Laura W. Folse

Ms. Folse is the former CEO of BP Wind Energy, North America.  As CEO for BP Wind Energy, North America she led a business with over 500 employees and contractors and comprised of 14 wind farms across eight states with an operating capacity of over 2.5 gigawatts. 

Prior to her role as CEO of BP Wind Energy, North America, she served at BP p.l.c. as Executive VP, Science, Technology, Environment and Regulatory Affairs, in which she led the operational, scientific and technological programs within the multi-billion dollar cleanup and restoration effort in response to the 2010 BP Macondo well explosion off the coast of Louisiana.  At its peak, the clean-up project team that she led consisted of over 45,000 people working across five U.S. Gulf and Mexico states. She successfully negotiated with federal, state, and local government officials to implement and conclude the offshore and onshore clean-up efforts.  Prior thereto, she held numerous leadership roles with increasing responsibility and complexity within BP p.l.c.

Ms. Folse has a Master of Management, Business from Stanford University, a Master of Science, Geology from the University of Alabama and a Bachelor of Science, Geology from Auburn University.

Ms. Folse is a Board member for the Auburn University College of Arts & Sciences and was a Board member for the American Wind Energy Association from 2016 to 2019.

Ms. Folse brings to the Company and the Board experience in corporate risk management, large-scale crisis management, leveraging data analysis, leading large and complex organizations, and driving cultural change while realizing improvements in safety, operational and financial performance. 

At TransAlta, Ms. Folse is Chair of the Investment Performance Committee and a member of the Governance, Safety and Sustainability Committee.