About Us Board of Directors
Powertech Labs is a wholly owned, unregulated subsidiary of BC Hydro.
Powertech’s Directors are appointed by BC Hydro and are mandated to be stewards of the corporation. As members of the Board, Directors are responsible for overseeing conduct of business, supervising management and ensuring that all major issues affecting the business affairs of the corporation are given proper consideration.
Appointees to the Board of Directors will include persons with business, utility and energy industry experience to ensure the appropriate balance of expertise and perspectives necessary for overseeing a commercial enterprise.
In its desire to act, and be seen to act as an ethical Corporation, BC Hydro and its Subsidiaries have adopted a Director and Employee Code of Conduct. The Code also includes a document entitled Contractor Standards for Ethical Conduct describing the standards of conduct expected of the Corporation’s suppliers, consultants, contractors and business associates.
Melissa Holland
Melissa Holland is the Vice President of Project Delivery with BC Hydro, overseeing approximately $22 billion in projects related to dam safety, generation and transmission stations, lines, telecom, and interconnection.
With over 23 years of experience in the energy and utilities sector, Melissa’s expertise spans strategy, regulatory processes, environmental assessment, Indigenous consultation, program management, and contractor claims defense. She believes how people work and communicate is as important as the projects themselves.
Melissa holds an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University. She has served on the board of Powertech since 2019.
Henry Honda
Henry Honda is the Chief Accounting Officer at BC Hydro, where he leads teams responsible for financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, internal controls, and capital finance. He holds CPA, CA and U.S. CPA designations.
With 30 years of experience, Henry has worked at Deloitte in Canada and Japan, and held senior finance roles at BC Hydro supporting capital projects and audit services. He also served as Finance Director for the Site C Clean Energy Project and as Finance Executive Director for the 2010 Olympic Games Secretariat.
Henry continues to share his expertise as a long-time part-time instructor in BCIT’s financial management program, where he has taught financial audit courses for over 20 years.
John Nunn
John Nunn is a retired professional engineer with more than 45 years of Canadian and international experience in hydroelectric and water storage projects. His career focused on developing, managing, and evaluating large-scale construction projects.
He has been recognized with the Community Service Award from Engineers and Geoscientists B.C. and the Engineers Canada Fellowship for his contributions to the profession. A dedicated volunteer, John has served as Director and past President of the Juan De Fuca Marine Rescue Society and has held leadership roles with organizations supporting language development and Special Olympics Canada.
John holds a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering and an M.Sc. in Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering from the University of Southampton, UK. He is a Life Member of the Canadian Dam Association.
Karen Tam Wu
Karen Tam Wu is a recognized leader in energy and climate policy, nature conservation, and sustainable forestry. She currently serves as Director of the Climate and Nature Program at The Houssian Foundation and as a member of the BC Hydro Board of Directors.
She was previously Regional Director for B.C. at the Pembina Institute and a member of the BC Climate Solutions Council from 2017 to 2024.
Karen has been named one of Business in Vancouver’s most influential business leaders, recognized as a Georgia Strait Trailblazer, and awarded the Foresight Industry Impact Award for her contributions to sustainability and climate action.
Tony Penikett
Tony Penikett served as Premier of Yukon from 1985 to 1992 after representing Whitehorse West in the Legislative Assembly for nearly two decades. He later advised governments in British Columbia and Saskatchewan on treaty negotiations and strategic planning.
Tony has held academic appointments at Simon Fraser University and the University of Washington, including as Visiting Professor in the Master of Public Policy program and as a Fulbright Scholar on Arctic security.
An accomplished author, Tony has written several books on reconciliation, governance, and Arctic security. In 2020, he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada for his contributions as a negotiator, teacher, and public servant.
Bruce Ralston
Bruce Ralston KC is a Canadian lawyer and former politician who represented Surrey-Whalley in the British Columbia Legislative Assembly from 2005 to 2024. Over his career, he served as Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Minister of Forests, and Minister Responsible for the Consular Corps of British Columbia.
Raised in Vancouver, Bruce earned degrees in history and law from the University of British Columbia and a degree in history from the University of Cambridge. Called to the bar in 1982, he established his own law practice in Surrey, where he has lived since 1990. He also served as a Surrey City Councillor, president of the BC NDP, and board member of Vancouver City Savings Credit Union.
In recognition of his contributions to public life, Bruce was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2020.
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