Executive

Jennifer Williams
President & CEO

Jennifer was appointed CEO in June 2021, having served as President of Hydro since February 2019. Jennifer had served as Hydro’s Vice President, Production, since August 2016 and held earlier positions including General Manager, Hydro Production, as well as Manager, Regulatory Engineering. Jennifer joined our team in 2014, having previously worked with both Newfoundland Power and the St. John’s International Airport Authority. A Memorial University graduate, Jennifer has a Bachelor of Civil Engineering and is a member and former member of the Board of Directors of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador (PEGNL). Jennifer was awarded the Fellow of Engineers Canada in 2016 and was elected as a Fellow to the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 2020. Jennifer currently sits on the Board of Directors for Cancer Care Foundation Newfoundland and Labrador as well as the Board of Directors for the Canadian Academy of Engineering. In October 2022, Jennifer was awarded with the ‘Canadian Woman of Renewable Energy Award for 2022’ presented by Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE).

 

Gail Collins
VP, People & Corporate Affairs

Gail started with us in 2018 and in her role as Vice President, People and Corporate Affairs she is responsible for Human Resources; Corporate Strategy, Risk and Sustainability; Safety, Health and Environment; and Strategic Communications, Culture and Brand. Gail is a graduate of Memorial University and Royal Roads University with over 20 years experience in senior corporate and operational leadership roles in both public and private sectors, leading the development of business, organizational change, and corporate relations strategies. Gail is a change leader who seeks to share her passion for people, and her work, with those around her. She has served on a variety of not-for-profit and enterprise Boards of Directors and is currently a Board member of Ronald McDonald House Newfoundland and Labrador and Reddy Kilowatt Credit Union.

 

 

Robert Collett
VP, Hydro Engineering & NL System Operator (NLSO)

Rob was appointed as our Vice President of Engineering and NLSO in June 2021 and is responsible for engineering, project delivery, asset planning and system planning. In this role he provides strategic direction to ensure the safe and reliable operation of our interconnected and rural electricity systems throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
Rob started his career with Hydro in 2006 after completing his Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering at Memorial University. Since then, he’s worked in progressively senior roles, primarily in the area of Transmission Planning. Rob is a member of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador (PEGNL) and continues to support Memorial University as a guest lecturer as well as through his role as a board member of the Angus Bruneau Student LIFE Program.

 

Scott Crosbie
VP, Regulated Operations

Scott was appointed Vice President, Regulated Operations in 2021 and is responsible for all of our regulated field operations throughout Newfoundland and Labrador – our assets and the people who work to maintain and operate them. This includes all a/c transmission and distribution systems, all isolated diesel systems, all conventional thermal, gas turbine and diesel generation, and all hydro-electric generation on the island. As a 1992 graduate of Memorial University’s Engineering Program, Scott has since completed studies in Asset Management, Project Management, and Leadership. Scott has over three decades of experience in heavy industry and electrical utility business in Newfoundland and Labrador – including previous Director level positions with Hydro and as our Chief Operating Officer. Scott is very active in outdoor recreational activities around the province and is proud to serve people and communities through volunteer work with the Royal Canadian Legion and minor hockey programs.

 

Gerard Dunphy
VP, Churchill Falls & Muskrat Falls

After over thirty years with Hydro, in June 2021 Gerard stepped into his current role of Vice President, Churchill Falls and Muskrat Falls where he is responsible for operations, long term asset planning, and engineering for the Churchill Falls Generating Station and associated facilities, as well as the newly commissioned Muskrat Falls Generating Station. Gerard is a 1989 Memorial University graduate with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering and went on to achieve his Master of Engineering in 1999. He gained a Master of Business Administration in 2010 and is a certified Project Management Professional. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) at both the provincial and national levels and as Chair of the Board of Directors of PEGNL. In 1999 he was awarded the designation of Senior Member by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and was made a Fellow of Engineers Canada in 2018.

 

Lisa Hutchens
VP, Chief Financial Officer

Lisa joined as our Vice President, Finance, Regulated Operations in January 2017 and took on the role of Vice President, Chief Financial Officer in 2021. As a Chartered Professional Accountant with over 25 years of senior financial and leadership experience in the utility and energy sector, Lisa is accountable for achieving our financial goals and objectives. She provides strategic leadership in the areas of regulated and unregulated utility finance and manages change, utilizing financial information and technology to help us build an operational culture focused on appropriate cost management. Previously Lisa served as Secretary-Treasurer and CEO of Petroleum Research Newfoundland and Labrador and Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Newfoundland Power. In these senior roles, Lisa was responsible for leading corporate strategy development as well as a broad range of finance and administrative functional areas.

 

Michael Ladha, K.C., ICD.D
VP, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary

Michael joined us in 2015 as in-house legal counsel. In 2021, he took on his current role of Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary and is responsible for oversight of our legal, governance and supply chain matters. After graduating from Memorial University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Michael went on to receive his Bachelor of Laws from the University of New Brunswick in 2009. Michael is currently an elected Bencher of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador and a member of the Executive of the Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter of the Institute of Corporate Directors. He currently serves on the Canadian Law Awards Advisory Panel and was appointed King’s Counsel in 2022. Michael is a strong advocate for the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion through his governance and volunteer work and has extensive experience serving on boards of non-profit, member-based, community-based and professional organizations. Michael’s hard work and passion were recognized as the 2020 recipient of the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association’s Up and Comer Award and as an Honoree of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2021.

 

Walter Parsons
VP, Transmission Interconnections & Business Development

Walter joined our executive team in 2017 as Vice President accountable for non-regulated transmission and community affairs, based in Churchill Falls. In 2021, he assumed his current role as Vice President, Transmission Interconnections and Business Development, which holds accountability for our business development activities including energy marketing, industrial customer accounts, contract negotiation and alternative energy projects. He also holds operational accountability for our non-regulated transmission operations as well as our relationships with Indigenous communities. Prior to joining the Hydro executive team, Walter served as Executive Director for the provincial Department of Natural Resources (Iron Ore Industry) from 2012 to 2016 and as Assistant Deputy Minister of Energy Policy from 2016 to 2017. Walter is a professional electrical engineer who graduated from the University of New Brunswick in 1998 and currently volunteers as President of the Newfoundland and Labrador branch of Canadian Parents for French.

 

Dana Pope
VP, Regulatory Affairs & Stakeholder Relations (Acting)

Dana took on the role of Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Stakeholder Relations in July 2023, having most recently held the position of Senior Manager, Regulatory Affairs. Dana joined Hydro in 2014 in the regulated financial group and has also worked in financial roles related to Churchill Falls, Energy Marketing, Menihek and Twin Falls.  In her role as Vice President, Dana is responsible for building strong and strategic relationships with a view to continued enhancement of regulatory performance as well as the execution of robust customer service and public engagement strategies. She previously held roles in internal audit, financial reporting and enterprise risk management in the private sector, having worked with the Fortis Group of Companies for a period of 9 years. Dana has also served on a variety of not-for-profit and enterprise related Boards of Directors and is knowledgeable in strong governance practice.  Dana graduated from Memorial University with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2000, she holds a CPA designation as well as a Masters of Business Administration.