Carmen Abela
Board Member
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Ms. Abela has been serving on the AECL Board of Directors since 2017 and is currently serving a term ending in 2028. Ms. Abela is the founder and Managing Director of WindReach Consulting Services Inc., an Ottawa-based consultancy specializing in public sector accountability. For over twenty-five years, Carmen has been advising senior government leaders on public sector oversight and operational excellence. Her areas of specialty include governance, risk management and internal audit.
She is deeply committed to building public trust, which she does through her professional practice and her board work. Beyond serving on the AECL Board of Directors, she is the Chair of the Board for the Royal Ottawa Hospital Foundation where she also chairs the Strategy and Governance Committee. She is an elected Public Director of the Board for Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) where she is also a member of the Audit Committee. She is a former member of the Board for Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO) as well as the past Chair of the National Board for the Institute of Internal Auditors Canada. Carmen is a Chartered Director (C.Dir.), a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree from McGill as well as a Master of Arts Degree in Public Administration from Carleton University.
AECL Committees: Audit, Human Resources and Governance (Chair)
James Burpee
Chairperson
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Mr. Burpee brings almost four decades of experience as a senior strategist in the electricity industry, having worked in a variety of senior management roles for Ontario Hydro and Ontario Power Generation. Mr. Burpee has also served as Chief Executive Officer at Bridge Renewable Energy Technologies Inc., a company which marketed Biomass Gasification Electricity Systems primarily in the developing world. Most recently, Mr. Burpee served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Electricity Association.
Mr. Burpee also sat on the Board of the Energy Council of Canada and the Canadian Electricity Association, including one year as Chairperson.
Mr. Burpee holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toronto and is a member of Professional Engineers Ontario and the Institute for Corporate Directors and holds the ICD.D designation. Mr. Burpee is also a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.
AECL Committees: Audit, Human Resources & Governance
Fred Dermarkar
President and CEO
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Fred Dermarkar was appointed AECL’s President and CEO in 2021 for a term of three years and subsequently reappointed to 2027.
Prior to joining AECL, Fred was President and CEO of the CANDU Owners Group, where he led the not-for‐profit organization to advance collaboration between CANDU nuclear reactor operators worldwide.
Fred has been working in the Canadian nuclear industry for close to 40 years. Throughout his career, he has occupied a variety of key technical and senior leadership positions at Ontario Power Generation in support of the design, commissioning, operation and refurbishment of its CANDU reactors.
Fred has received the Canadian Nuclear Association’s Ian McRae award in recognition of his substantive engineering contributions, leadership and positive influence on the Canadian nuclear industry and the advancement of nuclear energy in Canada, and the Nuclear Excellence Award from the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) in recognition of his contributions to Ontario Power Generation’s overall post-Fukushima response.
As President and CEO of AECL, Fred is leading the organization in its oversight role, seeing that the priorities of government are delivered safely and efficiently under the Government-owned, Contractor-operated model.
Fred holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto and is a registered professional engineer in the Province of Ontario.
Virendra Jha
Board Member
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Dr. Jha has been serving on the AECL Board of Directors since 2019 and is currently serving a term ending in 2027.
Dr. Jha has over 42 years of experience in the Canadian Space Program ranging from in-depth engineering work to senior management positions in both the private and the public sectors, including that of Vice- President and acting President of the Canadian Space Agency.
As Vice-President responsible for science, technology and programs at the Canadian Space Agency, Dr. Jha provided strategic direction, vision and leadership to all core technical programs of the Canadian Space Agency. Dr. Jha published and presented more than twenty papers on space related subjects and has served as a Board member for five technology related not for profit organizations.
Dr. Jha received his B. Tech. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi India, his Master’s degree in Mechanical engineering from McMaster University, and his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Concordia University. He also has a Chartered Director Degree from McMaster University.
Dr. Jha has received many awards in recognition of his contribution to space activities in Canada and internationally, including the Order of Canada.
AECL Committees: Audit, Human Resources & Governance
Kamilia Sofia
Board Member
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Dr. Sofia has been serving on the AECL Board of Directors since 2019 and is currently serving a term ending in 2027.
Dr. Sofia has been a strategic leader for 30 years, with technical and management experience locally and internationally. Dr. Sofia has held CEO level positions internationally in the last ten years with global organizations in multiple industries: high technology, aerospace, nuclear, and oil & gas, including CEO of Methanex Egypt, Executive Vice President of Rolls Royce Nuclear, CEO Services at Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, and Vice President of Strategy at CAE Inc. She has been a Director and Audit committee member of NorthStar Earth & Space, an information services platform that works to ensure the sustainability of the environment on earth and in space, since 2018. Dr. Sofia is also a Corporate Director of Infinity Q.
Dr. Sofia received her Ph.D. degree in Nuclear Physics from McGill University and has also completed the Directors Education Program from the Institute of Corporate Directors at McGill University. In 2005, she was voted as one of Canada’s top 100 women from the Women’s Executive Network.
Martha Tory
Board Member
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Ms. Tory has been serving on the AECL Board of Directors since 2016 and is currently serving a term ending in 2028.
Ms. Tory retired in 2015 from Ernst & Young LLP where she was an audit partner with responsibility for clients in a variety of industries. She is currently involved as a Board member with a number of organizations: her current positions include being a Board member and Chair of the Audit Committee of University of Toronto Press and Soulpepper Theatre.
Ms. Tory is a Chartered Professional Accountant and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. She holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto, Trinity College.
AECL committees: Audit (Chair), Human Resources & Governance
Dana Soonias
Board Member
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Mr. Soonias was appointed to AECL’s Board of Directors in 2023, for a term of four years.
Mr. Soonias is a member of Red Pheasant First Nation. Over the past 20 years, he has held senior positions with financial, Indigenous, and government institutions with lead roles in retail, finance, business, and economic development.
In previous roles, Dana was the Director of Economic Development and Employment Training Services at the Saskatoon Tribal Council, Mr. Soonias serves over 33,000 First Nations people, urban and rural, in and around the City of Saskatoon. He was also the CEO of Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority.
Mr. Soonias has served on various boards and committees across the country, including as Past Chair of the National Board of AFOA Canada, First Nations Financial Management Board, National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association, Saskatchewan Indian Equity Foundation, STC Industrial Contracting and several other profit and non-profit organizations.
Currently the Senior Indigenous Advisor, Ministry of Energy and Resources for the Province of Saskatchewan, he works on engagement and participation in the energy, mining and forestry sectors between Indigenous communities and the provincial government.
Mr. Soonias holds a Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager designation through the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association Canada. He has also received an Institute of Corporate Directors designation from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.
AECL Committees: Audit, Human Resources & Governance