New Board of Directors elected at AGM

June 26, 2025

CEA’s new Board of Directors is bringing provincial and national expertise to the organization as CEA looks to strengthen its work and impact with communities. The new Board, elected during CEA’s annual general meeting on June 19, 2025, comprises five returning and six new Directors: 

John Madden, Chair – Director of Sustainability and Engineering with the University of British Columbia overseeing the development and implementation of UBC’s Climate Action Plan 2030, while also serving as an Adjunct Professor in the Master of Engineering Leadership – High Performance Buildings program.  

Paul Murray, Secretary-Treasurer – Corporate Director and Principal Consultant at the Brentwood Advisory Group in Victoria. 

Derek de Candole, Director – Community Energy Specialist with the City of Victoria, with nearly 15 years of experience in local government.  

Denise Chang-Yen, Director – Currently with the City of Edmonton’s Environment and Climate Resilience Team, with more than 25 years of experience in energy transitions and low- carbon solutions.  

Glen Cheetham, Director – Climate and Sustainability Manager with the City of Kamloops, with more than 30 years of experience in local government.  

Cecilia Jaques, Director – The Climate Action Secretariat Engagement Manager for Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET), where she builds strategic partnerships with rural and remote communities across BC and facilitates alignment between ACET and the Provincial Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions. 

Brodie Guy, Director – CEO of the Island Coastal Economic Trust, with executive and Board roles involving public and Indigenous funds investing in sustainable development and conservation finance throughout British Columbia. 

Sepideh Rezania, Director – Principal owner of Unrooz Solutions, with more than 25 years of diverse industry experience including a decade dedicated to market transformation and energy-efficiency. 

Allison Ashcroft, Director – Director of Sustainability at the Municipal Finance Authority, the infrastructure bank to BC municipalities and regional districts. 

Gordon Lambert, Director – A Member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Climate Institute, with 45 years of experience in business and sustainability in the energy sector, including Alberta’s Energy Regulator, Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance, and the Alberta Climate Leadership Technology and Innovation Task Force.  

Stephen Roddick, Director – Policy Analyst with the Union of BC Municipalities working at the intersection of community climate action and local governance for more than 10 years, most recently as a city councillor, consultant and policy professional. 

“It’s a pleasure and an honour to welcome our new Board members. This year we are focused on strengthening the reach and impact of CEA and I look forward to leveraging the breadth of experience and new perspectives this group will bring. We have accomplished so much and have the potential to enable even deeper climate action and resiliency in communities large and small,” says CEA’s CEO, Megan Lohmann. “I would also like to acknowledge our outgoing Directors who represent a total of 26 years of service to the governance of CEA. They have done so much to shepherd the growth and impact of the organization, while being such valued mentors to me. Thank you!” 

CEA grew from a committee established by the Government of BC and the Union of BC Municipalities in the 1990s, was incorporated as a non-profit in 2003, and registered as a charity the following year. CEA functions as a nonprofit consultant with members and a Board of Directors; more than half of CEA’s member-organizations are local governments and Indigenous communities.