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George Bernier

Director, Govt. Relations

George Bernier joined VSA as a Director, Government Relations, after more than four years at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.  There, Mr. Bernier served in the Office of Congressional, Intergovernmental, and Public Affairs, and specialized in issues within the Office of Defense Programs, Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, and the Office of Defense Nuclear Security. 

Prior to his Executive Branch service, Mr. Bernier spent 13 years on Capitol Hill as a Senior Legislative Assistant to U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, specializing in the policy areas of defense, intelligence, veterans’ affairs, and trade policy.  While with Sen. Santorum, Mr. Bernier was the Senator’s Military Legislative Assistant, his representative to the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and he participated in seven National Defense Authorization Act committee markups.  Mr. Bernier also handled Sen. Santorum’s trade portfolio on the Senate Committee on Finance.

Before coming to VSA, Mr. Bernier was Assistant to the Distinguished Visiting Professor from the NNSA at the National Defense University’s College of International Security Affairs.

After receiving his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Classical Civilization from Denison University, Mr. Bernier went on to the University of Pittsburgh where he earned his Master’s Degree in Public and International Affairs.