Jessica McDonald is the Director of Community Development for the Town of Bridgewater, overseeing Planning & Development, Recreation, and Sustainability services for the Town. She is also the Energize Bridgewater Project Director. Prior to joining the Town of Bridgewater in 2015, Jessica worked for eight years in Nova Scotia provincial government for both the Departments of Environment and Municipal Affairs. Before joining government, Jessica worked as a researcher and consultant in Nova Scotia, Sri Lanka, and Ontario. Since 2015, her department’s achievements include a major renovation to its historic downtown streetscape; establishing a permanent public transit system; and winning the $5 million category of the national Smart Cities Challenge Canada competition for Energize Bridgewater – an initiative that will simultaneously accelerate the Town’s transition to a low-carbon future and tackle energy poverty.