Sierra Cato, J.D.

Sierra Cato is a Principal in the Energy Policy Practice at Lewis-Burke Associates LLC. As a trusted advisor, Sierra helps clients advance legislative priorities in Congress, protect their interests, secure federal funding, navigate challenges in the political landscape, and raise their profile in Washington. Prior to joining Lewis-Burke Associates LLC, Sierra served in leadership appointments at the U.S. Department of Energy, including Acting Staff Secretary to Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette where she led cross-agency coordination and preparation of the Secretary’s briefing materials for both domestic and international engagements.  Sierra also served as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Executive Secretariat where she oversaw the Department’s response to high level communications and policy actions from the White House related to energy policy and national security and spearheaded legislative reform efforts across DOE. Lastly, in her capacity as Senior Advisor on Minority Education, Sierra was the DOE liaison for White House initiatives advancing STEM equity and educational excellence for all minority-serving institutions and HBCUs.

Sierra received a Secretary’s Appreciation Award from Secretary of Energy Rick Perry for exceeding expectations in the strategy and creation of the Department of Energy Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office in September 2019.

Issue Expertise: Energy Sciences, Physical Sciences, Applied Energy, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Fossil Energy, Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation, Nuclear Energy, DOE National Laboratories, Transportation, Appropriations, Artificial Intelligence, Technology Transitions, Grid Resilience and Modernization, Cybersecurity, Workforce Development and STEM

Additional Experience: During her career, Sierra gained sound knowledge of the inner workings of Congress while serving in various positions in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, including serving as a law clerk for Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, as well as a Legislative Staff Assistant and Intern for former Senator David Vitter and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, respectively.

During her time in the Senate, Sierra was Co-Chair of the Community Service Committee for the Senate Black Legislative Staff Caucus. In addition to a strong appreciation for service, Sierra values the importance of building strong relationships and working in a bipartisan manner.

Vital Statistics: Sierra earned her Bachelor of Science in Applied Sociology at North Carolina State University. She received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Sierra was born and raised in Whiteville, North Carolina. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time outdoors.