Joanne Mello
Southern Company Gas
Vice President of Corporate Sustainability
Joanne Mello is vice president of Corporate Sustainability for Southern Company Gas, the country’s premier energy company serving 4.3 million natural gas customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states. Mello is responsible for developing and leading the company’s overall sustainability strategy – including the coordination and support of local utility efforts to implement our path to net zero, and the company’s efforts around renewable natural gas (RNG). She coordinates a portfolio of sustainability strategy initiatives for the company’s natural gas business, leading efforts to reduce methane and carbon emissions through policy, strategy and technology, and supporting federal, state, and local climate policy, ESG engagement and strategy, renewable gas strategy, and outreach and communications efforts on climate and sustainability matters. She also co-founded and helps to lead the company’s Innovation Council. Mello previously served as assistant to the President and CEO of Southern Company Gas, supporting the CEO in executing the strategic goals for the company. Before that, Mello served in several roles in the Legal Department of Southern Company Gas. Prior to joining Southern Company Gas in 2007, Mello was a corporate attorney in private practice. Mello holds a B.A. in Psychology and Political Science and a M.A. in Political Science from Emory University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. She completed the Executive Development Program at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in 2022, and is a member of the 2022 class of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for The Nature Conservancy of Georgia.
