Novara Energy Alliance, a non-profit organization that drives energy innovation for thriving communities, announced the appointment of Nathan South as Chief Executive Officer. South is a seasoned cross-sector leader with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations solve complex challenges through strategy, infrastructure, partnerships and execution.
South joins Novara at a pivotal moment for the Inland Northwest as industry, government, researchers, investors and communities work together to meet growing energy needs, strengthen resilience and turn ambitious ideas into practical, scalable solutions.
South’s career spans telecommunications, infrastructure, global technology and mission-driven organizations. He has led work across start-ups and established companies, bringing strategic discipline, financial creativity and cross-sector collaboration to challenges that require more than one organization or one industry to solve.
Previously, South held leadership roles at BioCollective and Nokero Solar, where he worked on innovation, operations and market development. He later brought that same practical, partnership-focused approach to Meta, helping lead a global “Moonshot” initiative to connect the next billion people to the internet.
South holds an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan, a Master of Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a B.S. in Engineering from Lehigh University.
Committed to his community, South serves on the board of directors for Spokane Riverkeeper and is a member of Avista’s Technical Advisory and Clean Energy Implementation Committees.
“The board has set a bold course for regional energy transformation, and we have hired Nathan to help deliver on this vision,” said Latisha Hill, chair of the Novara Energy Alliance Board of Directors. “Nathan brings the experience, discipline and collaborative approach needed to translate strategy into impact.”
As CEO, South will focus on strengthening Novara’s regional alliance, mobilizing partners and advancing practical energy solutions that deliver measurable impact for communities and industries across the Inland Northwest.
“Novara’s opportunity is to help the region move from shared concern to shared action,” said South. “The energy challenges ahead are complex, but this region has the talent, infrastructure, relationships and history of innovation needed to solve them. I am honored to work with the board, members and partners to turn that potential into progress.”
Novara Energy Alliance will host its 2026 Energy Summit on Oct. 7 where South will play a key leadership role in shaping an outcomes-driven gathering focused on defining the region’s most pressing energy challenges and aligning partners around the solutions needed to address them.
South replaces Kim Pearman-Gillman who has served as interim CEO since February.
“The board extends its sincere gratitude to interim CEO Kim Pearman-Gillman for her steady leadership during an important period of transition and strategic renewal. Her work helped position Novara for its next chapter and laid important groundwork for the successful search for a permanent CEO,” said Hill.
About Novara Energy Alliance
Novara Energy Alliance is a collaborative organization that brings together industry, government, researchers, investors and communities to solve the Inland Northwest’s most pressing energy challenges. Novara focuses on turning complex challenges into real-world, scalable solutions by aligning people, priorities and investment across the regional energy ecosystem.