NEW OFFICE LAUNCHES
Our firm is excited to announce the strategic expansion of our Mid-Atlantic presence, now offering unparalleled state and local government relations expertise across Maryland, Delaware and D.C. with the addition of Lauren Vella leading our new Delaware office and Manny Geraldo and Derron Parks focusing on local government in the District of Columbia.
DELAWARE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
LAUREN VELLA
Principal
We are proud to formalize our Delaware office, further strengthening our Mid-Atlantic presence alongside existing capabilities in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Leading the Delaware expansion is Lauren Vella, a seasoned government relations professional with extensive experience in Delaware state government and higher education. With this addition, Cornerstone is poised to enhance our state and local expertise, providing clients with unparalleled service across the region.
Visit our website to learn more about our Delaware office and team members.
Cornerstone is excited to add local expertise and capabilities to our Washington, D.C. office, bolstering our presence in the nation’s capital. Joining Cornerstone’s D.C. office, Manny Geraldo and Derron Parks will focus on supporting clients at the local level, enhancing our ability to navigate the unique challenges and opportunities within the District.
Visit our website to learn more about our District office and team members.
Our firm expanded our Texas presence and capabilities into Dallas with the addition of Matthew Garcia. The launch of our Dallas office, alongside our established presence in Austin and Houston, underscores our commitment to the Texas state and local marketplace.
We are excited to establish our Nevada office this month, with Stephanie Balistere, Jason Frierson and Alisa Nave-Worth enhancing our ability to serve clients with tailored solutions in the Western United States.
DALLAS NEW OFFICE LAUNCHES
MATTHEW GARCIA
Principal
NEVADA
Everything's bigger in Texas – and so is Cornerstone! We're happy to augment our existing Texas team with the addition of Matthew Garcia, launching our Dallas office. Matthew's expertise will be of great value to clients as we continue to expand our work in the state.
Visit our website to learn more about our Dallas office and team members.
Cornerstone proudly launched our Nevada office, solidifying our presence in Carson City and deepening our ability to serve clients in the Silver State. With the addition of Stephanie Balistere, Jason Frierson and Alisa Nave-Worth, our team brings expertise in Nevada’s legislative and regulatory landscape, strong relationships with policymakers and a proven track record of serving clients across industries.
Visit our website to learn more about our Nevada office and team members.
STEPHANIE BALISTERE
JASON FRIERSON Senior Associate
NATIONAL BLACK CAUCUS OF STATE LEGISLATORS
48TH ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE
Cornerstone Reception
In December, Cornerstone hosted a reception in honor of this year’s National Black Caucus of State Legislators’ (NBCSL) 48th Annual Legislative Conference. The annual conference brings policymakers, corporate executives, advocates and community leaders together to discuss relevant policy issues. Cornerstone team members from our D C and state offices convened in the nation’s capital to participate in the conference and related events.
In celebration of the conference, our firm hosted a reception for nearly 200 guests at our headquarters in D.C. We had approximately 50 legislators and other elected officials from various states and D.C. attend our reception, including state senators, state representatives/delegates and local government representatives from the following jurisdictions:
District of Columbia
Maryland
Mississippi
Tennessee
Texas
Pennsylvania
Massachusetts
Thank you to all of our wonderful sponsors and to everyone who joined us as we celebrated the great work of the NBCSL!
IN THE PRESS
Hyma Moore joined Maura Gillespie on “America Decides” to give an analysis of the race to pick a new Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair. Before joining Cornerstone, Hyma serviced as the Director to DNC Chair Jaime Harrison.
In this interview with Drilling Contractor from the 2024 International Association of Drilling Contractors Annual General Meeting in San Antonio on November 14th, Tyler Nelson discussed how several proposed policies - including tax reform and permitting reform for accessing public lands - will affect the oil and gas industry
Anthony Lazarski contributed to an episode of the Mitchell Institute’s Aerospace Advantage podcast, where he discussed reactions on the Hill to President Trump’s cabinet nominees, defense plans and DOGE implications.
Jack Belcher authored an article in Hart Energy focused on the growing U S energy demand, driven by AI, data centers, manufacturing and clean energy projects, highlighting the shortage of skilled workers to support the energy transition and economic growth.
As the political and media landscape evolves, our public affairs team at Cornerstone shared strategies for navigating the challenges and opportunities of a second Trump administration. From embracing a digital-first approach to prioritizing transparency, their feature discusses how organizations can pivot their engagement strategies to thrive in a rapidly evolving political and media landscape.
CLIENT SPOTLIGHT
FOOTWEAR DISTRIBUTORS RETAILERS OF AMERICA
Cornerstone's Public Affairs & Strategic Communications team efforts have successfully elevated the brand and policy reach of the largest footwear association in the United States, Footwear Distributors Retailers of America (FDRA). Cornerstone built a targeted media list to reengage and educate the press on tariffs, understanding that this would be a prevailing issue for the 2024 election while in tandem crafting nearly a dozen high-impact statements aligning with pivotal moments in current events, Biden Administration announcements and rhetoric from both presidential campaigns. The public affairs team's media relations efforts secured over 50 placements in top-tier outlets, including The New York Times, Axios, Reuters, CNBC and Footwear News. Additionally, FDRA's President & CEO Matt Priest was featured on CNN, FOX News, CNN International, Cheddar TV and over 100 Gray TV stations throughout the country. This work reflects the power of strategic public affairs in shaping industry narratives and driving meaningful dialogue.
CYBER INNOVATION CENTER
We are thrilled to celebrate the Cyber Innovation Center (CIC) on their new education partnership agreement with the National Security Agency! Since partnering with CIC in March 2024, Cornerstone has been proud to support their mission by increasing visibility on Capitol Hill, advising on defense appropriations strategy and facilitating connections with key stakeholders. CIC’s impactful work in cyber training for K-12, higher education and HBCUs is truly inspiring, and we’re excited to see their reach and influence continue to grow.
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Cornerstone is proud to support our client the National Hockey League (NHL) and the NHL Foundation for the amazing work they are doing in partnership with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. Cornerstone’s Chris Hodgson and Keith Stern will join Commissioner Gary Bettman and the Stanley Cup to attend the Four Nations Face-Off in Boston this February - a new replacement for the traditional NHL All-Star Game - and will also attend a reception and a sled-hockey game with partially paralyzed players to raise funds for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injuries by advancing innovating research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis.
EVENTS & ENGAGEMENTS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS LUNCH
In October, our Louisiana team, in coordination with clients Susan G. Komen and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, sponsored a Breast Cancer Awareness lunch for members of the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget to showcase Mary Bird’s mobile mammography unit and its ability to bring cancer prevention services and care to 36 underserved parishes across the state.
ELECTION ANALYSIS: MEDICAID
Cornerstone federal government relations Principal Carlos Jackson joined Ryan Long to discuss the 2024 presidential and congressional elections’ impact on Medicaid at the Association of American Medical Colleges Annual Learn Serve Lead meeting in Atlanta.
Cornerstone colleagues David Planning and Hyma Moore provided a 2024 Election Outlook to our client National Limousine Association (NLA) and their members at their Annual Conference.
KATE BOWER BOOK LAUNCH
Cornerstone hosted New York Times bestselling author Kate Bower’s book launch party for her new book “The Hill: Inside the Secret World of the U.S. Capitol.” The book, targeted at children ages 8-14, tells the stories of the many historic events and people who make up the heart and soul of Congress. The event was moderated by CNN’s Pamela Brown.
CORNERSTONE ACCOLADES
CORNERSTONE ACCOLADES
THE HILL’S 2024 TOP LOBBYISTS THE HILL’S 2024 TOP LOBBYISTS
Chris Hodgson, Carlos Jackson, Dao Nguyen, David Planning and John Sandell were selected by The Hill’s Top Lobbyists list for 2024. This prestigious recognition highlights their outstanding work in shaping policy, advancing client priorities and navigating complex legislative landscapes The list celebrates individuals who have demonstrated exceptional influence and expertise in government relations and the impact they have had as trusted advisors to our clients.
WILL SMITH WILL SMITH
PRINCIPAL & DIRECTOR | WASHINGTON, D C
Will Smith was selected by the National Institute of Lobbying & Ethics (NILE) as a 2024 Top Lobbyist. This list spotlights professionals that saw significant legislative success, have been innovative in their field, are held in high regard by their clients and give back to their community through charity or pro bono work Several of our clients were also recognized on the list. We are proud to work alongside many of the industry’s top professionals who were selected for this prestigious honor.
NIAL PATEL NIAL PATEL
PRINCIPAL & DIRECTOR | BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
Nial Patel was selected to Mayor-President elect Sid Edwards’ Win EBR Transition Team, a 26-member group tasked with advising on policy and staffing decisions before he takes office as East Baton Rouge Parish’s 20th Mayor-President. The team is a collection of strong, talented local leaders who will play a pivotal role in laying the groundwork for his administration
MARC GOLDBERG
MARC GOLDBERG
PRINCIPAL | CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Marc Goldberg was named to the New Hampshire Business Review 2025 New Hampshire 200 list, which recognizes leaders who have impacted New Hampshire’s economy, business climate and the state as a whole Named to the list are an extraordinary cohort of leaders who are spearheading progress in their respective industries within the Granite State, and who have demonstrated ingenuity and motivation across diverse industries.
STACY RICH STACY RICH
PRINCIPAL & DIRECTOR | WASHINGTON, D C
Stacy Rich was selected to join GlobalWIN’s Board of Directors beginning January 1, 2025 for a three year term GlobalWIN is a bipartisan 501(c)(3) organization that provides a dynamic forum for women who are passionate about innovation As a member of the Board, Stacy will continue to foster relationships and develop new ties with the next generation of women leaders.
OCTOBER 19, 2024
Congratulations to Brent Greenfield and his wife Tessa who celebrated nuptials on October 19th in Houston, Texas!
DECEMBER 13, 2024
NOVEMBER 8, 2O24
Congratulations to Mike Padgett and his wife Carolina who celebrated nuptials on November 8th in Middleburg, Virginia!
DECEMBER 25, 2024
Congratulations to Michael Altes and his fiancé Mariah on their engagement on December 13th!
JANUARY 4, 2025
Congratulations to Courtney Cano and her fiance Andrew on their engagement on December 25th!
Congratulations to Craig Holzheauser and his wife Paige who celebrated nuptials on January 4 in New Orleans, Louisiana!
NEW TEAM MEMBERS
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Meredith Brown OpsWatch Associate (DC)
Kevin Cheng Associate (DC)
Lauren Ed Senio Associate
Lily Kalandjian Associate (DC)
Sarah Romesco Associate (DC)
STATE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
Stephanie Balistere Senior Associate (NV)
Jason Frierson Principal & Counsel (NV)
Alisa Nave-Worth Principal & Counsel (NV)
Shalamar Pa Senior Associate (
NEW TEAM MEMBERS
PUBLIC AFFAIRS & STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Ashley Cain Vice President (LA)
OPERATIONS
Madeline Van Aken Compliance Manager (DC)
