Cornerstone Defense LLC is a Small Business servicing the Intelligence, Defense, and Space communities of the U.S. Government. Cornerstone Defense specializes in cloud architecture, enterprise engineering, systems and network engineering, systems and network security, and application and software development. We use these foundational technology areas to deliver solutions for data analytics, cyber, and space/mission operations, customized to meet mission requirements. We are headquartered in Herndon, VA, with employees working across the U.S including DC, MD, CO, UT, NM, HI, and CA. At Cornerstone Defense, you’ll find a partner that values strong relationships, excellence, and teamwork. Our team is a network of professionals who are dedicated to providing agile, secure, and efficient solutions to support mission success. With Cornerstone Defense, you’re not just choosing a service provider, but a committed, steadfast team with a culture designed to excel.
Vision & Mission
Mission
To foster an inclusive culture that emphasizes teamwork, excellence, and strong relationships. By maintaining low overhead we are able to operate a flat organization, improving employee satisfaction and retention, while providing unparalleled support to our clients, thus helping them thrive in their mission spaces.
Vision
Empowering our clients and advancing their missions by connecting them with emerging technologies and highly-skilled personnel tailored to the customer’s unique needs, while providing our employees with a diverse array of opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Meet The Team
Reilly Leonard
Chief Operating Officer
Reilly Leonard
Chief Operating Officer
Patrick Palmer
Chief Executive Officer
Patrick Palmer
Chief Executive Officer
Brian Sammons
Chief Financial Officer
Brian Sammons
Chief Financial Officer
Darcelle Wilson
VP of Human Resources
Darcelle Wilson
VP of Human Resources
Brandon Altmann
Chief Growth Officer
Brandon Altmann
Chief Growth Officer
Michelle Allen
Director of Systems and Security, FSO
Michelle Allen
Director of Systems and Security, FSO
Virginia Blair
Director of Marketing & Operations
Virginia Blair
Director of Marketing & Operations
Kaitlin Krywy
Managing Director, Aerospace & Defense
Kaitlin Krywy
Managing Director, Aerospace & Defense
WHERE CAN WE HELP?
To find out more information on where we can help you, services we provide,
joining or partnering with our team, please select one of the links below!
WHAT WE DO
We bring together a unique blend of cutting-edge capabilities, specialized expertise, and a remarkable company culture that focuses on the recruitment and retention of highly-sought-after employees.
If you were looking for a sign — this was it! 😂 🚀 WE’RE HIRING: Industry Engagement Officer (Cyber) 🚀 Looking to drive cyber capability development at the highest levels of national security? We are hiring an Industry Engagement Officer to bridge the gap between commercial tech innovation and defense priorities.|
🔒 Active TS/SCI Clearance Required 💰 Salary: $150,000 – $180,000 📍 Location: Arlington & Alexandria, VA (DMV Area)
🎯 Key Responsibilities • Strategic Partnerships: Map emerging commercial technologies to U.S. Cyber Command requirements. • Acquisition Support: Evaluate capability documents (ICDs, CNS) to guide senior leadership investment decisions. • Industry Engagement: Plan and lead quarterly Industry Days, tech exchanges, and defense workshops. • Coalition Building: Connect private tech firms, academia, and FFRDCs with Department of Defense priorities. 🛡️ Qualifications • Experience: Bachelor’s + 12 years OR Master’s + 10 years of technical/analytical support experience. • Gov/Military Background: 5+ years as a USG civilian or military member. • Tech Collaboration: 5+ years building USG-industry coalitions for emerging technology solutions. • Executive Presence: Proven success briefing senior military, government, and tech executives. 👉 How to Apply: Drop a comment below, send a DM, or click the link in our bio! ...
Breaking news: Sweat is 100% tax-deductible. (Well, reimbursement-eligible, anyway!) 🏋🏼♀️💨
Reminder for current employees and potential hires ... if you needed a sign to finally sign up for that pilates class, buy those running shoes, or join that gym down the street... this is it.
Our Fitness Reimbursement Program is one of our favorite employee perks! We literally want to pay you to move.
How to get your cash back: 1️⃣ Work out. 2️⃣ Submit your receipt. 3️⃣ Get fit!
Have questions? Drop us a comment or send us a DM and we’d love to chat! 💪🏼⛹🏼🤸🏼♀️🏀 ...
The interns have flown the coop! 🎓✈️ Last week on their final day, our 4 amazing summer interns wrapped up their journey with us in the best way possible. 🌟 Each of them crushed a final presentation, highlighting their biggest projects, proudest moments, and all the valuable skills they learned along the way. 📊💡 We are so incredibly proud of the hard work, fresh energy, and dedication they brought to the team every single day. 💛 While we hate saying goodbye, we know they are going to absolute rockstars in whatever they do next. 🌍🚀 Thank you all for a phenomenal summer, and good luck in your next chapters! 👋✨ ...
🌟 Meet Natascha Butler, a phenomenal member of our team at Cornerstone Defense and here featured on our current Employee Spotlight!
⚙️ Natascha supports one of our clients as a Systems Engineer lending her expertise as a Vulnerability Analyst and ISSO. She spends her time scanning systems, analyzing vulnerabilities that are found during the scans and working with the Developers and other Engineers to mitigate those vulnerabilities.
🤝 This role requires her to function as the liaison between those Engineers and the ISSEs, CISO and other leaders in the organization when it comes to responding to explanations for a vulnerability finding and other cybersecurity related data calls and inquiries.
🎓 Prior to joining Cornerstone Defense, Natascha obtained her B.S. degree in Information Sciences and Systems from Morgan State University, affectionately known as the National Treasure, and later earned her Master’s Degree in Management Information Systems from Bowie State University.
💼 Over the years, she has held various positions in both the private and public sector which have garnered her a plethora of experience with: 📝 Technical writing 🔐 Creating and administering accounts 🛠️ Troubleshooting hardware, applications, and profile related issues 🔌 Patching cables and hardware installs for new site stand-ups 📊 Preparing for system audits 🛡️ Researched and gathering artifacts to administer a Plan of Action and Mitigation (POAM) for severe and critical vulnerabilities found on the network along with getting systems to Authority to Operate (ATO)
❤️ Natascha is family-oriented and loves people. She has never met a stranger and wants everyone to feel welcomed in her presence. In her spare time, she attends and serves in church as well as enjoys various genres of music, dancing, and all things summer.☀️ ...
Our latest edition of the “Around the Corner” Newsletter just dropped! 📰✨
And this month, we asked our leadership team one burning question: 👉 “What does AI actually mean to Cornerstone?”
The answers? Diverse and unfiltered! 💥
We aren’t just looking at AI as a buzzword. We are looking at it through the lens of human potential, ethics, operational scaling, and the future of work.
Here is a sneak peek into how 5 of our team members view the artificial intelligence revolution shaping our industry. 👇 ...