Dawn Farrell, President and CEO, TransAlta
Roundtable Luncheon - The Long Play: Managing Uncertainty By Mobilizing Action
Dawn Farrell was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of TransAlta Corporation in January 2012. Dawn has 30 years of experience in the electric energy industry, having held a number of senior management positions at TransAlta and BC Hydro. Her business experience spans a variety of areas in finance, business development, strategic planning, commercial operations, energy marketing and sustainable development.
Prior to serving as TransAlta’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Dawn served as the company’s Chief Operations Officer from 2009 – 2011. During her tenure at TransAlta, she has also served as Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations and Development; Executive Vice President, Corporate Development; Executive Vice President, Independent Power Projects; and Vice President, Energy Marketing and IPP Development.
From 2003 to 2006, Dawn was Executive Vice President, Generation at BC Hydro. In 2006, she was appointed Executive Vice President Engineering, Aboriginal Relations and Generation.
Today, Dawn sits on the boards of The Conference Board of Canada, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, and TransAlta Corporation. She is also a Community Champion for Momentum, a Calgary organization that partners with people living on low incomes and inspires the development of local economies. Her past directorships include the Calgary Stampede, Mount Royal College Board of Governors, Fording Coal Income Fund, New Relationship Trust Fund, Mount Royal College Foundation and Vision Quest Windelectric.
Dawn holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in Finance and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Calgary (Calgary, AB). She has also attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University (Cambridge, MA).
From 2008-2009, Dawn served as Co-Chair of the Government of Canada’s Wind Technology Roadmap Industry Steering Committee. In 2012, she was appointed to the Alberta Energy Deputy Minister’s Electricity Advisory Group. She also serves on the Canadian Federal Government’s Advisory Council for Promoting Women on Boards headed by the Honourable Rona Ambrose.
Dawn has been an active supporter of the community. In 2013 she joined Calgary Police Chief Rick Hanson to serve as Co-Chair
of Calgary’s 2013 United Way Campaign.
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