The Southface Institute, a nonprofit leader in green building technology and innovation, is undergoing a leadership transition.
The board has named Nathan Bessette as interim executive director for the next two years. Bessette has spent nearly six years at Southface, most recently serving as vice president of technical services.
After four years as executive director, James Marlow is transitioning to serve as senior advisor until the end of May.
“My whole career is about doing new things,” Marlow said in a phone interview with Bessette on Feb. 12. “It just feels like the right time for me and Southface.”
Marlow said he felt comfortable leaving because of the strong leadership team at Southface, specifically mentioning Bessette.
“Nathan is highly qualified, and he’s a great person,” Marlow said. “He’s wicked smart.”
Bessette moved to Atlanta in 2005 to attend Georgia Tech, where he got a degree in mechanical engineering. He also has a degree in business administration from Georgia State University.
Before joining Southface in 2020, Bessette had spent much of his career in the private sector working in the intersection of innovation, strategy and execution. He worked for Moog and EdgeDweller, where he designed and launched new offerings that responded to market needs.
Bessette, who will turn 39 on Earth Day, grew up in South Carolina, where he spent time in nature.
“I want to be able to have a positive impact on the environment,” Bessette said, adding that he is open to serving as the permanent executive director “as long as I’m adding value.”
One of the issues on the horizon is the future of Southface.
Founded in 1978, Southface has been on Pine Street next to the Civic Center for the past three decades. The most recent proposal to redevelop the Civic Center block includes the possibility of incorporating the Southface buildings into the new development.
Construction recently started in a new affordable housing senior housing high rise being built on what used to be the Southface parking lot.
“We want to remain in the Civic Center complex,” Marlow said of the Southface buildings, which feature the latest green building technologies.
He wasn’t sure, though, if it would be at its current location or in another site on the block.
“When you host a demonstration facility, you have to continually update with new systems,” said Marlow, who added that Southface could stay in its existing buildings. “We could reimagine in place.”
Interestingly, leadership changes on the Southface board are also underway. Liz York will finish out her term as board chair on Feb. 16, when Evelyn Bolden will become the new chair.
Over the decades, Southface has had a robust teaching and training program on sustainability, and it has helped nurture generations of environmentalists.
In late 2025, Southface announced a partnership with Sustain Our Future Foundation (SOFF) to launch the Building Improvement Toolkits (BIT) for Resilient HBCUs. The pilot program aims to advance sustainability efforts within five Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and establish them as central hubs for climate action within their communities.
In October, Southface honored former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young during its 2025 Visionary Awards at the Georgia Aquarium.
Southface also brings together environmentalists for the Winter Solstice and Summer Solstice events. It also has a quarterly series called “SART” that features environmental and social issues in the Atlanta region.
Marlow said he will continue to attend Southface gatherings, as he did before he became executive director.
“I’m always going to be Southfacer,” Marlow said.
The post James Marlow of Southface stepping down; Nathan Bessette named interim appeared first on SaportaReport.
