The Honorable Mark W. Menezes is President and Chief Executive Officer of the United States Energy Association. Through its membership, USEA represents 150 members across the U.S. energy sector from the largest Fortune 500 companies to small energy consulting firms.
In his role, Mr. Menezes represents the broad interests of the U.S. energy industry and interacts with domestic and international leaders to advance knowledge and seek partnerships to develop and enhance energy infrastructure worldwide.
The Honorable Mark W. Menezes is a nationally recognized energy attorney. As the former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, former senior executive with two major energy companies, and former Congressional Committee Chief Counsel, he’s a strategic advisor to Wall Street, businesses, and policymakers.
Mark W. Menezes is the founder of Global Sustainable Energy Advisors LLC, a strategic advisory firm to energy, technology and defense organizations. Mr. Menezes is an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown Law School teaching courses on energy law, policy, and climate change.
He is a former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, confirmed by the US Senate in a bipartisan vote of 79-16. As Deputy Secretary, he served as the Chief Operating Officer over an agency with 120,000 employees and contractors, a $34 billion budget, and management responsibilities of the 17 national labs, the nation’s nuclear weapons programs, and its environmental cleanup obligations from the Manhattan Project. Prior to being confirmed as Deputy Secretary, Mr. Menezes served as Under Secretary of Energy, receiving confirmation of the US Senate by voice vote. As Under Secretary, he was responsible for directing transformative energy progress and technology development through coordinated policy and budget planning, management, and innovation.
Prior to his federal executive branch service, Mr. Menezes was an executive at Berkshire Hathaway Energy after practicing law as a partner at Hunton & Williams LLP for ten years, heading its Energy and Infrastructure practice group. In his federal legislative branch service, Mr. Menezes was Chief Counsel, Energy and Environment, to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce during which he oversaw the passage of the historic Energy Policy Act of 2005. Mr. Menezes has also held positions within the energy sector. Before his service with the House Energy & Commerce Committee, he was Vice President with Central and South West Corporation and upon its merger with American Electric Power, served as Vice President and Associate General Counsel for federal and state legislative and regulatory affairs.
For his service to the Department of Energy, Mr. Menezes was awarded its highest honor, the Secretary of Energy’s James R. Schlesinger Award. For his Congressional service, he was named in National Journal’s “Hill 100”—top Congressional staff for his work on both energy and environmental matters. He has testified numerous times before Congress, is a frequent speaker and lecturer before associations and civic groups, including legal education seminars where he has been called on to address the nation’s energy and environmental policies, utility restructuring, telecommunications, ethics, merger and acquisition practices, and regulatory and legislative processes. He has co-authored numerous articles, a practice manual published by West Publishing Company, and has been a contributor to network and cable TV broadcasts and quoted in the New York Times, Law360, Oil and Gas Journal, Politico, and other publications. He’s been listed in Best Lawyers in America 2013–2016, Corporate Counsel’s Top Lawyers 2006–2011, Washington Post’s Top Lawyers 2008–2016, and DC Super Lawyers 2012–2016.
Mr. Menezes is a graduate of Louisiana State University receiving both his undergraduate and juris doctor degrees. He is licensed to practice in D.C., Texas and Louisiana, and is a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar. Before being sworn in as the Under Secretary of Energy, he was a charter member Louisiana State University’s Energy Law Center, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Congressional Chorus & American Youth Chorus, serving as its President for two years.
