our team

Mr. Cormany is the Executive Director of Efficiency First California (EFCA). His experience includes over ten years as a Home Performance contractor for three companies, including his own. Having been involved in hundreds of residential energy efficiency retrofit projects, he provides a “boots on the ground” perspective to policy and program design efforts. He is versed in residential energy efficiency diagnostics, HVAC system design, sales, marketing, and business development.

He manages a dedicated team of professionals, providing membership support and advocating for clean energy contractors in California. Together they have created the Clean Energy Connection, a free-to-use online contractor directory tool that connects homeowners to our verified contractor base.

EFCA also provides contractor support services for utilities and is the program administrator for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) residential rebate programs.

Mr. Cormany enjoys the educator role and regularly shares information via blog posts and informational meetings with contractors. For more information, visit the Efficiency First California website.

Gabe is the Director of Strategy for Efficiency First California. His primary focus is overseeing the SMUD Contractor Network and SMUD’s residential gas-to-electric conversions rebate programs. His duties include program design, reporting, strategy, and managing the contractor support and quality control teams.

Besides his day-to-day duties managing the SMUD programs, Gabe also helps with the overall strategy in EFCA’s other ventures: Clean Energy Connection, the EFCA trade group, and Business Development.

Gabe started working in the Home Performance and residential energy efficiency industry and CleanTech after receiving his MBA with an Emphasis in Sustainable Business from San Francisco State in 2012. Prior to his master’s, he worked for many years in marketing and production design in the natural food and media industries.

Stacy is a Senior Program Manager of the SMUD Residential Rebate Program for Efficiency First California. She has held that position with EFCA since 2017 and she works with contractors and SMUD in administering the rebate program. Her duties include:

• Contractor support and training
• Project review for rebate payment
• Field Quality Control inspection management

She has worked at Efficiency First California since June 2012 in various capacities, including training, membership, marketing, and as a part-time sub-contractor to Build It Green to assist with homeowner customer service calls for the PG & E rebate program.
Before EFCA, Stacy had a long history of working in customer service, HR, sales and marketing, and publishing when she owned the Nevada City Advocate, a monthly community newspaper, for ten years.

She has extensive community service experience, including serving on the Rotary Club of Nevada City, the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and unique city event boards of directors. (Nevada City Bicycle Classic, Joe Cain Days (Mardi Gras), Merry Widows, Nevada City 100th Birthday, and the Constitution Day Parade).

When Stacy is not at work, she enjoys gardening and traveling when she can. She is about to rekindle her favorite past-time: building stained glass windows now that she has a sunny new studio!

Jeff is responsible for EFCA’s day-to-day operations and all aspects of membership management, including recruitment, onboarding, dues, renewals, and benefits. Other responsibilities include website updating, newsletter, analytics, events calendar, branding support, and event production.

Jeff has over 33 years of experience running non-profit trade organizations and has previously produced more than 400 successful events. Before he was hired at EFCA, he was the National Membership Representative of the American Photographic Artists (APA) and the APA San Francisco Chapter Executive Director.

Prior to that, he was the Northern California Executive Director of the other premier pro photographers’ trade organization, The American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP). He was also an innovative professional photographer. Jeff worked as a pro hot-air balloon pilot (aeronaut) while earning Bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley.

Christi is responsible for managing EFCA’s long-standing partnerships and the continued development of the Clean Energy Connection—an online directory connecting homeowners to vetted contractors providing clean energy and decarbonization services.

She brings extensive experience developing and leading visionary organizations, events, and education programs on a local, national, and international level. As the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Build It Green, she operated one of the first resource centers in the country to provide green building tools for the trades.

Christi was the Founder and CEO of West Coast Green Conference & Expo—the largest privately held conference dedicated to green innovation, which drew over 10,000 thought leaders from around the world each year, and helped shape and propel the green building movement. She served on the Board of Directors of the American Lung Association and the Association of Women in Water, Energy & Environment (AWWEE) and produced the United Nations’ World Environment Day, commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations.

Christi holds an Environmental Home Inspector Certificate from the International Institute of Building Biology, and a 50-Ton Masters Captains License with the U.S. Coast Guard. If she’s not boating along the northern CA coastline, you’ll find her hiking the John Muir Trail in the High Sierra.

Jessica is a Senior Program Manager of the SMUD Residential Rebate Program for Efficiency First California (EFCA).  Before EFCA, Jessica worked with residential contractors in the Greater Sacramento Region under PG&E’s Home Upgrade Program for Ecology Action as their Outreach Specialist.  She has worked for her husband’s construction company for the last 8 years directing the organization operations (HR, Payroll, Finance, and Tax).

When Jessica is not at work, she enjoys her time spent with her children, gardening and long joy rides with her husband on their Harley’s.

Nicole engages and informs EFCA’s membership and program participants by directing EFCA’s communications efforts. Before EFCA, she managed residential and small commercial energy efficiency programs at PG&E and helped launch their Innovator Pilot and Sustainable Communities programs. As a program and communications manager for sustainability based non-profits, she produced customer-facing collateral and worked on advocacy and fundraising campaigns. Nicole began her career as a Marine Corps logistics and environmental programs officer. She has an MBA from UC Davis with a concentration in Environmental Management. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her family and trail running.

Kevin Beck is a third-generation home improvement expert who has dedicated his career to helping clients turn their remodeling dreams into an energy efficient reality. With a passion for sustainable building practices and high-performance homes, Kevin takes pride in helping clients and contractors navigate the new energy horizon.

Kevin’s journey in the home improvement industry began with his family’s legacy. His grandfather started Beck’s Lumber & Hardware in 1922, a business that thrived until its sale in 1976. Following in his family’s footsteps, Kevin pursued a degree in Construction Management and Construction Technology, eventually obtaining his General Contractors license in 1989.

After gaining valuable experience in management roles at home improvement stores, Kevin established his own company, initially named Beck Custom Builders, and built and remodeled homes for over 35 years. Starting with small home repair jobs and expanding to remodeling, then became one of the few custom home builders emphasizing home performance and net-zero construction practices.

Throughout his career, Kevin’s commitment to Contractor Training and Education as well homeowner education has remained unwavering. His practical yet aesthetically pleasing design styles have earned him numerous awards, and he is recognized as a trusted expert in the field.

With an extensive background rooted in tradition, combined with a forward-thinking approach to sustainable building practices, Kevin is the sustainability ‘go-to expert’ for homeowners and Contractors looking forward to the transition to electrification.

Matt is the Senior Data Analyst at Efficiency First California. He joined the team in 2023 to wrangle data and reporting for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s gas-to-electric conversions rebate programs. With robust Data Analytics & Business Intelligence experience, Matt looks forward to scale EFCA data into the electrified future.

Prior to a data career, Matt spent decades in many industries, including stints as a Construction Foreperson leading crews to install seating at large sports arenas and as an entrepreneur manufacturing and selling energy bars at farmers markets and music festivals. A most fond experience was achieving American Sign Language fluency while employed at the Texas School for the Deaf.

Away from the data, Matt enjoys spending time with family, supporting live music, road trips in his beloved van, and connecting on LinkedIn!

As Finance Manager, Jennifer manages application processing and quality assurance within the home performance utility programs, while directing organization operations (accounting, finance, tax, and HR).  Previously, Jennifer was the owner and COO of a prominent Central Valley farm supply retailer where she was responsible for all operational aspects, including the implementation of a companywide automation and inventory control system.  Prior to purchasing the business, Jennifer served as the regional production manager for the largest California based poultry producer, supervising eight fryer farms (two-million fryers per growing cycle).  She managed all production, bird health, facility maintenance and personnel activities.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural and Managerial Economics from the University of California, Davis and serves on the advisory council for Brighton Energy Inc. in Sacramento.

Isabella Martin has been with EFCA for just under a year. She has worked in customer service for a number of organizations and continues her customer service capabilities in her administrative associate role at EFCA. With an AA in both Psychology and Sociology, she is now studying for her Bachelor’s degree in Family Studies and Human Development at Sacramento State. She hopes to pursue a career in Marriage and Family therapy after her graduation. Outside of work and school, she enjoys hiking in the Bay Area.

Ben has been with Efficiency First California since October of 2022. His primary duties are with the SMUD Contractor Network where he performs contractor support and outreach to help improve program efficiency, as well as assigning Field Quality Control tests to various projects in accordance with company guidelines. Ben also works on reporting, compiling, and analyzing data from the many facets of the program. In his free time, Ben loves to be outdoors. Hiking, fishing, rock climbing, and camping are a few of the activities you can expect to find him doing after work and on the weekends.

Rizzia is a Program Associate of the SMUD Residential Rebate Program for Efficiency First California. Her duties include contractor support and project pre-reviews. Before EFCA, Rizzia worked for six years as an administrative assistant and later on as an operations assistant for a local PG&E Trade Pro Partner in Monterey Bay. In her free time, Rizzia enjoys cooking for friends and family, traveling, as well hiking and camping around the Monterey Bay/Big Sur area and the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Tom DiCandia has over 25 years of management experience, responsible for quality, productivity, and bottom-line profit in a variety of business fields. Tom is a BPI Building Analyst, certified by the Building Performance Institute. Tom began studying and implementing energy conservation and alternative energy in commercial property management in the 1990’s.

Tom’s technical background includes electronics, electrical, audio, and a working knowledge of plumbing and mechanical systems. Tom trained in residential home performance with the California Building Performance Contractors Association, Pacific Energy Center, Saturn Online, Home Safe Environmental, and a variety of individual classes ranging from residential water conservation strategies to the technical installation and servicing of high-efficiency combustion appliances, solar thermal systems, and hydronic radiant distribution systems.

During the 5 years Tom spent at Recurve/Sustainable Spaces, Tom performed home performance testing on at least 300 homes and managed close to 1,000 projects as a project manager. Tom joined SDI Insulation in 2011 to continue to offer home performance efficiency solutions to homeowners and improve existing residential building stock using building science principles. Tom’s current studies continue to include building science, building performance testing and remediation, and environmental impact awareness.

Tom DiCandia is also an Officer member of the EFCA Board of Directors.

Ryan Connally has been working in the residential construction industry since 1989, and in 2001, became the Lead Faculty in the Construction Technology Program at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento. There, Ryan has developed industry recognized training programs for the Construction industry, and more recently, the Home Performance industry. Ryan is currently the Department Chair for Construction, Architecture and Building Inspection, and the Director and Lead Proctor for the college’s Building Performance Institute – Test Center.

Since 2005, In conjunction with the local Habitat For Humanity affiliate, Ryan and his students have contributed greatly to the construction of over 27 homes, including 12 LEED certified homes, and have provided energy auditing, diagnostic testing, and retrofit work on many of their remodels.

Ryan also stays busy as one of the quality control inspectors with Efficiency First California’s, Field Quality Assurance team, as well as an OSHA Construction Outreach Trainer. Ryan received his BS from the University of Oregon in 1995 with a major in Sociology, and a minor in Architecture, and more recently earned a masters degree from CSUS in Higher Education Leadership. Ryan’s hobbies include Fishing, camping, and other outdoor pursuits.

Henry Liu is a dedicated professional who is currently an integral part of the quality control inspector team with Efficiency First California’s Field Quality Assurance program.

Henry’s journey in the field of civil engineering began when he earned his BS degree in Civil Engineering from CSUS in 2016. Over the course of more than five years, Henry has gained valuable experience in various aspects of the industry, honing his skills, and deepening his understanding of the complexities involved in various civil infrastructure projects.

Outside of work, Henry values the importance of spending quality time with his loved ones. He cherishes moments with his family, often taking advantage of their shared love for the outdoors. Hiking, camping, and engaging in other outdoor activities are some of the ways in which Henry rejuvenates himself and finds balance in his life.