2025 Renewables in Remote Communities Conference

My name is Blaine Chislett, and I proudly hail from the Inuk community of Rankin Inlet in Nunavut. Over the past five years, I have been passionately dedicated to advancing renewable energy initiatives in remote communities. Today, I am excited to embark on a new chapter in my journey, as I step into the role of Manager of Energy & Sustainability at Sakku Investments Corporation, where I can direct my energies towards the renewable push, fortified by the backing and support of Sakku Investments Corporation.

My journey has seen several milestones that have shaped my expertise and commitment to renewable energy. I am a proud alumnus of the 20/20 Catalyst Program, which provided me with valuable insights into sustainable energy solutions.

In 2022, I had the privilege of representing indigenous voices at the COP 27 conference in Egypt as one of the three indigenous trailblazers in renewable energy. This experience broadened my horizons and deepened my resolve to drive positive change.

Furthermore, I am honored to have been chosen as a recipient of the first cohort of the Indigenous Off Diesel Initiative (IODI) program by the federal government of Canada. This initiative is pivotal in our efforts to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and embrace greener alternatives.

At present, I am actively engaged in my role with Sakku Investments corporation and with our JV company Kivalliq Alternative Energy, where I am spearheading multiple groundbreaking projects.

Erika Tizya-Tramm serves as the Manager of Community Partnerships with Northern Energy Innovation at Yukon University. As a member of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, she is deeply committed to Indigenous Nation-building by advancing environmental stewardship and sustainability priorities. With over two decades of experience in land and resource management, Erika is uniquely positioned at the intersection of traditional Indigenous stewardship values and modern sustainability practices. She has successfully led Indigenous-driven initiatives in land use planning and management, policy and legislative development, and renewable energy projects such as solar and wind, aimed at reducing carbon footprints and fostering energy sovereignty. Her work emphasizes the integration of traditional knowledge with innovative approaches to create sustainable futures for Indigenous communities. Outside of work, Erika enjoys spending time laughing with family and friends.

Grace Nakimayak is the clean energy coordinator for the Paulatuk Energy Working Group. She started in this role in October 2021 to carry out the clean energy ambitions of the working group, which includes community leaders from the Hamlet of Paulatuk, Hunters and Trappers Committee, Elders Committee and Paulatuk Community Corporation. Grace is a proud Inuvialuit woman, born in Yellowknife and grew up living all over the country. Grace is passionate about helping her community reduce their cost of living as well as improve the quality of life, developing economic opportunities and implementing initiatives to reduce fossil fuel consumption. In her free time, she loves getting out on the land, hunting, camping and fishing.

Kwaa Tsaaps hinuu dii kyaan, Patrika McEvoy is her English name. She is of the Yahgu’laanas clan of Haida Gwaii. Kwaa Tsaaps had served Old Massett Village Council as an elected member of Council for five years. Passionate to serve her community with Emergency Response, Climate Adaptation, and helped create the Xaadgee Tla Hlangulee Ayaagaa Trades Training program for Old Massett to foster their housing needs in the community. Kwaa Tsaaps was a Board of Director for Tll Yaahda Energy, which is a partnership uniting OMVC, Skidegate Band Council, and the Council of the Haida Nation to pursue renewable energy initiatives for Haida Gwaii. As well as serving other Boards including being on the Public and Technical Advisory Committee for the Solid Waste Management Plan with North Coast Regional District. She is passionate about language Revitalization and is currently in Xaad Kil (Haida) and Nisga’a classes. Her values revolve around acknowledging: Gin Waadluuwaan Guud Ahl Kwagiidang, everything is connected to each other.

A mother of three children, she recently graduated from the Public Administration and Governance Program with McGill University which she successfully managed during Covid, which included Project Management, Lean Operations, Strategic Planning, and Implementation. Kwaa Tsaaps is always committed to her professional development and education and took training in Leading Teams and Negotiation Skills Certification with the Banff Center Indigenous Leadership programs. Kwaa Tsaaps also served with Coastal First Nations, Great Bear Initiative as the Community Technical Coordinator for the Early Earthquake Extension project for two years. In Xaad kil, the Haida language this can be identified as: Tl’agee xildang hlGangulaas Earthquake Work. She traveled across all their nations, and installed Earthquake Early Warning Sensors supported by Natural Resources Canada. Kwaa Tsaaps is currently working for the Council of the Haida Nation, as their Energy Planner for Haida Gwaii.

Raylene Mitchell is a council member at SevenGen for the 2023-24 term. She is currently a PhD student at the University of Toronto's Mechanical and Industrial Engineering department in the field of energy storage and unique solutions. She is passionate about technological solutions for northern regions in Canada. As an Inuk engineer from Labrador, Raylene is also committed to interdisciplinary innovation and education and believes being an engineer and Indigenous do not have to be mutually exclusive identities. Her commitment to addressing the unique challenges of northern communities is at the forefront of her research goals, and aims for a career centered in innovative engineering solutions for northern and remote environments.

Serena Mendizabal (she/her) is a Cayuga Wolf Clan-Panamanian woman from the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. Serena is a community-based researcher, grassroots organizer, and environmental advocate. Serena began her journey in climate justice and clean energy when she was 18 finding gaps in community consent and further explored what climate justice and a just transition can look like in a community of over 28,000 members. From then on, Serena has dedicated her life to Indigenous self-determination, climate justice, environmental health impacts, and clean energy transitions through studies, work, and extracurriculars. Serena is passionate about self-determined community development, action, and futures led by sovereign, healthy nations. Serena is the Just Transition Manager at Sacred Earth Solar, Co-Chair at SevenGen National Indigenous Youth Energy Council, Climate Action Strategy Co-Lead at Protect the Tract, and Course Collaborator for Connecting for Climate Change Action, as well as Board of Director at Student Energy and an Advisory Council member for Indigenous Clean Energy.

Nangkilslas, Trent Moraes, is a Haida from Skidegate, Haida Gwaii. He is an elected member of the Skidegate Band Council and is the current Deputy Chief Councillor. He spent a decade in administration as the director of Housing, Lands & Energy for the Skidegate Band Council. Trent helped create and maintain an energy portfolio in Skidegate and for Haida Gwaii.

He is also a member of several groups, including the First Nations Home Energy Save Advisory, Indigenous Clean Energy Opportunity Electricity Table Advisory Group, First Nations Remote Community Energy Strategy Working Group, and current chair of Aboriginal Capital Committee, Indigenous Climate Adaptation Working Group, ;and Indigenous Coastal Climate Coalition.

Trent helped the Skidegate Band Council study the needs of the community and islands, educated the public on the emerging technologies and energy efficiency strategies available, and invested in solar hot water and solar photovoltaics for community and residential buildings. Skidegate has engaged BC Hydro on many levels and created Indigenous pilot programs for B.C. The Skidegate community goal is to become one of the greenest communities in B.C.