Dan Brouillette

Dan Brouillette is an American public servant and former business executive who served as the fifteenth United States Secretary of Energy from 2019 to 2021. Prior to that role he held the position of Deputy Secretary of Energy, and before entering federal service he worked in congressional staff positions, lobbying firms, and corporate public‑policy offices. After leaving government, he has continued to engage with the energy sector through executive leadership roles at Sempra Infrastructure and the Edison Electric Institute, as well as advisory work for a capital‑formation organization.

Early life and career

Brouillette was born in Paincourtville, Louisiana, on either September 14, 1947, or August 18, 1962, according to differing public records. He completed his higher education at the University of Maryland Global Campus, graduating in 1995. His early professional experience began with military service; from 1982 to 1987 he served as a tank commander stationed in Germany’s Fulda Gap and later worked as a Drill Sergeant in the Army Reserve in South Carolina.

Following his active duty period, Brouillette entered the political arena as the legislative director for U.S. Representative Billy Tauzin of Louisiana, a position he held from 1989 to 1997. In that capacity he was responsible for managing congressional affairs and policy development on behalf of the representative. After leaving Tauzin’s office, he transitioned to the private sector, serving as Senior Vice President of R. Duffy Wall & Associates—a Washington, D.C.–based lobbying firm—from 1997 until 2000.

Brouillette returned to public service in 2001 when he was appointed Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Energy under the administration of President George W. Bush. In that role he coordinated the department’s interactions with Congress and other federal agencies. The following year, from 2003 to 2004, he served as staff director for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce while Tauzin chaired the committee; during this tenure he contributed to legislative work related to energy policy, including provisions incorporated into the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that addressed Department of Energy loan guarantees and the regulation of liquid natural gas imports and exports.

From 2004 to 2006 Brouillette worked in the private sector again, serving as Vice President at Ford Motor Company and participating on the company’s North American Operating Committee. In 2006 he became head of public policy and senior vice president for United Services Automobile Association (USAA), where he oversaw the organization’s engagement with government policy matters.

In addition to his corporate roles, Brouillette served as a member of Louisiana’s State Mineral and Energy Board between 2013 and 2016. His contributions to education were recognized in 2020 when the University of Maryland Global Campus Alumni Association awarded him its Distinguished Alumnus Award. In 2021 he joined the board of advisors for the American Council for Capital Formation, an organization that supports private investment in infrastructure.

Cabinet tenure

On April 3 2017 President Donald Trump announced Brouillette’s nomination as Deputy Secretary of Energy. The United States Senate confirmed his appointment on August 3 2017, and he was sworn into office on August 8 2017. In this capacity he acted as the department’s chief operating officer, overseeing day‑to‑day management and policy implementation.

President Trump announced Brouillette’s nomination for Secretary of Energy on October 18 2019 to replace Rick Perry, who had indicated his intention to resign by year‑end. The nomination was formally sent to the Senate on November 7 2019. After Perry resigned on December 1 2019, Brouillette served as acting secretary while awaiting confirmation. The Senate confirmed him on December 2 2019 with a vote of 70–15; he was sworn in on December 11 2019.

During his tenure as secretary, the department’s deputy leadership saw a transition: Under Secretary Mark Menezes acted as Deputy Secretary until his own confirmation on August 4 2020. In December 2020, amid diplomatic developments related to the Abraham Accords, Brouillette convened a meeting between Israel’s energy minister and counterparts from several Arab nations—a first‑of‑its‑kind gathering aimed at fostering regional cooperation in energy matters.

On January 7 2021, as the administration approached its final days, Brouillette pledged that the transition of the Department of Energy to incoming leadership would be seamless. His service concluded with the change of presidential administrations on January 20 2021.

Legacy

Following his departure from federal office, Brouillette entered the private sector in a senior executive capacity. In July 2021 he was named president of Sempra Infrastructure, assuming responsibilities for the company’s energy infrastructure portfolio beginning in November 2021. While at Sempra, he oversaw the Port Arthur LNG project in Texas and negotiated a heads‑of‑agreement deal involving TotalEnergies, Mitsui, Mitsubishi, and NYK for the Phase 2 expansion of Cameron LNG.

In August 2023, the Edison Electric Institute—an association representing investor‑owned electric utilities—announced Brouillette as its president and chief executive officer elect. He began his term on January 1 2024 but resigned on October 28 2024 after less than ten months in office to focus on global energy issues.

Brouillette’s personal life is rooted in military service and family commitments. He and his wife, Adrienne, are both U.S. Army veterans. Together they have nine children, all of whom were homeschooled; the family resides in Maryland. His background as a tank commander and drill sergeant informs his perspective on discipline and leadership within the energy sector.

Overall, Brouillette’s career spans legislative affairs, corporate public policy, state‑level regulatory work, federal executive management, and post‑government industry leadership. His contributions to energy policy and infrastructure development have been noted across multiple sectors of the American energy landscape.