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.

Mr. Bazemore 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.

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.

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 brings fresh knowledge and energy to the EMI team. Before arriving at EMI in 2007, Daniel 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. At Tufts University, he was taught to be a “practical visionary” and hopes to fulfill his part in the transition towards a sustainable society. In addition to energy and the environment, Daniel’s passion is the guitar and any other instrument he can get his hands on. He also gets much delight from hiking in the nearby parks and forests and riding his bicycle to work.

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.

Greg Lewis heads up EMI’s Systems Administration and 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 for management decisions, keeping a small and mobile collection of Mac’s and PC’s talking to each other nicely and generally keeping the administrative boat of EMI afloat.

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.