Robert Bordner founded Energy Market Innovations as a means of combining his entrepreneurial passion with his interests in long-term sustainable energy futures and his talent for conducting innovative and insightful strategic research. An economist by training, Rob’s interest in energy efficiency and renewable energy dates back to the early 1980’s. Shortly after transplanting himself in Boston, a college friend referred him to a job with a pioneering wind energy upstart that built the first wind farm in New England (Tom later went on to found PowerLight Corporation). Today, he draws upon his uniquely broad perspective of the energy and utility industry – including technical, economic, market and organizational dimensions – and his 18 years of consulting experience, to guide clients in new directions and challenge conventional thinking related to energy markets. Important influences include Kenneth Boulding and Michael Meade.

Outside of work, Rob spends time with his family, is actively involved with youth in his community, enjoys skiing and backpacking, drives a biodiesel vehicle, and is actively working to reduce his ecological footprint to the size of one off-shore capable sailboat.

Rob holds a B.A. in Economics from Pomona College in Claremont, California, and completed graduate studies for an M.S. in Energy Management & Policy from the University of Pennsylvania.

Jennifer Holmes is a Project Director with EMI, responsible for the company’s Market Research and Evaluation practice area. Over the past decade she has been involved in several facets of the utility industry, including impact evaluations, market effects studies, market research, process evaluations, program planning, and strategic planning. She brings to EMI her strong background in program evaluation research, gained primarily through consulting for utilities in both California and Wisconsin. She has a keen interest in providing utility clients with valuable research and actionable recommendations to improve their existing energy efficiency portfolios, create cost effective new programs, and to develop positive collaborative relationships with key stakeholders.

Jennifer’s office is located in Santa Cruz, California. Outside of work, Jennifer’s passions are spending time with her family, raising her two daughters, and enjoying the beautiful outdoors of California’s central coast.

Jennifer holds an M.S. in Mineral Economics and a B.S. in Economics with a business minor, both from the Pennsylvania State University.

Jim Bazemore is a Project Director with EMI, responsible for the EMI’s Strategic Planning practice area, including strategic assessment, planning, and policy analysis. Over the past 25 years, Jim has assisted both public and private sector organizations in the development of business and policy strategies, including the design of targeted initiatives and programs. A particular area of emphasis within this work has been the development of objective performance metrics to assess program effectiveness. Having worked with strategy development and performance measurement issues in industries ranging from food processing to information technology, and agencies as large as the US Environmental Protection Agency, Jim brings a unique and valuable perspective to the evaluation of energy efficiency programs. In each of these settings, his insightful analysis and management-level perspective has provided useful and actionable recommendations for EMI clients. Outside of work, Jim spends time sailing, snow skiing, digital photography, and “lugging my wife’s birding scope” to remote bird-watching venues.

Jim holds a B.A. in Zoology and Biochemistry, as well as a Master’s in Business Administration, both from the University of Washington.

Donna Whitsett is a Research Analyst at EMI with a strong research background in social psychology, and is interested in the role of social influence on environmentally sound behaviors such as energy efficiency. She is also interested in social marketing strategies, which are used to promote behaviors that are beneficial for individuals and their communities. Donna has a wide range of experience in research methodology and data analysis. While working as a Research Assistant at a think tank in Houston, Texas, she worked with interview and survey data, focusing on drug abuse and related public health issues. Her research at the University of Washington focused on refining new methods for predicting behavior, specifically, the provision of social support. At EMI, Dr. Whitsett recently completed the quantitative analysis of survey data for the California Statewide Non-Residential Audit Program. She is currently assisting with a strategic planning effort for a utility in the Northwest and is working on the process evaluation for Pacific Gas & Electric’s High Technology Program.

Donna grew up in Texas, where she developed neither a noticeable accent nor a love of barbecue. She enjoys camping and hiking throughout the Pacific Northwest, and highly recommends everyone at least drive past Lake Crescent, on the Olympic Peninsula. At one time or another, she has been involved in various artsy endeavors, including photography, painting, and fiber arts.

Donna holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Houston, and a Ph.D. in Social/Personality Psychology from the University of Washington, Seattle.

Dave Van Holde is a senior associate energy engineering consultant on the EMI team, providing advanced technical and policy analysis expertise on a broad range of issues, including efficiency technologies, distributed energy resources, and utility policy and practice. David is also energy manager with King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks, where he co-chairs King County’s Energy Task Force. He currently participates on the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency (NAPEE) Leadership Team, where he is involved in developing national energy efficiency strategic policy.

David’s professional history includes managing Seattle City Light’s major accounts office after working for many years as a senior energy management analyst at the utility, where he provided energy engineering technical consulting and program design services for utility demand side management (DSM) programs as well as engineering and managing many large conservation projects. Between these utility positions, he was Director of E Source’s Distributed Energy Service, managing an international research team focused on distributed generation technologies, markets and programs worldwide. In his personal time, David loves to sail, ski, hike, grow apples to make cider, and just hang out with his family and friends. In house remodeling, there are embarrassing stories.

A registered Professional Engineer in Oregon, David holds a BSME from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn NY, and an MSME from Oregon State University, both in mechanical engineering, with course emphasis in energy conversion systems, energy efficiency and energy policy.

Hannah Carmalt is a Project Analyst with EMI. She previously worked in New York City for Seamus Henchy and Associates, a project management firm, and completed her graduate work in sustainable community development and sustainable behavior. She sees efficiency as an important element of sustainability and hopes to create a stronger link between utility efficiency efforts and the developing sustainability political context. At EMI, Hannah has worked on a number of diverse evaluation and planning projects for utilities in Washington and California. She is currently working on a multi-year assessment of the California Statewide Emerging Technologies Program.

Hannah likes to travel to experience different cultures and habitats and has lived in Australia and Ireland. While in Seattle, she volunteers with the American Lung Association, providing indoor air quality assessments to Seattle residents. She also enjoys Washington’s public lands and tries to spend her weekends hiking, kayaking, or skiing. Her long-term career goal, inspired after a 6-week wilderness experience during high school, is to help make sustainable behavior easy for the general public (outdoor education does have an impact!).

Hannah holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Sociology from Tulane University, and a Master’s Degree in City and Regional Planning from the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.

Arthur (AJ) Howard joined EMI as a Senior Project Analyst in 2009, and has been passionate about renewable energy and efficiency ever since building a solar car in high school out of foam board, circular reflectors and coat hangers. Getting a little more ambitious in college, AJ led 30 students in the conversion of a Chevy Suburban into a hybrid electric vehicle for a student competition. AJ has also worked at a small start-up selling do-it-yourself house kits, and as a technical consultant to EPA’s ENERGY STAR program, with a focus on consumer electronics and IT equipment. Always yearning for more experiences and information, AJ is also an avid traveler, taking six months to travel Asia and Oceania, primarily in China where he practiced his rudimentary Chinese, before landing in Seattle. AJ brings a variety of technical knowledge and passion to the EMI team and is focusing on increasing utility awareness for efficiency opportunities in IT equipment and data centers.

When not at work, AJ enjoys mingling with the Scandinavians in his neighborhood of Ballard, playing soccer, watching soccer, talking about soccer, rock climbing and finding any other excuse he can to be outside.

AJ holds a B.S. from the Sibley School of Mechanical Engineering at Cornell University.

Eric Gertsman is a Senior Analyst at EMI, working primarily in EMI’s Strategy and Planning group. He brings valuable experience in organizational assessment, business process optimization, quantitative modeling, research, content generation, and project management. With a balanced analytical, strategic, and implementational business background, Eric also possesses the ability to translate complex data into actionable business plans and has insights into market dynamics and service/product offerings that help make organizations successful. Eric joins the team with a diverse background in the technology and energy sectors, where his work has involved clean tech areas such as energy efficiency, next-generation biofuels, biomass, solar, cogeneration, corporate sustainability, waste management, and green product marketing.

Eric has lived in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Washington DC, and New York City before landing in Seattle. He enjoys a number of outside-of-work activities, including traveling, playing sports, strumming the guitar, wine, photography, backpacking, scuba diving, playing with his dog, and so much more.

Eric earned a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business and a Bachelors of Arts from UCLA.

Caroline Childress is a Senior Analyst working in EMI’s Market Research and Evaluation department at EMI. As a Research Scientist at the University of Washington in the department of Psychosocial and Community Health she evaluated prevention programs for youth at risk for suicide, drug use, and school drop-out. As a Senior Analyst in the Service Excellence department at Washington Mutual, she was responsible for managing an enterprise wide KPI that measured customer loyalty as an essential component of the company’s imperative to offer consistent quality service.

In her spare time, Caroline contends in bike races (road) and trains all winter long in the rain. She volunteers as a consultant to non-profits through the non-profit organization Executive Service Corps.

Caroline holds a PhD in Sociology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and an MBA and BS in Business Administration from the University of California at Riverside.

Zach Baron joined EMI as an Analyst in 2009. With an academic background in economic research, he likes digging deep into primary and secondary data to look for bigger-picture trends and patterns that help to frame the context for energy efficiency strategies.

Zach came to EMI after graduating from Pomona College, where he led wilderness trips, performed in the powerhouse Viking-rock supergroup Man Band, and studied in Ecuador. His last two summers were spent working abroad, first interning in the microfinance and small-business divisions of Banco ProCredit in Quito, and later leading a study-abroad trip to Barcelona.

He knows the best food is cooked over an open fire, the best program analysis is rigorous and innovative, and the best way to get from his Capitol Hill apartment to the EMI office is to bike recklessly downhill in rush-hour traffic.

Zach holds a B.A. in Economics from Pomona College.

Cliff Warner is a Project Manager with EMI. Coming to EMI from the software/information technology industry, Cliff worked for Aldus Corporation, Adobe Systems and then Alaska Airlines, developing business analyst and technical service management skills while working for these companies beginning with 'A.' Cliff is an English major sidetracked from his interest in literature by the impact of computers on how we communicate in the 21st century. He provides administrative and project management support for EMI, looking for ways to improve our internal work systems and office environment. Cliff brings a unique mixture of technical knowledge and communication and people skills to the EMI team.

Outside of work, Cliff’s passions include spending time with family, skiing, golf and making custom golf clubs and homemade wine. Recent favorite books include: The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig, Roanoke: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony by Lee Miller and The Beatles: the Biography by Bob Spitz.

Cliff holds a B.A. in English from Western Washington University.

Dan Schulte continuously adds fresh knowledge and energy to the EMI team. Before arriving at EMI in 2007, Dan worked on sustainability projects with several organizations including ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, the City of Medford, and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEA). His understanding of the integration of energy, urban planning and climate change policy is unique, even in a 'green city' like Seattle. Recently, he played key roles in the development of both the Climate Change Policy Guide for the American Planning Association and the Five Year Conservation Action Plan of Seattle City Light’s Conservation Resources Division

A native Hoosier of Indiana, Daniel is settling in to the Northwest since arriving from the Boston area by way of Santiago, Chile where he taught English for nearly a year. He takes every opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Northwest including his daily bicycling to work and trips to nearby forests and parks.

Dan holds a B.S. in Public Affairs from Indiana University and an M.A. in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University.

Leanne Rubin is EMI’s Office Administrator, which is a lot like being a den mother for adults.

Prior to joining EMI, she honed her experience as a “professional organizer”, editor, and project coordinator at some of the Northwest’s scientific and educational institutions, including Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology, Western Washington University’s Seattle campus, and the Evergreen Safety Council.

Leanne is a rare native-Seattleite, and still enjoys exploring the city and finding hidden treasures. In her free time, she enjoys gardening with her husband, tromping around the region’s beautiful parks, watching classic Film Noir, and training her dog Lazlo for his work as a therapy dog for children.

Leanne holds a B.A. in Sociology and Business Administration from Western Washington University.

Greg Lewis – Systems Administration/Accounting

Greg brings a wealth of diverse experience to EMI, spanning more than ten years with emphasis in areas such as information technology, curriculum development and training, accounting information systems, and human resource development. Rounding out his diverse skill set, Greg recently proclaimed himself a certified IKEA workstation installation technician. With the depth and breadth of his experience, Greg prefers the title “Factotum”. Specifically at EMI, Greg is responsible for most of the accounting functions, monthly reporting and invoicing for management decisions.

In his spare time, Greg usually enjoys all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer outdoors, but currently spends most of it rebuilding Epilogue, a David Pedrick designed sloop with which he plans to combine his love of sailing with his background in group facilitation and psychology and provide experiential sailing trips for groups in the Puget Sound waters and beyond.

Greg holds a B.A. in Urban Planning, Geography and Geology from Virginia Tech and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Mars Hill Graduate School in Seattle, WA.