July 14, 2026 (FRANKFORT, KY) — Cornerstone Government Affairs, a bipartisan, employee-owned consulting firm, announced today the expansion of its Kentucky office with the addition of Shelby Somervell as Principal. Somervell, who starts on July 20, has dedicated over a decade of her career to serving Kentucky through public policy and economic development.
Somervell most recently served as Chief External Affairs Officer for One Louisville. In this role, she led the organization’s policy and advocacy strategy, managed government relations efforts at the local, state and federal levels and oversaw member engagement.
“I’m excited to join the Cornerstone team and continue working with clients and leaders across Kentucky,” Somervell said. “Throughout my career, I’ve been passionate about bringing people together to advance sound public policy and strengthen our economy. Cornerstone’s collaborative approach and reputation for delivering results make it a great fit, and I look forward to helping clients navigate complex challenges and achieve their goals.”
Somervell’s addition enhances Cornerstone’s growing Kentucky team, which combines policy expertise, strategic communications capabilities and trusted relationships to advance the unique goals of clients across the state. Since opening Cornerstone’s Frankfort office in 2022, the firm has built one of the state’s most experienced, bipartisan government relations teams, delivering results on issues ranging from economic development and healthcare to tax policy, workforce development and regulatory matters.
Cornerstone’s Kentucky team includes (alphabetically) Sarah Bowling, Katelyn Bunning, Corey Elder, Justin Jeter, Will Smith and Ethan Witt. Together, they bring decades of experience working with government leaders, political campaigns, the private sector and nonprofit organizations.
Somervell previously spent five years with Greater Louisville Inc., the Metro Chamber of Commerce, serving as Senior Vice President of Government Affairs & External Relations. She also served as Government Affairs Director for the Kentucky Society of CPAs and held several positions in the U.S. House of Representatives, including Director of Economic Development and Constituent Services Representative.
Somervell’s leadership and impact have been recognized through numerous honors, including Louisville Business First’s 40 Under 40, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ 40 Under 40, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives’ Staff Member of the Year and Kentucky Gazette’s Notable Women in Kentucky Politics and Government.
Campbell Kaufman, Cornerstone President, noted that Somervell’s expertise and depth of relationships within the public and private sector will be a great benefit to Cornerstone’s clients in Kentucky and beyond.
“Shelby has an outstanding record of uniting business, government and community leaders to solve complex issues across the state,” Kaufman said. “Her expertise, relationships and strategic perspective on Kentucky’s leading industries will strengthen Cornerstone’s ability to help our clients achieve their goals in Frankfort and beyond.”
Learn more about Cornerstone’s capabilities in Kentucky here: https://cgagroup.com/offices/kentucky-government-affairs/