Washington, DC – Cornerstone Government Affairs announced Tuesday the addition of Dabney Hegg, former Staff Director on the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, to its federal government relations team beginning October 1. Hegg joins Cornerstone with more than 25 years of experience in the Senate specializing in transportation, housing, economic development, homeland security and disaster response and recovery. In addition, as a native of South Carolina, Hegg will continue to expand the firm’s growing reach in the Palmetto State.
“I am beyond excited to join the Cornerstone team, continuing my career’s work in helping communities and companies solve for their transportation, housing and disaster recovery challenges,” Hegg said. “The firm is a premier appropriations group in Washington and I look forward to helping strengthen Cornerstone’s reach both in DC and in South Carolina, a place that is very important to me both personally and professionally.”
In her most recent role as Staff Director on the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Hegg oversaw the budget, management and strategic planning of programs, procurements and grant awards across the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development and six independent agencies. She managed more than $200 billion in annual federal funding to improve the nation’s infrastructure and promote sustainable community development. She also drafted and guided appropriations legislation, transportation components to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and multiple COVID relief bills from inception to enactment, ensuring buy-in from Congress, the Administration and other key bipartisan stakeholders.
Prior to her time on the Appropriations Committee, Hegg served as Senior Professional Staff on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security, where she led the development and successful enactment of legislation related to shipping, the merchant marine, the Coast Guard, surface transportation and supply chain security policy post-9/11. In addition, she conducted oversight of the efficacy of policies and programs managed by key federal agencies such as the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, Transportation Security Administration, Maritime Administration, Federal Railroad Administration and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, to assure they aligned with national security interests, economic goals, and public safety standards.
“We are thrilled to be adding Dabney to our team,” Cornerstone CEO Geoff Gonella said. “She is well-respected on and off the Hill and she will significantly bolster our Senate relationships and appropriations expertise, immediately adding value to our clients in DC and South Carolina.”
Hegg received a dual Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and History from the College of Charleston and her Master of Arts in Public Administration from George Mason University.