Brian Prenda joined the firm as Vice-President, increasing VSA's expertise in energy-related issues. Prenda brings 25 years of public, government relations, and lobbying experience to Van Scoyoc Associates. Prenda's strong and diverse legal background in legislative and regulatory procedures concerning our nation's energy supply represents an important expansion of VSA's client services. Prenda joins VSA after serving as Director for Federal Government Relations at Duke Energy Corporation, one of the largest U.S. energy corporations. His industry roles included leadership in the federal passage of comprehensive pipeline safety legislation, as well as serving as Chairman of the Legislative Affairs Committee of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America and Vice-President of the Natural Gas Roundtable of Washington D.C. In addition to Duke Energy, Prenda has had extensive experience with a number of major energy companies and important energy projects: PanEnergy Corporation, Texas Eastern Corporation, Algonquin Gas Transmission Company, and the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC project. His legislative and regulatory experience covers both federal and state agencies. Prenda also brings strong, technical experience in developing public relations and environmental strategies for utility project reviews. His success in routing utility corridors through environmentally sensitive geographic areas ranges from the Canadian provinces to Cape Cod, Maine and New Hampshire, to Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida. In each case, energy supply issues were addressed while maintaining the region's environmental integrity. While in private law practice, Prenda served as legal counsel to The Pocasset Wampanoag Native American Tribe of Fall River, and represented them in Massachusetts land claim disputes. Prenda was also involved in working with Las Vegas casino gaming corporations pursuing gaming ventures in Massachusetts. Prenda earned his Bachelor of Arts at Walsh University in Ohio, a Masters in Public Administration from Suffolk University and his juris doctorate degree at Southern New England School of Law in Massachusetts. He is a member of both the Massachusetts and Federal Bars.