Our Executive team is responsible for putting the Board’s decisions into action, with the help of leadership staff across the Regulator.
Day-to-day operations and management of the BC Energy Regulator are the responsibility of the Executive.
The Provincial Government of B.C., through its Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, sets province-wide goals and standards for regulating energy resource development.
Our Board of Directors is responsible for creating the policy and direction of the BCER to meet these government expectations.
Michelle Carr
Commissioner, Chief Executive Officer
Michelle Carr was appointed Commissioner and CEO of the BCER on Nov. 15, 2021. In these roles, Michelle is the strategic and operational leader and carries out statutory accountabilities as Commissioner.
Michelle is passionate about innovation, regulatory effectiveness, reconciliation, governance, and empowering leadership. She has over 27 years of expertise in regulatory oversight, industry and government relations, organizational transformation and development, engagement and public policy/legislative development. Before coming to the BCER, Michelle held diverse executive portfolios in the B.C. Public Service, overseeing transformational change.
Michelle came to the BCER as Assistant Deputy Minister from the former Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation where she was provincial executive accountable for the $40 billion LNG Canada facility and associated Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline, the largest private sector investment in Canadian history.
From January 2017 to October 2018, Michelle was the Assistant Deputy Minister and General Manager of the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch, accountable for oversight of public safety and public interest of liquor and cannabis control and licensing of $2B industry comprised of hospitality, retail and manufacturing businesses. Michelle oversaw the development of the first-ever non-medical cannabis retail regime in B.C.
Michelle spent almost four years as Assistant Deputy Minister and Executive Lead with B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office leading the Operations Division, where her team conducted environmental assessments for projects worth an estimated $121 billion in potential capital investment as the first significant one-window regulator for major projects.
Michelle obtained her ICD.D designation through the Institute of Corporate Directors in 2023, holds Master and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Geography from the University of Victoria and received a Certificate in Advanced Leadership from the UBC Sauder School of Business Executive Program.
Peter Robb
Executive Vice President, Resource Management and Stewardship
Peter Robb is the Executive Vice President, Resource Management and Stewardship at the BC Energy Regulator (BCER). Peter is responsible for overseeing the full life cycle of responsible energy resource development. This role has recently expanded to include regulatory oversight of renewable energy and specified transmission lines. Peter also leads the BCER’s orphan site management program.
Prior to joining the BCER, Peter spent 17 years at the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, along with a four-year hiatus at the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. In 2016 Peter was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of the Mines Competitiveness and Authorizations Division with the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation.
Peter is a passionate leader and a strong advocate of regulatory excellence in the natural resources industry. Peter has vast experience within government in regional operations, permitting and the development of major infrastructure projects. Before joining the Government of British Columbia in 2001, Peter spent several years working in the B.C. Treaty negotiations process and the forest sector as a consultant.
Peter is a graduate of Bishops University (BComm) and the University of Northern British Columbia (BSc in Environmental Planning). Peter has spent his entire career working in the natural resource sector with a focus on regulatory excellence and engaging and negotiating with First Nations in the forestry, mining and oil and gas sectors.
Sara Dickinson
Executive Vice President, Safety, Compliance and Public Trust
Sara Dickinson is the Executive Vice President, Safety, Compliance and Public Trust. Sara brings strategic leadership to her division and across the organization through teamwork and values-based leadership.
Located out of the Fort St. John office, Sara has lived in northeast B.C. for over 18 years and has 15 years of experience with the BC Energy Regulator. Her experience across the energy regulatory lifecycle includes multiple strategic and operational roles in tenure, permitting, stewardship, strategic relations, and most recently, the Executive Vice President of People, Reconciliation and Transformation.
Sara has a Master of Science, Environmental Science from the University of Northern B.C. and is an experienced leader that understands the importance of strong connections between the public and the BCER’s mandate.
Dean Skinner
Chief Financial and Strategy Officer
Dean Skinner is the Chief Financial and Strategy Officer. In this role, Dean is responsible for leading the development of the strategic framework for the organization and providing expert advice to Executive and support to the organization in the areas of finance, performance planning, change management and corporate property.
Dean prides himself on building and maintaining strong relationships, and leading and developing highly engaged teams. Dean also has a passion for, and experience in the important role of finance and related accountabilities in organizations.
Dean has worked in the public service for over 20 years. In 2018, he was appointed the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of Corporate Services and Executive Financial Officer of the Ministry of Citizens’ Services. He was the ADM responsible for such areas as finance, human resources, strategic planning & reporting, and facilities. In 2021, Dean moved to the Public Service Agency in the same ADM role but with additional focus on information management and technology and government’s outsourced model for human resource and payroll services. Dean also has 10 years of experience as a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with the BC Public Service Agency and with the Crown corporation, Destination BC. In 2014, he was the newly formed Destination BC’s first ever CFO and led the finance and human resource teams.
Dean is a graduate of the British Columbia Institute of Technology and is a professional accountant, holding a CMA/CPA designation.
Sara Gregory
Chief Legal Counsel, Governance & Regulatory Affairs
Sara has over 15 years of experience with the British Columbia Energy Regulator. As Chief Legal Counsel, she leads the BCER’s Governance, Legal and Regulatory Affairs Division, including holding responsibility for risk management, regulatory development, energy transition and major projects. Sara is an experienced lawyer.
Prior to joining the BCER, her legal practice focused on regulatory law, administrative law and commercial litigation, with a focus on project development, regulatory compliance and environmental law issues. As well as appearing before courts and tribunals, Sara utilized dispute resolution processes, including arbitration and mediation.