WELCOME TO

Cornerstone

About Us

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

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.

Learn More

WORK WITH US

Search through all of our open positions.

Learn More

GET IN TOUCH

Contact Us
  • Virginia
    13454 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 100
    Herndon, VA 20171
    Maryland
    2288 Blue Water Blvd, Suite 330
    Odenton, MD 21113
  • eFAX
    443.769.1559
  • Phone
    703.691.5100
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Last week, our team had the opportunity to participate in an incredible sales training with Brad Rosen , who joined us in person to walk us through the StrivePath Partners Sales Training program — and we benefited so much from it. Not only was it highly informative, but it was also dynamic, engaging, and genuinely fun. 🎉😁
 
StrivePath’s approach really resonated with our Account Managers and Recruiters. As they describe themselves: “StrivePath Partners is a sales training advisory firm that helps companies build a strong, scalable training infrastructure starting with early-career talent. We bring creativity, collaboration, and change management to every engagement—working closely with leadership to align recruitment, onboarding, training, and development with the company’s vision, culture, and growth goals.”
 
Here are a few of our biggest takeaways from the session:
✅ Investing in training saves costs — for example, reducing ramp time and lowering turnover by giving people tools to succeed early
✅ People in sales and recruiting need to understand the HOW, not just the WHY, to stay motivated and execute confidently
✅ Curiosity and confidence are essential — once your team learns the fundamentals, they need encouragement to make decisions and not fear mistakes
✅ Repetitive daily activities and consistent follow-ups truly correlate to long-term success
✅ Role plays are imperative! Practicing real scenarios builds muscle memory, reduces hesitation, and increases success rates 🎯
 
We’re grateful to Brad and the StrivePath team for such a powerful and energizing training experience. 👉 Want to learn more about StrivePath? Visit their LinkedIn page or check out their website!
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Okayyy yes… we’re poking a little fun here 😅 — **but if you’ve ever battled the misconception that “ServiceNow is just a ticketing tool,” been buried under an avalanche of SNOW requests, or braced yourself for yet another update/release cycle… you probably felt these memes in your soul. ❄️😂
 
And if you did… you might be exactly who we’re looking for! We’re hiring for three mission‑critical ServiceNow roles in Bethesda (TS/SCI + Poly required):
 
• Senior ServiceNow Requirements Engineer — turn complex mission needs into clean, actionable requirements.
• Senior ServiceNow Test Engineer — validate workflows, apps, and automations so everything actually works the way people think it does.
• Senior ServiceNow Scrum Master — keep the chaos organized, velocity steady, and Agile ceremonies humming.
 
If you love SNOW but also love joking about SNOW … ✨ Come build cool things with us. ✨
 
👉 Apply now and let’s turn those real‑life pain‑point memes into workflows that actually make life easier.
 
#ServiceNow #SNOWJobs #RequirementsEngineer #TestEngineer #ScrumMaster NowHiring TechCareers TSSCI BethesdaJobs
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🌊🐠🐡🎣 We’re on the lookout for causes to support — tell us where we can help!
 
This year’s Coastal Conservation Association Virginia Annual Fundraiser was another unforgettable experience for the Cornerstone Defense team. We love showing up for this event every year, and it’s always a powerful reminder of how much impact community‑driven conservation efforts can make.
 
From the lively auction to the incredible food and even better company, the event was full of energy and purpose. CCA Virginia continues to lead meaningful work to protect our marine resources through sustainable fisheries, habitat restoration, and public education. If you’re interested, take a look at the work they’re doing at ccavirginia.org.
 
💙 And as we plan our 2025 charitable and volunteer efforts, we’re actively exploring new organizations and missions to support.
If you know a cause that could use passionate partners — local, regional, environmental, community‑based, you name it — we’d love to hear from you.
 
Drop a comment, send a DM, or connect with us at cornerstonedefense.com. Let’s do more good together!💙🐟
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Meet our newest recruiter, Steven! Steven is a results‑driven Talent Acquisition Specialist bringing over 7 years of full‑cycle recruiting experience across corporate and federal environments. With a proven track record of aligning hiring strategies to organizational needs and partnering closely with leadership to deliver top‑tier cleared talent, this is someone who knows how to find the right people for the right mission. Welcome to the team, Steven!

So, you know we had to ask some fun “get-to-know-you” questions!

👀 Want to know:
✨ What song sets the vibe for the “walk into the office” moment?
💼 What part of joining Cornerstone Defense is most exciting?
🎨 Which skill he’d instantly master if he could?
And more!

Swipe through to see all of his answers — and help us give Steven a warm welcome!
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3,000 followers on LinkedIn!? Thank you for dancing into this new era with us! 💃🏻💥

We love that so many of you engage with our content and have followed along with our team and our story as we’ve changed and grown over the years. We like to think of our social media presence as less of an advertisement and more of a place to build community — full of feedback, authenticity, and real conversation. 💬✨

GovCon and Recruiting can often feel myopic and transactional, but one of our core goals is to ensure that whether you’re a prospective, current, or future employee, that is not the experience you have with Cornerstone Defense. From our industry expertise to our cultural engagement and community-building, we work hard to set ourselves apart as a choice employer in the GovCon space — a place where our employees can grow alongside the company. 🚀🤝

Thank you again for following along. If you enjoy our content, have questions about working with us, or have ideas for what you’d like to see more of, drop us a comment or send us a DM. Let’s keep the conversation going — we’re so happy you’re here! 🌟💛
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