The StepUp Award for Excellence in Innovation & Leadership
The annual StepUp Award for Excellence in Innovation and Leadership recognizes outstanding individuals who embody Vikram Singh’s spirit and desire for continuous advancement through inclusive collaboration within the energy sector. StepUp will award CAD $1,000 to the applicant that most embodies Vikram’s passion for furthering the evolution of the energy sector through innovations like modernizing the grid and electrification while also ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion principles are at the forefront.
Vikram Singh
Vikram Singh was a valued StepUp Director of the board. Throughout his career, Vikram was a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. He constantly pushed the envelope on identifying ground-breaking new energy solutions that could benefit both the customer and the electricity grid. Vikram is remembered for delivering well recognized and respected projects in the energy sector such as Alectra’s POWER.HOUSE™ and blockchain initiatives. Vikram had a unique ability to bring innovation to the energy sector in a collaborative and thoughtful manner.
Kaidie Williams
2024 Recipient
Kaidie is a Senior Advisor at the Ontario Energy Board (OEB), where she leads the Innovation Sandbox and develops dynamic pricing options for mid-size commercial and light industrial consumers. In her role, Kaidie supports pilot projects and offers regulatory guidance to innovators. She also manages staff responses to innovation-related inquiries, produces deliverables showcasing innovation in Ontario’s energy sector, and ensures lessons from pilot projects are shared internally to support policy development.
While Kaidie has spent most of her career in the public sector, she has also worked with several non-profit organizations across North America. She previously co-chaired a climate change working group with Women of Color Advancing Peace Security and Conflict Transformation, a Washington-based policy hub devoted to women of color. Kaidie also served as the Director of Civic Engagement for a non-profit organization devoted to empowering racialized, marginalized, and disenfranchised inner-city youth.
Kaidie holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Economics from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Public Policy from the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto.
Mihskakwan James Harper
2023 Recipient
Mihskakwan James Harper is a proud citizen of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 8, Alberta. He is currently the Business Development Manager at NRStor Inc., where he champions developing large-scale energy storage and clean microgrid projects in a way that empowers communities and contributes to meaningful climate action. He holds a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Manitoba and has recently completed a Masters of Science in Renewable Energy from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Ecole Polytechnique, with entrepreneurial training from ESADE Business School.
James is a part of the SevenGen council, an organization that develops and leads programs for Indigenous youth to lead in clean energy and climate action. He also is a co-host for the podcast, Decolonizing Power, a series that aims to amplify voices worldwide on how clean energy enables authentic community empowerment. This experience combined with the 20/20 Catalyst program, he is passionate about the carbon free future, particularly within the power and mobility sectors. He loves his family and his community now and generations ahead, which inspires him to work with youth to build a future that is sustainable and empowers all.
Kylie Vallée
2022 Recipient
Kylie is a seasoned, thoughtful Program Manager with Empower Me who leads with heart and has been advancing inclusive collaboration with communities and the energy sector across BC and Alberta since 2017.
She understands how to meet customers and residents where they are, advocating for impactful and culturally appropriate solutions, and ensuring community members are centered and empowered to increase their energy literacy, take advantage of energy efficiency programming, and create deeper connections with their utilities and municipalities.
Kylie was presented this award of excellence by Vikram's wife, Divya, in Toronto on Thursday October 20, 2022 at StepUp's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Engagement event, surrounded by her family and close colleagues and friends of Vikram's.
How to apply
Applications can be submitted through our Google Form using the button below. If you are unable to access the Google Form, please follow the instructions here.
Having trouble? Email us at info@stepup-energy.com