Executive Director

Ms. Burnes is a veteran with nearly two decades of environmental experience. Prior to joining Sustainable Atlanta she served as the Assistant Director of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Sustainability Division. There she was responsible for managing budgets and deliverables for the division’s EPA and DOE grants, and for coordinating the department’s Sustainable Energy Management Plan and Council. During this time she also managed the division’s flagship environmental leadership program, the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia, whose nearly 275 voluntary member businesses and organizations are working to implement energy, water and material conservation practices.

Ms. Burnes’ experience in the environmental field also includes consulting to U.S. EPA and the military on environmental cleanup and compliance issues. She also served on the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy’s Subcommittee on Promoting Environmental Stewardship, advising U.S. EPA Administrator Jackson in 2009-2010.

Suzanne earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Warren Wilson College, with an emphasis on Environmental Policy.A north Georgia native, she lives with her husband and two young children in East Atlanta.