With the 2-year term of the current Directors coming to an end at the end of December 2023, we are excited to announce the new leaders of YEIP who will be begin their term in the following roles in the central committee as of January 1, 2024:
- Ishrat Oishee will succeed Ian Sug as YEIP President
- Joel Biftu will succeed Sue Duong as YEIP Vice President & Chair of Strategy Committee
- Saharsh Shah will succeed Katia Greco as YEIP Treasurer & Secretary
The recruitment for other volunteer roles is ongoing, and we will be introducing these new team members in the new year.
See below the short interviews we’ve conducted to introduce the new leaders!
Ishrat Oishee
Incoming President
Q1. Tell us a bit about yourself!
I’m a Project Engineer (E.I.T.) with the Canada Gas Pipeline Projects team at TC Energy. Outside of my day job, I will be serving as the President of the Young Energy Infrastructure Professionals – empowering the next generation of energy leaders to shape an equitable and sustainable future with energy infrastructure.
I started my career in the infrastructure sector but not within the energy industry. I started as an engineering co-op student with the Operations Planning & Monitoring team to support the winter road operations and maintenance at the City of Edmonton. This was an unforgettable experience for many reasons. I moved away from home for the first time.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I started in the Keystone XL Project at TC Energy. I started with the Commissioning team, but after the permit revocation, I ended up working with the Preservation and Integration team for decommissioning, preservation and closeout. After a year with TC Energy, I returned to university to complete my final year of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. Right after graduation, I started with TC Energy full time and I have been at TC Energy ever since.
I worked as a Project Manager where I managed facilities integrity, mechanical repair, and inspection programs in Canada and the US for pump stations, terminals and delivery systems along TC Energy’s oil pipelines such as Keystone and Grand Rapids. My favourite part of the job was going to sites in both Canada and the US, meeting with my crew and operators, and seeing my scope getting executed safely in real-time. I also worked in the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline Project where I supported the Pipeline Engineering team. Working in Coastal GasLink Pipeline was a remarkable experience. The energy of the Project is unmatched.
A month ago, I started my current role with the Canada Gas Pipeline Projects team and am supporting a high-impact HDD project and a capacity pipeline project worth over 150 Million dollars.
Q2. You’ve been with YEIP for 3+ Years. What motivates you to volunteer with YEIP for as long as you did?
I work with YEIP to empower Young Professionals of my generation and future generations by building a platform where Young Professionals’ opinions are heard and disseminated effectively. If Young Professionals feel their views and contributions do not matter, the industry will not attract and retain high-caliber Young Professionals.
The industry has been experiencing a rapid paradigm shift in recent years. In this changing environment, we must ensure access to professional development and career opportunities for Young Professionals where they can contribute effectively to the business. We must cultivate a culture that facilitates knowledge transfer between generations to encourage responsible stewardship of the industry.
Q3. Outside of YEIP, what are you passionate about?
In my free time, I love travelling and reading. I’m an avid travel photographer, mastering my technique one photo at a time.
Joel Biftu
Incoming Vice President & Chair of Strategy Committee
Q1. Tell us a bit about yourself!
Hi there! My name is Joel Biftu, the Vice President and Chair of the Strategy Committee for YEIP. I graduated university with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Manufacturing Engineering. Currently I work as a Facilities Engineer on the Coastal Gas Link project with TC Energy.
Q2. You’ve been with YEIP for 3+ Years. What motivates you to volunteer with YEIP for as long as you did?
The reason I love to volunteer with YEIP is because I have a strong passion for young professionals within my industry. I believe YEIP gives the space for young people to have a voice on policies that can affect our careers for years to come and be involved in industry in a different way than your day-to-day job.
Q3. Outside of YEIP, what are you passionate about?
Apart from YEIP and my day job, I have a strong passionate for Formula 1. Growing up, I began watching Formula 1 during Sebastian Vettel world championship wins and since then have been an avid fan of the sport. Even in University, I was part of the Schulich Racing Formula 1 Team in which we designed, built and tested a two-thirds scale Formula 1 car! Outside of Formula 1, I love to be outdoors, whether that be hiking, skiing, biking or another sport, and love to try new food spots so if you have any recommendations, let me know!
Saharsh Shah
Incoming Treasurer & Secretary
Q1. Tell us a bit about yourself!
I am Saharsh Shah, and I will be the new incoming YEIP Treasurer for the 2024-2025 Term. A bit about myself, I graduated with my degree in Chemical Engineering, and I am currently working at Enbridge as an Organizational Effectiveness Advisor for their Projects group.
Q2. You’ve been with YEIP for 3+ Years. What motivates you to volunteer with YEIP for as long as you did?
Since joining YEIP in 2019, my initial goal was to gain familiarity with the energy infrastructure industry and connect with like-minded individuals. Over the last four years, my involvement with YEIP has deepened as I took on leadership roles. My commitment to YEIP has led to collaboration with energy industry leaders, professionals, and allies, where I’ve advocated for innovative solutions and supported the growth of young professionals and students within the field. I am committed to continuing my involvement with YEIP to further the cause of a more sustainable and innovative energy industry.
Q3. From whom or from where do you draw inspiration?
I draw my inspiration from my parents. I lived on three different continents, but each move to a new continent meant starting a new life from scratch for our family. My parents persevered through these challenges and allowed our family to flourish in any part of the globe. Their grit and drive for success inspire me to achieve my goals in the face of adversity.