Stephen MacDonald is the President and Chief Executive Officer of EfficiencyOne, the not-for-profit operator of Canada’s first electricity efficiency utility, Efficiency Nova Scotia, and parent company of the Halifax Climate Investment, Innovation and Impact (HCi3) Fund and EfficiencyOne Services where he also serves as CEO. Under Steve’s leadership, EfficiencyOne has successfully helped hundreds of thousands of families, businesses, non-profits, and institutions transform the way they use energy.
Nova Scotia’s results and innovative model have received national and international recognition for its energy savings and inclusive programs, including services for low-income homeowners and renters, and innovative partnerships with Mi’kmaq communities. Steve is a recipient of Canada’s Clean50 award, and has twice been recognized as one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEOs; both acknowledging his industry-leading efforts promoting energy efficiency and reducing C02 emissions.
A Chartered Professional Accountant (Chartered Accountant), Steve previously served as EfficiencyOne’s Chief Operating Officer and held senior leadership positions with a Nova Scotia Crown Corporation and Grant Thornton. Steve is a member of the Board of Directors of HCi3 and EfficiencyOne Services and Chairs the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth. He is also a member of the Advisory Committee for The ReCover Initiative, and a member of the Canada Electricity Advisory Council, an independent, electricity-sector focused, expert advisory body to provide advice to the Minister of Natural Resources to accelerate investment, and promote sustainable, affordable and reliable electricity systems. He has been a member of the Advisory Committee of the Canadian Business for Climate Policy and the Maritimes Energy Association Nominations and Elections Committee.
Martha Casey is the Chief Operating Officer of EfficiencyOne. Most recently Martha held an executive role with an international NGO focused on advancing sustainability in climate, resources and economies. Previously, Martha was the CEO of Atlantic Canada’s largest innovation hub, and her earlier experience includes several years in leadership at Dalhousie, and different change management, operations, and administration-focused positions for the City of New York.
Martha is currently on the Board of Directors for the IISD Experimental Lakes Area and the advisory board for the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University. She holds a Master of Public Administration from New York University, a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University Law School, and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Bishop’s University.
Nikki Hilton is the Chief Financial Officer for EfficiencyOne, overseeing all financial, treasury and procurement functions of the organization. Nikki is a Chartered Professional Accountant (Chartered Accountant) and holds a Master of Business Administration from Saint Mary’s University. Prior to joining EfficiencyOne in 2024, Nikki held senior roles within the healthcare, education and film industries. She serves as the President of the Financial Executives International (FEI) Atlantic Chapter (2022-2024 seasons) and volunteers with several other community organizations.
Annamarie Bermundo is the Vice President, Marketing and Customer Experience at EfficiencyOne overseeing all the marketing and sales functions for the organization.
Prior to joining EfficiencyOne, Annamarie held international leadership positions at L’Oreal, LVMH, Capgemini and Reckitt focused on marketing and customer transformations to deliver best-in-class customer experiences. Her work on delivering personalization and innovation has been recognized both nationally and internationally.
Rob has over twenty years of experience in environmental sciences, clean technology, and life sciences, with a focus on driving business growth and delivering impactful results. Originally from Cape Breton, Rob earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology from Dalhousie University and a Master’s degree in Oceanography from the University of New Brunswick, where he explored the effects of climate change on ocean systems.
After working in the U.S. environmental sciences sector, Rob returned to Nova Scotia to work with companies specializing in the development of remote sensing technologies to measure climate change impacts on the marine environment. During this time, he also completed an MBA from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University, blending his scientific background with business strategy. Rob’s career has included roles focused on the commercialization of scientific innovations and serving on the boards of cleantech companies. His leadership skills were further demonstrated as he guided a technology company through a key transition and later led business development efforts in the health sector.
Prior to joining HCi3, Sarah held various roles at EfficiencyOne, where she served most recently as Senior Director, Service Delivery with overall responsibility for energy efficiency and demand response programs. Sarah’s collaborative work style and strong relationships with stakeholders in the energy efficiency industry support HCi3 in being a strong and impactful partner moving Halifax towards its net-zero goals.
Sarah has a background working at investment banks in Calgary and Halifax and brings exceptional financial acumen and program delivery expertise to HCi3. She holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Saint Mary’s University and a Bachelor of Science Advanced Double Major in Chemistry and Biology from Dalhousie University. Sarah is a Certified Energy Manager and Certified Measurement and Verification Professional.
Hugh is responsible for oversight of information management, analytics, business intelligence and research. His focus is on identifying energy savings opportunities through predictive analytics and energy modeling – for use in targeted marketing, service delivery and pilot development. Hugh has managed the organization’s research and analytical needs since 2012.
Prior to joining EfficiencyOne, Hugh held leadership positions in information and analytics across a variety of industries, specializing in developing and managing insights-driven infrastructure and teams to guide business strategy and tactics.
Hugh holds a Master of Science in Resource and Environmental Economics from the University of Georgia.
Errol is the Senior Director, Engineering and Planning, at EfficiencyOne. He started working with the organization in 2011 having previously worked at Nova Scotia Power. Errol is responsible for oversight of Energy Management Services, Innovation, and Engineering to support EfficiencyOne’s short-term and long-term planning.
Errol is a Professional Engineer who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Dalhousie University and a Masters of Engineering from the University of Toronto.
Gina is currently the Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs where she oversees the organizations financial operations and reporting; supply chain including procurement and contract management; and all regulatory matters with the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board. She joined EfficiencyOne in 2013 as the Director, Finance and expanded her role to include Regulatory Affairs in 2018. Prior to joining EfficiencyOne, Gina held senior management positions in the manufacturing, publishing, insurance and professional services sectors.
Gina is a Chartered Professional Accountant.