Dwayne Bolton, Principal

Dwayne S. Bolton is a Principal at theGROUP, where he navigates complex regulatory and legislative environments for major trade associations, policy stakeholders, and corporations.

Prior to joining theGROUP, Bolton served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In that role, he shepherded legislative, budgetary, and regulatory priorities for both Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette. Bolton’s accomplishments at the DOE include setting up an Artificial Intelligence Office, hardening DOE’s cyber security capabilities for the electric grid and oil and gas pipelines, engaging in DOE/interagency work on a range of national security matters, promoting nuclear power, modernizing the nation’s nuclear stockpile, and driving America’s energy renaissance.

Also, at the U.S. Department of Energy, Bolton held roles as Deputy Assistant Secretary for House Affairs, Senior Advisor in the Office of Environmental Management, and Senior Advisor in the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity. 

Before working in government, Bolton served as Principal Advisor for Los Angeles, CA-based Edison International, one of the nation’s largest electric utilities. In this role, he provided strategic political and policy advice to Edison International’s executives and business units. Bolton previously worked as Manager of Global Government and Corporate Affairs at manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. In that role, he worked on a number of domestic and global issues pertaining to market access, energy, surface transportation, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and trade agreements.

Bolton also worked for the Association of American Railroads (AAR). At AAR, he worked on an array of issues, including agriculture, energy, balanced regulation, tax, and cyber security, while tapping into numerous stakeholder groups to advance transportation policy. Bolton started his career on Capitol Hill as a senior aide in the Office of U.S. Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL), where he was responsible for providing political and policy advice for the congressman’s agriculture policy.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Bolton grew up in Bloomfield, CT, earning a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Central Connecticut State University. He also holds a master’s degree in Transportation Policy from George Mason University and an MBA from Strayer University. Bolton has resided in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area for more than 20 years.