JP Homik, Garrett Johnson and Kevin Crawford Strengthen Cornerstone’s Footprint Across the Country
NASHVILLE, TN — July 21, 2026 — Cornerstone Government Affairs, an employee-owned, bipartisan government relations, public affairs, and consulting firm, announced today the opening of a Nashville, Tennessee office, its 16th state expansion. Cornerstone’s Tennessee office will be led by local government relations veterans JP Homik, Garrett Johnson, and Kevin Crawford, who join the firm as Principals.
“Tennessee is shaping major policy conversations at the state and federal level, making Nashville a natural next step for Cornerstone,” Cornerstone’s President Campbell Kaufman said. “JP, Garrett and Kevin bring decades of experience and vast local networks which will directly benefit Cornerstone clients working to advance legislative priorities in Tennessee.”
Homik, Johnson and Crawford bring a combined 45 years of experience in public and private sectors, having served both under Governor Bill Haslam and as private sector consultants.
Homik comes to Cornerstone after serving as an Associate at McMahan Winstead and Richardson. He previously worked at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he provided government relations services for the hospital. In his role at Vanderbilt, Homik expanded telehealth services, broadened scope of practice issues and increased funding for graduate medical education.
Homik previously served in the Office of Governor Bill Haslam, as a Legislative Liaison to Capitol Hill. He also served as Legislative Director for the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Homik is a veteran of the Army’s 101st Airborne Division, where he completed two combat tours during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After transitioning out of the Army, he served as a Metropolitan Nashville Police Officer while pursuing his degree through Lipscomb University.
“I look forward to furthering my relationships and experience across the state of Tennessee and am thankful to be a part of a company, such as Cornerstone,” said Homik.
Johnson joins Cornerstone after four years at Johnson Capitol Solutions. He previously served as a Consultant at The Ingram Group, where he provided strategic counsel and government relations expertise to clients at both the state and local level.
Johnson served in the Office of Gov. Haslam as Deputy Director for Legislation, where he managed a network of agency and department liaisons. Johnson began his legislative career as a Policy and Research Analyst for former House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick, forging deep and long-lasting relationships with legislators and legislative staff. He has also held roles within the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce, as well as the Tennessee Attorney General’s office.
“Cornerstone’s reputation speaks for itself, and I’m really excited for the opportunity to start something new here,” Johnson said. “Helping stand up their Tennessee presence with JP and Kevin, and doing it right from day one, means a lot to me.”
Crawford joins Cornerstone after serving as Vice President of Government Affairs at UnitedHealth Group. In this role, he managed relationships with governors, legislators, agencies and regulators across Tennessee and Kentucky. Additionally, Crawford oversaw the company’s engagement with health plan associations, provider organizations and advocacy coalitions to shape Tennessee’s healthcare and Medicaid programs. His policy portfolio included Medicaid managed care, pharmacy care services, prior authorization reform and expanding access to high-quality, affordable healthcare.
Crawford previously served as Legislative Director for the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration. In this role, he advised the Governor, Commissioner and senior leadership on legislative and political strategy, as well as the passage of the $37.5 billion state budget, which included healthcare and insurance funding. Crawford also spent four years in the Office of Gov. Haslam, serving in several legislative liaison roles.
“Tennessee continues to be a leader in economic growth, innovation and public policy, making it an exciting time to join Cornerstone as we establish our presence in Nashville,” Crawford said. “Having spent much of my career working alongside state leaders, legislators and stakeholders, I’m honored to continue serving this state in a new capacity. I look forward to partnering with JP and Garrett to help clients navigate Tennessee’s policy landscape and achieve their policy and business objectives.”
In addition to government relations, Cornerstone will offer public relations and strategic communications, business advisory and consulting services to organizations across Tennessee.
For more information about Cornerstone’s capabilities in Nashville and beyond, visit www.cgagroup.com.
About Cornerstone
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc. is a bipartisan, employee-owned, public affairs firm with more than 200 professionals with offices in 16 states and Washington, DC. Through its federal and state government relations; strategic communications; political action committees; grant consulting and advisory services, Cornerstone represents a diverse group of clients from myriad industries and sectors and maintains expertise in a wide range of issue areas, including agriculture, cyber security, defense, education, energy, health, homeland security, international affairs, tax policy, telecommunications and transportation and infrastructure.
Media Contact
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