More than 30 years of lobbying expertise in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia
Advises trade associations and corporate clients on business-specific strategies to address legislative challenges and public opinion
Serves as the executive officer for the MD-DE-DC Beverage Association and the Mid-Atlantic Petroleum Distributors Association
Ellen Valentino joined Cornerstone's Maryland team in December 2019. She brings to Cornerstone more than 30 years of lobbying expertise in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. Ellen represents diverse business interests from small businesses to the energy sector to beverage companies. She focuses her work on protecting client interests through practical policy change, coalition-building, issue positioning and political strategy.
Prior to joining Cornerstone, Ellen founded and operated her own legislative and association management consulting firm, Valentino-Benitez & Associates (VBA, Inc.), for more than 28 years. As president of the firm, Ellen advocated for clients and built trusted relationships and coalitions to represent their interests in matters before the District of Columbia City Council, the Maryland and Delaware legislatures, and local governments.
In addition to representing various clients, Ellen currently serves as the executive vice president for the Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia Beverage Association and the Mid-Atlantic Petroleum Distributors Association.
Ellen began her professional career as an executive in grassroots lobbying management with the Greater Washington/Maryland Service Station and the Automotive Repair Association. In 1991, she established her own legislative and association management consulting firm.
A life-long Maryland resident, Ellen is a graduate of Catholic University. She is married to Robert Benitez and they have two daughters.
20 years of legislative and policy work at the federal, state and local levels
Previously served as director of government affairs for Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh
Spent seven years working as director of conservation programs and a governmental affairs representative for Ducks Unlimited
Worked for former Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich for six years on Capitol Hill and in Annapolis
1) American Petroleum Institute
2) Amgen, Inc.
3) AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP
4) Baltimore County Public Library Board of Trustees
5) Biotechnology Innovation Organization
6) Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc.
8) Equifax Inc.
Bernie Marczyk joined Cornerstone's Annapolis office in December 2018. Most recently, Bernie served as the director of government affairs for Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh. In this role, he worked closely with the County Council and Maryland General Assembly to advance legislative initiatives and implement public policies for the County.
Prior to working for the County Executive, Bernie worked for Ducks Unlimited for seven years as a federal and state lobbyist and thenin managing the organization's conservation delivery in the Atlantic Region (Maryland to Maine). In this role he was responsible partnering with federal, state, and non-profit organizations on land acquisition and wetland restoration projects on private lands or public lands such as Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.
Bernie began his professional career working for then-Congressman Bob Ehrlich first as a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill and then as a policy advisor for Governor Ehrlich in Annapolis where he oversaw the legislative and policy efforts of the Departments of Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources, Planning, and Transportation. Bernie also worked on multiple statewide and local elections in Maryland.
A graduate of Princeton University, Bernie and his wife Keely live on Maryland's Eastern Shore with their nine-year-old daughter Leah, seven-year-old twins Claire and Tommy, and three-year-old daughter Stella. Bernie is an active volunteer at St. Christopher's Catholic Church and as a basketball, soccer, and softball coach.
443-416-4684
2 Francis Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401,
410-204-1707
2 Francis Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401,
2) Amgen, Inc.
3) AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP
4) Baltimore County Public Library Board of Trustees
5) Biotechnology Innovation Organization
6) Brandywine IL-AL Investors, LLC
9) Clark Construction Group, LLC
11) Equifax Inc.
12) Equinor Wind US
13) Historic St. Mary's City Commission Foundation
14) Johns Hopkins
18) Lincoln Technical Institute, Inc.
19) Maryland Center for History & Culture
20) Maryland Hospital Association
21) National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
22) Nutanix
24) Prince George's County, Maryland
27) St. Mary's College of Maryland Foundation
28) Susan G. Komen
29) Teach Coalition
410-935-1470
2 Francis Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401,
2) American Petroleum Institute
3) Amgen, Inc.
4) AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP
5) Baltimore County Public Library Board of Trustees
7) Biotechnology Innovation Organization
8) Brandywine IL-AL Investors, LLC
9) Capital One
12) Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc.
13) City of Bowie
14) Clark Construction Group, LLC
15) Comcast Cable Communications LLC
18) Elevance Health, and its Affiliates
19) Equifax Inc.
20) Equinor Wind US
21) Fenwick Behavioral Services
22) Francis Energy
23) Historic St. Mary's City Commission Foundation
24) Johns Hopkins
25) Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc.
30) Manufacturers' Alliance of Maryland (MAM)
31) Maryland Center for History & Culture
32) Maryland Hospital Association
33) Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission
34) Maryland National Electrical Contractors Association
35) Maryland Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association
36) Maryland Troopers Association
37) Maryland-Delaware-DC Beverage Association
38) Mechanical Contractors Association of Maryland, Inc.
40) National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
41) Nutanix
45) Prince George's County, Maryland
49) St. Mary's College of Maryland Foundation
50) Strittmatter Companies, Inc.
51) Susan G. Komen
52) Teach Coalition
53) TechNet
54) Thread, Inc.
