative and disruptive solutions such as the PadX Partnership and HipVap. Solutions which will make a significant impact on reducing the environment footprint of the energy industry. Donovan is a philanthropist, board member, and active supporter in the community in which he is an advocate for gender diversity in the workplace and supports the development of young engineers through an educational grant at the University of Alberta.

Bio

Ryan Neufeld is the Vice-President, Engineering and Construction at SaskPower. He has 25 years of experience in numerous areas within SaskPower, including Transmission, Distribution, and Key Accounts.

Over his career he has held many roles at SaskPower, starting as an electrical engineering technologist in 1998 performing commissioning and testing within Transmission, Distribution, and Generation. He also served as Director, Distribution Construction & Work Management and Director, Distribution Operations North.

Before SaskPower, Mr. Neufeld worked at Atco Electric as a Station Technologist in northern Alberta.

He holds a Diploma in Electrical Engineering Technology from Palliser Institute, a Journeyman Power System Electrician certificate from Alberta, and a certificate in Business Administration from the University of Saskatchewan.

Bio

Tina Searcy is the Manager Environment & Permitting for BHP Canada Inc. She joined BHP in early 2024, bringing with her 25 years of experience in the Uranium mining industry. Her portfolio at BHP includes oversight and implementation of environmental management plans, sustainability standards, environmental approvals and achieving objectives related to climate adaptation and biodiversity. 

Utilizing her Diploma in Environmental Engineering Technology from Palliser Institute she gained valuable experience in mine operations, environmental protection, and monitoring while working in northern Uranium mines. Completing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Management, she transitioned to regulatory affairs and strategy, while ensuring operations and projects adequately considered environmental performance during the full life cycle of the operations (inception through closure); ensuring land use for future generations. 

Bio

As President and Chief Executive Officer of the International CCS Knowledge Centre, James Fann is responsible for the overall leadership and strategic guidance of our initiatives. With a focus on enhancing business growth, developing partnerships and seeking new business opportunities to support the development of CCS projects globally, James is dedicated to keeping the Knowledge Centre at the front of this developing industry.

Prior to joining the Knowledge Centre, James spent nearly two decades working in Canada’s energy sector. His career to date has spanned technical and leadership roles in upstream, midstream, downstream and technology development, as well as strategic and corporate functions that include acquisition and divestitures, investor relations, corporate planning and human resources.  He has extensive experience working on strategic initiatives at the executive and board level.

James holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo and a Global Energy Executive MBA from the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary.

Bio

Debbie Kajati serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President of Corporate Services at the International CCS Knowledge Centre. She plays a critical role in upholding the organization’s integrity, ensuring robust governance, and overseeing the delivery of essential corporate services. 

Debbie provides the leadership, management, and vision essential for driving the organization’s growth, maintaining its financial integrity, and ensuring efficient operations with strong oversight. In addition to her role in corporate governance, she oversees the communications, marketing, and media relations functions, safeguarding the vibrancy of the Knowledge Centre’s brand and ensuring alignment with its principles and mandate.

Before joining the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Debbie spent two decades at SaskPower, where she served as the Manager of the Coal Combustion Products and Contracts Management Department. In this role, she was responsible for developing, implementing, and leading the Contracts Management Department. Debbie’s career at SaskPower began in 1994, where she played a pivotal role in establishing and managing SaskPower International Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SaskPower Corporation.

Bio

As Chief Operating Officer at the International CCS Knowledge Centre, Breanne O’Reilly oversees daily operations, ensuring efficient delivery of technical and strategic services. Her responsibilities include developing strategic plans, managing budgets, overseeing proposal development, and mentoring a high-performing operations team.

Breanne spearheads transformative initiatives to advance carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions across Canada. She is dedicated to positioning the Knowledge Centre at the forefront of sustainable development, aligning it with Canada’s carbon reduction goals. Her expertise in consulting and communications, coupled with her strategic leadership, drives the organization’s efforts in knowledge-sharing activities and securing new funding opportunities.

With a career dedicated to understanding Canada’s evolving energy landscape, Breanne has built collaborative relationships and shared valuable information with industry, government, and the public. Her strong foundation in public relations and extensive experience enable her to combine strategic thinking with hands-on expertise, driving meaningful change in the pursuit of a low-carbon future.