Staff

Erica is the Operations Lead at Efficiency Canada. Originally from Jakarta, Indonesia, she and her family migrated to Frankfurt, Germany before landing in Toronto, Canada. Erica holds an Honours B.A., with a specialization in Political Science, and a Graduate Diploma in Sustainability from the University of Toronto.

She has worked in strategy and operations, systems design, and project management across the public benefit sector. She is motivated to work with organizations that have a mission to create lasting, systemic change. Most recently and before joining Efficiency Canada, Erica was part of the founding team at the Toronto Renewable Energy Co-operative’s start-up social enterprise, Tapestry Community Capital. There, she structured, raised and managed $80 million of community-based impact investments and worked on capital projects for various non-profit and co-op organizations.

When not in the virtual office, she reads, runs, sings, and plays instruments (poorly).

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.

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.

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.

For the past 5 years, Tseli Moshabesha has worked with the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity on strategic partnerships with companies looking to reduce their environmental impact. Her role involved coordinating and managing relationships with executives and organizations at regional and global levels, as well as conducting research on biodiversity and cross-cutting issues like climate change, agriculture, wildlife, gender and productive sectors. 

In the past she has worked with NGOs like the Aga Khan Foundation, other UN agencies like the International Civil Aviation Organization and the United Nations Development Programme, and inter-governmental organizations like the Southern African Development Community. 

As a self-described hyper-social extrovert, she is passionate about community-building, advocacy and activism. She currently chairs the Black Alumni Council at Concordia University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.

Kirstin began her organizing career at the age of 18 when she traveled the United States for three months, living out of a van and advocating for North Korean human rights.

Since then, she has completed a bachelor’s degree in Global and International Studies at Carleton University, focusing in Global Development and Economics. During her studies, Kirstin completed four research projects on subjects at the nexus of economic growth, policy and sustainability.

With the World University Service of Canada she undertook a mapping project of gender lens investors, identifying entrepreneurial leaders. The following year, as lead researcher, she analysed and compared two free public transit advocacy campaigns in Canada. Through the Canada-India Centre for Excellence, Kirstin designed a gender-based program evaluation for an international women’s accelerator program. She also led a volunteer team to explore the Fairtrade market. 

Outside of work, Kirstin can usually be found on a bus somewhere! As a founding member of Free Transit Ottawa, she has spent four years building support for concrete policy changes at the municipal level. As the leader of the Transit Week Challenge, Kirstin got Ottawa’s city councillors on the bus with her for a week. 

She is also an avid rock climber, concert-goer, world-traveler, coffee-drinker and outdoor enthusiast.

Gillian has more than a decade of experience using strategic communications to drive real-world change. She has worked with coalition groups, partners, and stakeholders, and led dynamic, highly collaborative teams to develop local, provincial and national communications products and campaigns that have secured a range of environmental protections, from more and stronger MPAs to more ambitious GHG emissions reductions targets.

During her tenure as strategic communications manager at the Ecology Action Centre, she contributed to Canada’s largest survey of environmental supporters in collaboration with 12 of the country’s most prominent environmental groups.

Gillian is passionate about helping train the next generation of science communicators. She has provided mentorship and professional development opportunities to students from universities and professional programs at various stages of their learning journey.

Gillian volunteers her time advocating for permanent, accessible, dignified and safe housing for persons experiencing homelessness. She is an avid long-distance runner and enjoys traveling with her family and experiencing different food, culture, and languages. Elle etudie le français et voudrais des opportunités pour l’améliorer.

Tife is the Communications Intern at Efficiency Canada. Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Media Production and Design at Carleton University, her interest lies in design, social media, and other forms of digital communication.

Her undergraduate studies focuses on producing informative digital content in many forms, be that through graphic design, social media management or web development. Through the program, Tife has worked on projects alongside the National Arts Centre and the Canadian Museum of Nature focused on rediscovering exhibits and artworks in new ways to garner interest.

Tife is passionate about design, online storytelling, and is eager to develop new perspectives or hone new skills. An enthusiast of all things creative, she frequently experiments with photography and video production, as well as digital art and calligraphy. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, and watching video essays.

Annabelle is the Assistant Policy Research Analyst intern at Efficiency Canada, helping to develop the 2022 Provincial Energy Efficiency Scorecard. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management at Carleton University, specializing in communication and technology policy.

Before joining Efficiency Canada, Annabelle worked at Carleton University as a Digital Content Assistant, as well as at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with their Information Management division. She has also been involved as a volunteer with various youth organizations and loves helping to engage students with politics.

In her free time, Annabelle is usually playing soccer with friends, doodling, or baking.