Cornerstone Enhances Agriculture, Health and Appropriations Capabilities with Addition of Dianne Nellor and Ashley Palmer

Dianne Nellor, Clerk/Subcommittee Staff Director on U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; and Ashley Palmer, Professional Staff Member on U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies join Cornerstone

Washington, DC - Cornerstone Government Affairs announced Tuesday the addition of appropriators Dianne Nellor, agriculture policy specialist, and Ashley Palmer, health policy expert, to its federal government relations team. Together, Nellor and Palmer bring nearly 40 years of legislative and appropriations experience to the firm.

"We are thrilled to add Dianne and Ashley to the team," Cornerstone CEO Geoff Gonella said. "They bring a wealth of experience and expertise, a broad range of relationships and excellent reputations to the firm. They will immediately add value to our team and clients."

Nellor joins Cornerstone with over 20 years of experience developing and drafting appropriations bills and providing policy guidance and recommendations to senators, with specialization in issues pertaining to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Most recently, she served as the Clerk/Subcommittee Staff Director on the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies. In this role, Nellor managed the day-to-day activities of the subcommittee and staff and oversaw the development of the annual appropriations bill and execution of budget and oversight hearings. In addition, she was responsible for all facets of budget and program execution for USDA and FDA, overseeing complex issues between the Senate, House of Representatives, executive branch, industry and interest groups to ensure bipartisan support and favorable passage of the annual Agriculture Appropriations bill.

Previously, Nellor served as a Professional Staff Member on the committee, responsible for annual funding decisions for USDA mission areas including Food and Nutrition Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, Agricultural Research Service, Agricultural Marketing Service and FDA.

Before her time on the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Nellor served as a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Joint Economic Committee.

"Cornerstone has a stellar reputation and I'm excited to be joining the team," Nellor said. "I look forward to leveraging my decades of experience and expertise to assist clients in navigating what can be a complex appropriations and legislative process."

In addition to Nellor, Palmer joins Cornerstone following her time on the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, where she served as a Professional Staff Member. In this role, she developed appropriations legislation, report language and related materials for the Health Resources and Services Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), accounting for more than $33 billion in annual discretionary funding. Palmer also worked with the Department of Labor, Administration for Community Living, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, National Labor Relations Board, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Corporation for Public Broadcasting and several other related agencies throughout her time on the Committee.

Prior to her role on the Committee, Palmer served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources at HHS, managing the congressional relations team for appropriations and the budget, as well as overseeing related work for hearing preparation, technical assistance, briefings and public affairs. She also worked closely with the Office of the Secretary to develop the budget and appropriations strategy, in addition to advancing the Administration's legislative priorities for health care reform.

Palmer also previously served as Senior Policy Advisor on the House Committee on the Budget and Assistant to the Speaker, where she worked with leadership and relevant committee staff on health care and veterans' affairs issues.

"Cornerstone has assembled one of the most hardworking, knowledgeable and respected rosters in Washington and I'm truly honored to join the team," Palmer said. "The firm has a great track record on Capitol Hill, and I look forward to helping clients thoughtfully and strategically navigate the federal budget and appropriations landscape."