Southface Institute, an Atlanta-based sustainable building nonprofit, announced today that its President and CEO, James Marlow, will be departing the organization, effective February 12, 2026. Nathan Bessette will take over leadership of the organization as Interim Executive Director. 

Link to Nathan Bessette photo.

“James Marlow has been an incredible leader for the Southface Institute over the last four years and has been a peerless advocate for sustainability in our region,” said Southface Board Chair Liz York. “James will be working with Southface through April to ensure a smooth transition to our Interim Executive Director.”

Founded1978 in Atlanta, Southface Institute is a national nonprofit focused on sustainability and building science. Together with its partners, the organization leverages advocacy, education, and services to build stronger communities and a healthier environment for all. 

“It has been a great honor and a privilege to serve as President and CEO of Southface and I’m incredibly proud of the thousands of sustainability projects Southface Institute has supported over the last four years,” said James Marlow. “I’m confident that the Southface team will continue this important work as I move on to the next step in my professional journey.” 

About Nathan Bessette

Interim Executive Director Nathan Bessette is a long-time Southface staffer. He has served as the organization’s Vice President, Technical Services, and other roles for six years. Bessette brings a career-long focus on translating technical insight into organizational and market impact. 

●      Bessette has had many roles at the intersection of innovation, strategy, and execution, helping organizations -- including Moog and EdgeDweller -- design and launch new offerings that respond to real market needs. His work has consistently focused on building durable programs, improving how teams operate, and aligning technical solutions with business and mission outcomes.

●      At Southface, Nathan has applied this systems-level perspective to advance sustainability in the built environment, contributing to organizational strategy, program growth, and new service development that strengthens both impact and financial resilience. He is known for bridging disciplines, building trust across teams and partners, and guiding organizations through change with clarity and purpose.

●      He holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech and Business Administration from Georgia State University. 

“Southface continues to be a leader in sustainability and I’m looking forward to building on the work that James Marlow has done over the last four years,” said Nathan Bessette. “My vision for Southface is that we continue to have a positive influence on the communities we serve by making buildings better. We will continue to innovate and shape programs, services, and public policies to drive our mission forward.”

Southface works hard to promote sustainability issues:

●      In late 2025, Southface Institute announced a partnership with Sustain Our Future Foundation (SOFF) to launch the Building Improvement Toolkits (BIT) for Resilient HBCUs. This 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 broader communities. 

●      Last October, the nonprofit honored Ambassador Andrew Young during its 2025 Visionary Awards at the Georgia Aquarium. The keystone fundraising event honors those who have led sustainability efforts in Georgia and beyond. Ambassador Young received the 2025 Argon Award for Excellence in Sustainability. 

●      The Southface Winter Solstice event celebrated community-based sustainability efforts, with the nonprofit presenting its Fulcrum Awards to the Georgia Forestry Foundation and Jamestown LP, honoring people and projects that exemplify a vision of a sustainable future for all. 

●      An ongoing quarterly series of "Sustainability in Action Roundtables,” a series of policy and discussion forums that focus on environmental and social issues facing metro Atlanta, the region and beyond. The next SART is scheduled for March 6 and will focus on sustainability in major sporting events.

Join Southface in Boldly Building Together at southface.org and connect with us on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Facebook, and YouTube.