Leland Cogliani, J.D.

Energy Practice

Leland Cogliani has over 20 years of experience advancing science and technology priorities for research institutions.  Leland works closely with congressional authorizing and appropriations committees and federal research agencies on behalf of academic institutions, scientific societies, facility management organizations, and energy startups to create new research initiatives and programs, advance science, and energy infrastructure projects, and increase federal research funding.   

As the firm’s Energy Practice lead and Co-Chair of the Energy Sciences Coalition, Leland is a leading voice in the higher education and research advocacy community to advance basic and applied energy research and development programs, especially at the Department of Energy (DOE).  Leland also uses his substantive subject matter expertise in nuclear security and nonproliferation science and technology issues to grow the participation of institutions of higher education in addressing national security challenges.  Leland is currently a board member of the Arms Control Association and is a frequent speaker at science and technology forums. 

Prior to joining Lewis-Burke, Leland was the lead Senate Appropriations Committee staff member, with budget and oversight responsibility for $17 billion in federal programs, including the DOE Office of Science, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), DOE intelligence programs, and DOE national laboratories.  

Issue Expertise: Appropriations and congressional budget process, basic and applied energy research (DOE Office of Science; ARPA-E; renewable, energy efficiency, fossil, carbon management, nuclear, and grid-related research); emerging technology areas, including artificial intelligence, quantum science and technology, microelectronics, advanced computing, and biotechnology; energy infrastructure investments; DOE national laboratories; nuclear security and nonproliferation (National Nuclear Security Administration)  

Additional Experience: Prior to the Senate, Leland was a Senior Analyst in the Natural Resources and Environment Division at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) with oversight responsibilities over U.S. nuclear weapons and nuclear nonproliferation programs.  He authored more than a dozen reports to Congress on science and national security issues, including life extension programs of nuclear warheads, the U.S. fusion program, and the International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear safeguards activities.   

Vital Statistics: Leland earned his Bachelor of Arts in International Studies at Boston College and his Master of Arts in International Affairs at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. He received a Juris Doctor from Catholic University Columbus School of Law.  Leland is a proud father of two daughters and enjoys traveling with his family around the country and the world seeking new adventures.  Leland is a fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo and continues to train twice a week.  Born in Rome, Italy, Leland is a native Italian speaker.