Our Leadership Team

Stephen MacDonald

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. Under Steve’s leadership, EfficiencyOne continues its track record of meeting its energy savings targets under budget, with a focus on continuous improvement, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

Nova Scotia’s results and innovative model have been cited by the influential International Energy Agency, and by the Pan Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. Steve has been recognized as one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEOs for 2019 and 2020 and is a recipient of Canada’s Clean50 award; both acknowledging his industry-leading efforts promoting energy efficiency and reducing C02 emissions.

Steve is a relentless champion for the development and growth of the energy efficiency industry in Nova Scotia, and the more than 2,500 people working in this field across the province. He is regularly asked to participate in national discussions on energy efficiency and climate policy. A Chartered Professional Accountant, prior to his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer, 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 and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth and chairs the Governance Committee. He is also a member of the Advisory Committee for The ReCover Initiative, a project to develop a deep energy retrofit solution that responds to the climate crisis at the speed and scale necessary to meet our greenhouse gas reduction targets. 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.

Matthew Martel

Matthew James Martel is a highly accomplished business professional with a diverse background in strategic planning, project management, human resources, and executive recruitment. With a Master’s Degree in Technology, Entrepreneurship & Innovation from Saint Mary’s University and a Bachelor of Management in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from Dalhousie University, Matthew brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to any organization he serves. Currently, Matthew serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Black Business Initiative in Halifax, where he is responsible for designing and implementing business strategies, establishing policies that promote company culture and vision, and overseeing daily operations. He also leads employees to encourage maximum performance and dedication and evaluates performance by analyzing and interpreting data and metrics.

Martel holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and has relevant board experience serving on the Halifax International Airport Authority, Dalhousie University Faculty of Management, Acadia University Institute for Data Analytics Board, and Downtown Halifax Business Commission. In these roles, he had a strong focus on board compliance, board assessments, board member orientation, and worked to strengthen policy. Overall, Martel is a skilled and experienced leader who excels in strategic planning, recruitment, and project management, making him an asset to any organization.

Sarah Chiasson, MBA, BS

Prior to joining HCi3, Sarah held various roles at EfficiencyOne / Efficiency Nova Scotia, 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 partners and stakeholders in the energy efficiency industry will help HCi3 achieve its mission of accelerating and enabling the uptake of measurable, equitable, and meaningful climate solutions by financing low-carbon projects and scaling them through innovative impact investing.

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.

Julia Sable

Julia brings a diverse array of experience in non-profit management, sustainability, communications and community engagement to HCi3. Julia worked for the Province of Nova Scotia designing and managing sustainable transportation programs, where she prioritized building networks within and between communities across the province. She previously worked for several sustainability non-profits, including most recently Ceres, where she managed and developed programs to build environmental, social and governance (ESG) competence for corporate board directors. Julia has extensive experience in multi-stakeholder management and coalition building in diverse cultural contexts in both the private and non-profit sectors. She holds a Master’s Degree in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School (Tufts University) and a Graduate Diploma in Social Innovation from the University of Waterloo.