Staff

Corey Diamond

Executive Director

Corey has more than two decades of experience leading social change organizations focused on engaging people to take action on critical environmental and social issues.

Corey was previously the COO and Partner of global consulting firm, Realized Worth, a company focused on the design and implementation of corporate volunteering and giving programs. Managing the business development and operations, Corey worked with FORTUNE500 companies (including Apple, Deloitte, AT&T and SAP) around the world to engage their employees in critical and sustained community projects.

Corey also spent 10 years helping to lead Summerhill, a national firm focused on engaging the public on energy efficiency behaviours. Holding various positions, including President/Chief Transformer, U.S. expansion lead and Executive Director of the non-for-profit arm, Corey worked with utilities, government agencies and the private sector to drive significant energy savings across Canada.

Corey volunteers his time on a number of boards, including the Atmospheric Fund, where he also chairs the Grants Committee. An avid reader, record collector and musician, his greatest passion is hugging trees and travelling the world with his family.

Brendan Haley

Policy Director

Brendan has a proven record in energy policy entrepreneurship and analysis. While energy coordinator at Nova Scotia’s Ecology Action Centre, he was the principal catalyst behind the creation of Canada’s first energy efficiency utility, Efficiency Nova Scotia. He served on the Efficiency Nova Scotia/EfficiencyOne Board of Directors from 2012-2018. He developed and taught a course in energy efficiency policy, and contributed to an energy efficiency textbook.

Brendan has a PhD in Public Policy from Carleton University where his research used political economy and systems of innovation frameworks to understand the role of traditional natural resource sectors in Canada’s low-carbon transition. He was awarded a prestigious Banting Post-Doctoral Fellowship in 2016-2018. He also holds a Masters of Environmental Studies from York University and a BSc in Economics from Dalhousie University.

Brendan has provided strategic advice and written on energy and innovation policy for organizations such as the Smart Prosperity Institute, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Pembina Institute, Dalhousie University’s Eco-Efficiency Centre, and the Acadia Centre.

Natalie Irwin

Director of Stakeholder Engagement

Natalie Irwin is Director of Stakeholder Engagement at Efficiency Canada. Prior to joining us, Natalie managed the successful trade-ally program for EfficiencyOne, the franchise holder that operates Efficiency Nova Scotia for the province. As a Professional Business Relationship Manager®, her role encompasses stakeholder engagement with North American energy efficiency organizations, partners, and associations.

Natalie is also active volunteer and in 2019 was awarded the national Chapter Volunteer Leadership Award from the Atlantic Chapter, Canada Green Building Council and in 2016 received the Best Super-Connector Award by Halifax Partnership for her work with their Connector Program.

Natalie is currently completing an MA, Sustainable Energy Policy part-time at Carleton University and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Acadia University.

Lynsey Grosfield

Communications and Media Lead

Lynsey Grosfield is the Communications and Media Lead at Efficiency Canada. She graduated from McGill University with a degree in Anthropology, and is currently completing a Master’s in Science Communication and Public Engagement at the University of Edinburgh. Previously, she has worked in communications at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Bogor, Indonesia, and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Montreal.

Christiane Mineau

Administrative Assistant

Christiane Mineau is Administrative Assistant at Efficiency Canada. Prior to joining us, Christiane played a number of roles to help launch Carleton University’s Global Water Institute, a research and teaching initiative focused on a broad spectrum of water issues ranging from ecosystem conservation, to climate change adaptation, to wastewater treatment. 

Aside from administration, Christiane also handles much of our organization’s web programming and french translation needs.

Christiane holds a Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree from Carleton University with a minor in Spanish.

James Gaede

Senior Research Associate

For the past 10 years, James has conducted research on energy and environmental politics and public opinion in Canada through a variety of capacities, including two postdoctoral fellowships, research associate positions at York University, Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo, and as an independent consultant. He has also been a member of two cross-Canadian energy-related research networks, prepared several successful research grant applications, and served as organizational and technical consultant at multiple academic associations.

James received is PhD in Political Science from Carleton University in 2014, where he specialized in comparative politics and international relations. His doctoral dissertation focused on the politics of visualizing the future for sustainable energy, looking specifically at controversy surrounding oil supply forecasts by the International Energy Agency in the early 2000s. Some of the topics James has written and published on since include carbon capture and storage, biofuel policy, energy efficiency, and energy storage.

Kevin Lockhart

Efficient Buildings Lead

Kevin’s interest in energy efficiency began while working as a carpenter and Advanced Housing Instructor at Algonquin College. His passion for improving our built environment and a desire to promote efficient building practices led Kevin to Carleton University where he completed his Master’s in Sustainable Energy Policy.

This combined practical and theoretical experience has helped Kevin deliver successful projects ranging from rural energy efficiency programming to national awareness campaigns advocating for greater efficiency in the electricity sector. More recently, Kevin’s strong public policy acumen and keen understanding of stakeholder interests has helped him support advocacy, communications, and public policy campaigns for several industry and trade associations in complex environments and regulated sectors.

Kevin is an active community member and volunteers his time supporting youth cycling programs. Kevin’s favourite pastimes are hiking and canoeing with his family throughout Ontario.