Oklahoma City – Cornerstone, a leading bipartisan government relations and public affairs firm with federal and state reach, announced Wednesday the addition of Zachary (Zack) Lee as a principal in the firm’s Oklahoma office. Lee brings to the firm years of experience in advocacy and strong relationships with Oklahoma policymakers and stakeholders that will benefit clients in developing and executing complex policy initiatives.
“I am honored to join a great team of highly regarded professionals at Cornerstone,” Lee said. “I am excited to utilize my experience in the Governor’s office and previous government relations work to contribute to Cornerstone’s successful and growing track record in Oklahoma and across the country.”
Lee comes to Cornerstone from the Office of Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) where he most recently served as interim chief of staff. Prior to that role, he served as deputy chief of staff, where he led the development and implementation of the Governor’s policy initiatives, working with cabinet secretaries, legislators and outside stakeholders on efforts in the healthcare, education, energy and other sectors. Additionally, he served on the CARES FORWARD team responsible for leveraging roughly $1.2 billion in federal CARES Act funds strategically across the state throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Zack is a true Oklahoman who has been a key part of the team and helped move the needle in our state over these past three legislative sessions. I am thankful for his leadership, loyalty and steadfast commitment to serving our state and wish him nothing but the best,” Governor Stitt said.
Before his work in the Governor’s office, Lee served as vice president of government and legal affairs for the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma. In this role, he acted as the point person for the state legislature, regulatory bodies and outside trade groups, developing legislative, regulatory and legal policies and strategies in a collaborative committee process with trade group member companies. He also worked as a lobbyist for FKG Consulting, which at the time was the largest firm in Oklahoma City.
“Zack is an accomplished professional with experience inside and out of government, and we are lucky to have him,” said Campbell Kaufman, Cornerstone’s managing director. “He is close to our existing team in the state, and I know he will be able to help us continue to grow our presence in the market and assist our clients who are engaging with the state.”
In Oklahoma, Lee joins Brian Hackler, Mark Yates and Charlie Hannema, who have been building the firm’s presence in the state since the office launched in 2020.