WASHINGTON – Cornerstone Government Affairs, a leading bipartisan government relations, public affairs and consulting firm, announced Thursday the launch of new state offices and personnel in Delaware and the District of Columbia (local), expanding the firm’s existing Mid-Atlantic presence and adding to its Annapolis, Maryland capabilities.
“Adding Lauren, Derron and Manny to the team helps us expand the work we’re already doing locally in DC, as well as in Delaware,” firm President Campbell Kaufman said. “Their experience and relationships are outstanding, and we are excited to have them join us.”
Lauren Vella, who will lead the opening of the Delaware office, joins the firm on January 1. Vella comes to Cornerstone from the University of Delaware (UD), where she serves as Chief of Staff to the President of the University, Dennis Assanis. Vella is a key advisor at the state’s flagship university which is an R1 research institution with 23,600 students, nearly 5,000 employees and a $1.2 billion annual operating budget. She played a key role in UD’s government relations and incident response teams. She also facilitated cross-departmental initiatives, advancing operational efficiency and risk mitigation.
Before her tenure at UD, Vella held key roles in the Delaware state government. Most recently, she served as Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House, where she managed the staff of the Majority Caucus and oversaw the operations of the Delaware House of Representatives. She was the chief advisor to House Leadership, shaping and executing policy strategies, and working closely with a broad network of stakeholders, including elected officials, nonprofits, trade associations and advocacy organizations. Vella served Attorney General Kathy Jennings as Policy & Legislative Director for the Delaware Department of Justice during Jennings’ first term where she specialized in criminal justice reform, support for victims of crime and gun safety legislation. Vella holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania and an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Delaware.
“I’m thrilled to join the incredible team at Cornerstone and grow their impact in Delaware,” Vella said. “I’m looking forward to leveraging my knowledge and experience to continue the success of our clients in the First State.”
Manny Geraldo and Derron Parks, who join the firm in December, will expand capabilities at the local level in the District of Columbia and within the state of Maryland. As former Manager, Government Relations & Public Policy at Washington Gas, Geraldo possesses extensive experience advocating before state and local governments in the District of Columbia. In this role, he developed and executed an annual public policy strategy and public affairs agenda for state and local legislative initiatives and supporting advocacy strategies. He also served as the Assistant General Counsel to the Department of Energy and Environment in DC, providing legal advice on energy and environment matters. Previously, Geraldo acted as Legislative Director & Committee on Government Operations Director to Councilmember Brandon Todd as well as Legislative Director & Counsel & Director of Communications to Councilmember Vincent B. Orange. Geraldo will also help service clients in the Maryland region.
“I am excited to join the dynamic team at Cornerstone. I believe my expertise and skillset will complement Cornerstone’s existing capabilities and I look forward to working with such a talented group of people at Cornerstone,” Geraldo said.
Adding to the District of Columbia team, Parks will join Cornerstone in December after serving as Chief of Staff to the Council of the District of Columbia, where he managed all political, legislative and operational matters for Councilmember Chair Pro Tempore Kenyan McDuffie and served as the senior liaison to the federal government. Previously, Parks worked as Head of Government and Industry Affairs for Rad Power Bikes, leading government outreach in North American and Europe while also providing strategic council on legislative, regulatory and political matters impacting transportation, trade, labor and the environment. Parks also served as a Public Policy Manager at Meta, leading global public policy strategy to pave a regulatory path for emerging immersive technologies; Senior Strategist at Federal Street Strategies, advising Fortune 500 companies, small corporations and national nonprofits on regulatory and legislative issues related to health care, technology, financial services, transportation and privacy policy; and Senior Manager & Counsel at Samsung, leading the government relations strategy for Democratic outreach.
“I look forward to joining a firm that is truly dedicated to a team-based approach to client service,” Parks said. “The regional, national and federal reach of the firm will greatly benefit clients with issues before the District of Columbia government.”