Our Team

Helen Watts is Student Energy’s Executive Director, a Forbes 30 Under 30 lister, on the Corporate Knight’s 30 Under 30, and is a recognized young clean energy and intergenerational equity advocate.

Since 2017, Helen has worked with Student Energy to empower tens of thousands of young people around the world to work on solutions for a clean and equitable energy transition. She co-leads the Solutions Movement, a UN-Energy Compact designed to support 10,000 youth clean energy projects by 2030. She led the development of the first Global Youth Energy Outlook with twelve young energy leaders to gather 41,000 youth perspectives on the energy transition by 2030. Helen co-founded Greenpreneurs, a training and grantmaking mechanism that has mobilized over USD100,000 in funding to youth-led climate enterprises, and she is regularly engaged by the international community on the role of youth in the energy transition.

Helen approaches the urgent, complex nature of the climate crisis with the belief that equipping young people with the tools and pathways to act is one of our most effective strategies. Advocating for youth inclusion at every level of decision-making processes, she has built a network of 47 partners across the climate-energy-youth ecosystem committed to empowering young people.

Angela is Senior Director of Impact and Operations at Student Energy, leading on project management, data management, and operations of the organization.

Angela has years of experience in the environmental non-profit sector, working across communications, engagement, and policy. Before joining Student Energy, she was the Program Coordinator and Communications Specialist for Renewable Cities, an international program that supports cities through the transition to 100% renewable energy and energy efficiency. Based out of Simon Fraser University’s Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, she was responsible for organizing public events, stakeholder dialogues, regular communications and student engagement. Other previous stops include SFU Public Square’s Re-Imagine Downtown Vancouver and the Recycling Council of British Columbia. She is also the co-director of Repair Matters, where she organizes regular repair cafes in the Vancouver area. Angela holds a BA in International Relations from UBC.

She can usually be found on the local trails, making a mess in the kitchen, or dabbling in a variety of outdoor activities.

Abdullah Khair, Director of Global Partnerships. Abdullah builds partnerships with institutions to help Student Energy expand its programs and create more opportunities for young people to lead the energy transition. With a background in chemical engineering and energy studies, he brings together his interests in energy, international collaboration, and social impact. Having lived and studied across different regions, Abdullah enjoys exploring new places and finding common ground across cultures.

Kristan Aho, CPA, Director of Finance. Kristan leads the finance team at Student Energy, making sure her teammates feel supported, the numbers stay transparent, and the organization stays as sustainable. Before joining the team, Kristan spent several years building her financial skills at other orgs as she completed her CPA training. When she’s not working, Kristan can be found spending time with friends & family, cooking up something good in the kitchen, or teaching herself a new skill to renovate something in her home.

Brett McMillan, Senior Manager, Funding and Impact. Brett leads Student Energy’s wage funding programs, manages funding agreements that support employers and young people in the energy transition, and tracks and evaluates the deeper impact of our work around the world. He has spent more than 10 years working in youth engagement across Canada, convening young people on international development training, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, and fighting climate change. When he’s not answering calls and analyzing impact data, Brett can be found working in the garden or looking for mushrooms on a good hike.

Jasper works on Student Energy’s data and information systems, making sure that we take care of the data we work with and we are able to maximize it to deliver high-impact programming.

Jasper discovered his drive to push the just energy transition forward while pursuing his mechanical engineering degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman when he joined Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung’s Renewable Energy Boot Camp. This ignited passion and his inclination towards data led him to his involvement as a Founding Board Member at Reboot Philippines and his current role at Student Energy.

Outside work, you’d find Jasper either with his camera, his computer, his telescope, his friends, or any combination of the four. Hand him a karaoke microphone for a surprise!

Ifeanyi leads Student Energy’s technical programs, which help young people build solar projects, research the clean economy, and prepare for careers in energy. He joined the team in 2022 and has grown with it, from building training curricula to managing multiple programs. He’s a mechanical engineer by training, with an MBA and an early career in banking and consulting. Based in Calgary, he spends his free time writing about clean energy startups in Africa, watching football or singing in a choir.

Cherise is Student Energy’s Finance Coordinator, ensuring the accuracy of our accounting records and financial reporting, among other things.

She is a dedicated advocate for education, with a focus on promoting both functional and financial literacy. Cherise holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Manitoba and is currently a CPA candidate pursuing her professional designation.

Outside of work, you can find her enjoying the outdoors with her dog or curled up with some tea and a stack of sci-fi novels.

Andrea Balcázar González, Program Manager. Andrea manages international programs and projects at Student Energy focused on youth engagement, sustainability, and the energy transition. Her background includes project development and management, partnerships, fundraising, social impact, sustainability reporting, and community-based energy initiatives. She is a Sustainable Development Engineer from Tecnológico de Monterrey and is currently completing a master’s degree in Corporate Social Responsibility. Since 2024, she has also been a member of the IRENA Youth Council, contributing to international conversations on youth and the energy transition. Andrea is based in Mexico and enjoys working at the intersection of people, projects, and ideas that can create meaningful change.

Valerie Ntinu, Climate Communications Manager. Valerie leads storytelling and communications at Student Energy, with a focus on making complex work accessible to new audiences. Before joining the team, she spent the last few years managing partnerships and programs at a grassroots youth climate justice advocacy organization. Outside of work, you’ll usually find her at a yoga studio or planning her next hiking trip.

Vaughn is Student Energy’s Senior Chapters Associate. Vaughn leads the coaching and mentoring of our Global Chapter community, resource development for participants and coordinates growth strategies for the program. He became part of the movement in 2017 at the International Student Energy Summit in Mérida, Mexico. Inspired by the event, Vaughn established his own Chapter at the University of the West Indies, and has remained deeply involved in the Student Energy community since.

Ailette Córdova, Senior Information Design Associate. Ailette turns complex energy data into visual stories that help people stop, understand, and care. She designs web experiences, data visualisations, infographics, and campaigns, always with accessibility at the heart. Ailette holds a Master’s in Communication Design (specialising in Information Design) and a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design. She has collaborated with Climathon CDMX, Climate Group, and AGRAP on sustainability and climate action. Outside of work, you’ll usually find her filling a sketchbook or taking photos.

Yazan Zamel is a clean energy and sustainability advocate with experience across energy research, market analysis, consulting, and non-profit organizations. Yazan has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25 and named among Corporate Knights’ Top 30 Under 30 in 2025. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Energy Systems Engineering and a master’s degree in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Building Energy and Building Performance, and is passionate about advancing energy efficiency, renewable energy, and equitable access to sustainable solutions. In his free time, he likes to play with his cat!

Rajeshwari Sriram, Chapters Coordinator. Rajeshwari leads the Chapters Program where she manages a portfolio of 40+ Chapters across five global regions, empowering chapter members through mentorship and soft-skill development to support their personal and professional development. She manages Chapter communications, leads recruitment and onboarding of new Chapters, and supports resource development.

Outside of work, you can find Rajeshwari at live music shows, exploring museums and art galleries, planning her next international adventure, or spending time with her miniature schnauzer.

Ezra is the Communications Coordinator at Student Energy. She creates digital content and manages social media to engage youth worldwide in the clean energy transition.

Before joining Student Energy, Ezra worked in the Philippines and Singapore producing documentaries and digital media campaigns. She supported community initiatives, created promotional content for live events, and collaborated on film and television projects. Her work centers on telling personal stories and making complex topics more accessible to diverse audiences.

Ezra is based in Vancouver, where she embraces a slow, sustainable lifestyle. She enjoys thrifting, composting, brewing her own kombucha, and tending to her garden. She finds joy exploring farmers’ markets, hunting for secondhand treasures, spotting birds, and taking quiet moments to reconnect with the planet she’s committed to protecting.

Ezra holds a Bachelor of Arts in Film from the University of the Philippines.