Economic Policy Expert Will Join as a Principal in Late October
October 15, 2025 – Cornerstone Government Affairs, a bipartisan, employee-owned government affairs firm, is pleased today to announce Republican strategist and economic policy expert Stephen Sandora will be joining the firm as a Principal. Sandora brings over a decade of experience working with GOP leadership to advance and implement key policies impacting the financial sector, including President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and the GENIUS Act.
“It’s people that drive policy, and no team does it better than Cornerstone,” Sandora shared. “I am thrilled to join the ranks and support their incredibly effective bipartisan advocacy work and strategic counsel.”
Sandora, who starts on October 20th, most recently served as the Senior Counselor to the Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In this role, he led policy coordination at the Department to support efforts including OBBBA, the GENIUS Act, financial institutions policy and regulation, sanction actions and international affairs. Additionally, he supervised all Treasury operations under the Deputy Secretary’s purview, including the offices of Domestic Finance, International Affairs, Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Tax Policy, Legislative Affairs, Public Affairs and the Department’s many bureaus.
Former Treasury Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender stated, “His influence is on every success story coming out of the Treasury, from actions providing bank regulatory relief, to financial system modernization through technology and the negotiation and implementation of the OBBBA. He is highly respected by both appointees and career staff, Capitol Hill and stakeholders and deservedly so. He will be an invaluable resource for those he works with.”
Acting Treasury Deputy Secretary Derek Theurer shared, “Stephen is someone whose counsel, policy knowledge and friendship I value immensely. He’s a trusted advisor and confidant to myself and many others across government.”
Before his time at Treasury, Sandora served as Director of Government Affairs for Mastercard, where he led the advancement of the company’s agenda with key federal policymakers, operated as an internal strategic advisor, and oversaw Mastercard’s relationship with Congress, the Administration, trade associations, and key stakeholders.
Prior, he was the lead financial institutions policy Professional Staff Member for then Ranking Member Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) on the House Committee on Financial Services. He operated as one of the key advisers to the committee during the CARES Act negotiations and creation of the Paycheck Protection Program.
Sandora previously served in the first Trump Administration as a Special Advisor in the Office of Economic Policy at the United States Department of the Treasury and was the Economic Policy Legislative Assistant for Sen. Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV).
Cornerstone’s Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Gonella, emphasized the role Sandora will play as the firm continues to expand its offerings to clients navigating new legislation and evolving policy positions, particularly in financial services.
“I’m pleased to welcome Stephen to Cornerstone this month,” Gonella said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge in economic policy and financial services, as well as deep, bipartisan relationships which will be a boon to our clients in Washington and beyond.”
Sandora received his Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business and his Bachelor of Arts in History from the Catholic University of America.
To learn more about Cornerstone, please visit: cgagroup.com
About Cornerstone
Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc. is a bipartisan, employee-owned public affairs firm with more than 200 professionals in offices across the country. Through its federal and state government relations; strategic communications; political action committees; grant consulting and business 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. For more information, please visit Cornerstone’s website at www.cgagroup.com.
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