Leadership | FirstService Energy

As president of FirstService Energy, the energy management and advisory affiliate of FirstService Residential, Kelly Dougherty oversees a national team of experts who help multifamily building owners and board members of condominiums and cooperatives reduce energy consumption, costs, and emissions. Kelly’s active involvement in the energy sector enables her to keep FirstService Residential’s property managers, clients and building staff informed on the latest technologies, regulatory requirements, and incentive programs that help maximize overall efficiency. Kelly’s passion for bridging the gap between capital planning strategies with decarbonization has energized her teams throughout the organization. 

As an industry thought leader, Kelly is frequently sought after and quoted by The New York Times, was named a 2020 Woman of Influence by GlobeSt. and has served as a keynote speaker for high-profile industry events hosted by Urban Green Council, REBNY, and The Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums (CNYC). She has also participated in the Building Energy Exchange’s Climate Mobilization Act Series with support from the New York Mayor’s Office of Climate & Sustainability. Kelly has participated in numerous boards and working groups in NYS including for Urban Green Council, NYSERDA, NYC DOB & Mayor’s Office, and NYS Public Service Commission. Kelly has been working with buildings on HVAC, energy efficiency, and decarbonization planning for over 18 years. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science from Rutgers University and a Master of Science from Columbia University in Sustainability Management.  

Tal Eyal, founder and principal of FirstService Energy, oversees all company operations including the energy procurement business, data analysis, and reporting of energy usage.

Eyal’s expertise spans over a diverse range of energy projects culled from more than two decades in the property management and project management industries. He has broad experience managing heating conversion projects in large residential and commercial buildings, negotiating contracts for energy procurement and demand management, and constructing co-generation systems. Tal secured millions of dollars in grants and loans from quasi-governmental agencies to subsidize energy-related construction for clients managed by FirstService Residential New York.

Eyal also is executive vice president of FirstService Residential New York and a founder and president of FirstService Project Management, the company’s subsidiary that oversees residential and commercial construction projects.

Ben Kirschenbaum, an attorney with 30 years of experience in law, residential management and brokerage in New York City, directs all legal matters on behalf of FirstService Energy. He is a member of the Cooperative and Condominium Committee of the Association of the Bar of New York City. Kirschenbaum graduated from Duke University School of Law and received an A.B. from Brown University.

Edmond Ohin is responsible for designing integrated financial models to identify and evaluate various energy procurement scenarios that result in the most economical and cost-effective energy solutions for properties managed by FirstService Residential. He oversees the procurement of electric power, natural gas, and oil commodities.

Prior to joining FirstService Energy, Ohin served as a Sourcing Operations Associate at Summit Energy Services, where he provided consulting services to several firms in the industrial and commercial space. Edmond holds a B.S. in Economics from Centre College.

Chris Normandeau is director of FirstService Energy in the East region. Normandeau collaborates with community associations managed by FirstService Residential to reduce energy and water use and costs by serving as a trusted advisor to boards.  Normandeau helps clients make informed decisions—saving them money, minimizing their carbon footprint, and improving their quality of life.

Prior to joining FirstService Energy, Normandeau was co-founder of Core, a New York City-based sustainable project management firm which focused on maximizing client savings while minimizing environmental impact. He also served as a Project Manager for construction firm OmniBuild, where he was involved in all aspects of design, construction and budgeting, including overseeing energy efficiency projects across New York State. Normandeau, who earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is a Certified Energy Manager (C.E.M.), is Lighting Certified (LC), and is a LEED AP BD+C®. He has saved his clients more than 100 million dollars by putting his considerable energy knowledge and expertise to work for them. Normandeau believes in the value of providing his clients with the tools and knowledge needed to continue reducing their carbon footprint, long after his energy savings initiatives have been put in place.

As director of energy management at FirstService Energy for the NYC Metro Area, including New York City, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, John works with our clients to help plan and develop a cost-effective strategy tailored to their unique needs and energy goals. Some of the projects John helps to manage include LED Lighting, Controls, Building Management Systems, and EV Charging.

Joining FirstService Energy, John brings over 30 years of experience working in energy efficiency at Con Edison, as well as experience as an attorney for their legal department.

Marilyn Zajac is the South region’s energy advisor at FirstService Energy, serving Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. She assists our properties with energy assessments, regulatory benchmarking compliance, utility bill analysis, electric vehicle charging, and reducing carbon emissions. Marilyn provides guidance and recommendations so that our clients can make informed decisions about their property.

Prior to joining FirstService Energy, Marilyn brings 7 years of experience working as a sustainable building consultant in the green building industry with Sustainable Building Partners and Buro Happold collaborating with clients and projects teams to deliver efficient, reliable, economic, and sustained energy performance strategies while promoting health, comfort, and cost savings for end-users and communities.

As director of energy management at FirstService Energy for Canada, including Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, Rob works with our clients to identify and develop a cost-effective strategy tailored to their unique needs and energy goals. Some of the projects Rob helps facilitate include LED lighting, controls, EV charging, and electricity price optimization.

Joining FirstService Energy, Rob brings 15 years of energy management experience working directly with multi-unit residential owners.  Rob is an engineer, holds a master’s in business, and is a Certified Energy Manager.

Chris Raiford, energy procurement specialist, supports the procurement team in finding solutions that best suit our clients' energy needs. As a specialist, Chris also works with clients to identify savings. How and where we get our power is a complex question that Chris can make simple. 

Before joining FirstService Energy, Chris worked for multiple startups in utility and natural resource management. He began his career as a relations manager for a leading environmental NGO. Chris has a bachelor's in Biology from the University of Connecticut.

John O’Shea is responsible for finding solutions that best suit our clients’ energy needs and objectives. John’s main focus is on the Illinois market and portfolio, but also includes FirstService Residential East. He is eager to grow our energy team’s footprint across North America and has a passion for finding solutions to complex problems.

John was part of a variety of projects in multiple countries, stretching from water distribution and purification projects in the Andes to designing and building a new school in Nicaragua with sustainable agriculture, renewable energies, and other aspects. Prior to joining our team, John served as an Energy Consultant at Navigate Power and Choice Energy Management. His experience in the energy industry comes with a focus on energy procurement and sustainability. John holds a M.A. from Harvard Extension School in Sustainability and Environmental Management, where he focused on Corporate Sustainability & Innovation, and a B.A. from Prescott College in Energy and Sustainability.

As an energy budget analyst, Nicholas Hou works closely with the data and procurement teams in reviewing energy data. Nicholas also conducts extensive research on utility tariffs and monitors the multiple energy markets to optimize the energy budgeting processes. He is passionate about helping buildings reach sustainability.

Nicholas comes to the team with a Master of Public Health in environmental public health science from New York University. He also holds a B.S. in applied biology (food and environment) from University of British Columbia.

Daniel Erickson, technical program manager at FirstService Energy, leads the team in all things data, including audits, research, benchmarking, and streamlining the data collection process. Daniel also oversees the creation and distribution of all Energy Report Cards for our buildings. Daniel continuously improves our custom databases, creating user-friendly platforms for managers and clients. 

Daniel has over half a decade’s worth of experience in energy and utility bill management for residential buildings.

Rithu Manohar is a data enthusiast, skilled in eclectic data tools with a strong inclination towards Python. Formerly, a data analyst with IBM on process improvement projects, she has extensive experience in automation of data processing tasks and building visualizations for trend analysis in the non-profit sector.

Since joining FirstService Energy, Rithu oversees the data collection processes from ESCO and utility companies in addition to auditing the entire EnergyStar Portfolio for our buildings. She maintains Wisdom, and audits the reports on an on-going basis.

Rithu has a B.S. in Computer Science from India’s Visvesvaraya Technological University and a M.S. in Business Analytics from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.

Choyon Anwar, FirstService Energy energy analyst, interprets data using analytics, various research methodologies, and statistical techniques. Liaising between property management, procurement specialists, and the data team, Anwar pioneered FirstService Energy’s commissions system and enhanced the procurement database.  

Anwar comes to the team with a M.S. in financial engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. He also holds a B.S. in physics from NYU Tandon School of Engineering. 

Tiffany Weldon, FirstService Energy senior data specialist, has been a member of the data team since 2018. As senior data specialist, Tiffany ensures the accuracy and quality of client deliverables through the gathering and auditing of data.

Tiffany assists with the research and compliance of local energy benchmarking laws.

As data specialist, Josiah has served as an integral part of the FirstService Energy team in his three years with the company.  He collaborates with the data team to ensure the timely collection and reporting of our clients’ energy related data. He has a thirst for knowledge which he employs to help make sure that compliance related issues are done efficiently and accurately.

Josiah graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University with a bachelors in environmental Earth science with a concentration in sustainable energy.

As internal communications lead, Amanda delivers important information regarding technical programs to ensure timely and accurate reporting of our clients’ energy related data. Amanda enjoys using numbers and data to tell stories and create visuals that make patterns and their significance accessible to everyone.

Amanda graduated from Binghamton University with a bachelors in psychology and a bachelors in humane education with a concentration in ecology.

Amna Hasan, data coordinator, utilizes database programs and executes secure and effective procedures to ensure the successful collection and reporting of clients' energy-related data. Amna enjoys problem-solving and employs her passion for data to find data-driven solutions.

Amna graduated from Elmhurst University with a bachelor's in business administration.
 

Spoorthi Iyer is a techno-functional enthusiast, blending technical expertise with a keen analytical mindset to drive business decisions through actionable insights. With a background in computer science engineering, Spoorthi possesses a solid foundation in technical principles and methodologies.

Her role as a data coordinator involves analyzing data patterns to construct visually engaging reports, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions. With expertise in various tools and languages such as Python, Java, Power BI, SQL, and Excel, Spoorthi is well-equipped to handle diverse data sets and extract meaningful insights from them.

Spoorthi holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from Visveswaraya Technological University, showcasing her commitment to mastering technical concepts. Additionally, her master's degree in computer science from Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia, further underscores her dedication to advancing her knowledge and skills in the field.

As project coordinator, Charlotte supports various aspects of the team including local law compliance, program coordination, and special projects. Charlotte received a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Vassar College, graduating with departmental honors and a distinction for her senior thesis. 

Charlotte has participated in and founded various community programs within the environmental sector. 

As content marketing specialist, at FirstService Energy, Killeen McDonald creates marketing content for various uses, including presentations and local regulation collateral to keep our clients and associates informed. Killeen previously worked for FirstService Residential as a marketing research coordinator where responsibilities were tailored towards prospective clients.

Killeen graduated from the Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University with a degree in marketing.

As an energy management project coordinator at FirstService Energy, Angela Moriarity assists our clients in complying with local regulations and realizing energy and cost savings through efficiency projects. Prior to joining the FirstService Energy team, Angela worked at an ESG and sustainability consulting start up company.

Angela graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with B.A.s in economics and environmental studies. Angela currently volunteers with the Valley Forge Park Alliance.

As energy procurement coordinator, Dinesh Rana acts as a liaison between FirstService Energy's procurement and data analytics teams. Dinesh's role further extends to supporting the property managers in having clearer insight into our end-to-end energy procurement process. He also assists the procurement team in analyzing new opportunities. 

Dinesh has experience in several energy industry subsectors, such as engineering, technology, and finance. Dinesh has a passion for technology and is curious about how leveraging AI will contribute to the future of energy analytics. He holds an MS in energy management from UT Dallas with a minor in finance and a B.Tech from India's NIT Kurukshetra in electrical engineering. 

Spencer Collins, data coordinator, assists in the collection and reporting of clients’ energy-related data. Spencer also supports our clients in complying with local regulations. Spencer joined the team with experience in the energy industry and a bachelor’s in environmental science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.