Energy Disruptors: UNITE announces Artemis II astronaut Colonel Jeremy Hansen and Dr. Catherine Hansen for 2026 summit

In April 2026, Colonel Jeremy Hansen made history aboard Artemis II, becoming the first Canadian to travel to the Moon as part of a mission that took its crew farther from Earth than any humans before them. A decorated fighter pilot and Canadian Space Agency astronaut, Hansen's journey from joining the Royal Canadian Air Cadets at age 12 to travelling more than 1.1 million kilometres through deep space offers a remarkable perspective on what it takes to turn an audacious goal into action. He announced his move to a Reservist role in July 2026, making this one of his first speaking commitments.

Dr. Catherine Hansen is a Canadian-trained and U.S. board-certified OB/GYN, certified menopause practitioner, and women's health and wellness expert with more than 25 years of clinical experience. Her work focuses on the often-overlooked factors affecting workplace performance, leadership, talent retention, and well-being, helping organizations better understand how health and life stages can shape the ability of people to thrive at work.

Together, the Hansens offer a rare look inside a partnership built alongside two demanding and impactful careers, sharing lessons on supporting ambitious goals, adapting through uncertainty, and creating the conditions for people to reach their full potential.

"There are few examples of overcoming complexity that could rival a mission to the Moon, and even fewer that can claim success not only in the technical execution, but in bringing people along for the journey," said Graeme Edge, Co-Founder & CEO of Energy Disruptors: UNITE. "How Colonel Hansen and Dr. Hansen navigated their careers, their family, and an extraordinary shared mission to the Moon and back is something we can all learn from—not only as professionals and leaders, but in our own lives. We're honoured they chose Energy Disruptors: UNITE for one of their first public appearances together, joining us as we convene some of the world's foremost energy transition leaders to tackle the complex challenges shaping our collective future."

Jeremy and Catherine Hansen join an expanding lineup of global thinkers, leaders, and innovators coming to Calgary for Energy Disruptors: UNITE 2026.

Previously announced featured speakers include:

• Margaret Atwood, one of Canada's most celebrated authors and public intellectuals, whose work has spent decades exploring the intersection of technology, power, democracy, human behaviour, environmental stewardship, and societal change.
• Lord David Cameron, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, who will bring lessons from leading through periods of economic uncertainty, political polarization, and complex questions around energy security, competitiveness, and national unity.
• Tyler Cowen, one of the world's most influential economists and public intellectuals, whose work examines innovation, artificial intelligence, productivity, economic growth, and the increasingly important relationship between AI and access to abundant, reliable, and affordable energy.

Global experts shaping the future of energy, technology and geopolitics include:

• Bruno Maçães, geopolitical strategist and author — a leading voice on the forces reshaping the global order, whose work explores the intersection of geopolitics, technology, economics, and competition between global powers.
• Bob Galyen, global battery and electrification expert and former CTO of CATL, the world's largest battery manufacturer — one of the world's leading authorities on advanced battery technology, electrification, and the technologies transforming how energy is stored, transported, and used.
• Erica Downs, Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University — a leading expert on China's energy sector, energy security, and the geopolitics shaping global energy markets.
• John Stackhouse, RBC Senior Vice-President, Office of the CEO — bestselling author and leading voice on Canada's economy, innovation, energy, and competitiveness in a rapidly changing global landscape.

Prominent Canadian leaders bringing perspectives on entrepreneurship, investment and civic leadership include:

• Arlene Dickinson, celebrated entrepreneur, venture capitalist, bestselling author, and longtime Dragons' Den star, whose career has focused on building businesses, investing in Canadian entrepreneurs, and strengthening Canada's innovation economy.
• Jeromy Farkas, Mayor of Calgary — a civic leader bringing a distinctly Calgary perspective to conversations about economic growth, competitiveness, community building, and the future of one of the world's most significant energy cities.

Taking place September 28–29, 2026, in Calgary, Energy Disruptors: UNITE is an award-winning event that will convene 3,000 founders, investors, policymakers, executives, entrepreneurs, and innovators to explore one of the defining questions of our time: how do we build energy systems that are resilient, competitive, secure, and capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly changing world?

Hosted in Calgary, Alberta, one of the world's most significant energy capitals, Energy Disruptors: UNITE has earned an international reputation for bringing together voices that do not always agree, but whose ideas help leaders better understand the forces reshaping economies, industries, and societies.

Additional speakers and programming announcements will be released in the coming weeks.

Energy Disruptors: UNITE takes place September 28–29, 2026, in Calgary, Alberta. For tickets and more information, visit energydisruptors.com.

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