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.
Supports a team of seven senior professionals in the firm's Annapolis, MD office
Previously served as an academic services specialist at Johns Hopkins University's Office of the Registrar
Member of the Public Relations Society of America Inc. since 2021
Jenna Massoni serves as a senior associate supporting the firm's Annapolis, Maryland office. She assists a team of seven senior professionals with issue monitoring, policy research and analysis and legislative advocacy and outreach. She became a member of the Public Relations Society of America Inc. in 2021.
Prior to her current position, Jenna managed health care benefits for the students of Johns Hopkins University and was involved in planning the annual commencement ceremony.
Jenna graduated from Washington College in May 2015 with a B.S. in Business Management and received her M.A. in Contemporary Communications from Notre Dame of MD University in December 2019.
410-935-1470
2 Francis Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401,
1) Alorica
3) American Petroleum Institute
4) Amgen, Inc.
5) AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP
6) Baltimore County Public Library Board of Trustees
8) Biotechnology Innovation Organization
9) Capital One
12) Choptank Electric Cooperative, Inc.
13) City of Bowie
14) Clark Construction Group, LLC
15) Comcast Cable Communications LLC
16) CropLife America
17) Delaware-Maryland Agribusiness Association
20) Elevance Health, and its Affiliates
21) Equifax Inc.
22) Equinor Wind US
23) Francis Energy
24) Historic St. Mary's City Commission Foundation
25) iDevelopment and Economic Association
26) Johns Hopkins
27) Leaselock, LLC
31) Manufacturers' Alliance of Maryland (MAM)
33) Maryland Center for History & Culture
35) Maryland Hospital Association
36) Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission
37) Maryland National Electrical Contractors Association
38) Maryland Troopers Association
39) Mayor and City of Baltimore, The
40) Mechanical Contractors Association of Maryland, Inc.
42) Nutanix
45) PharmaCann Inc. (ForwardGro Inc.)
46) Prince George's County, Maryland
50) Software AG Government Solutions, Inc.
51) St. Mary's College of Maryland Foundation
52) Strittmatter Companies, Inc.
53) Susan G. Komen
55) Teach Coalition
56) TechNet
57) Town of La Plata
410-935-1470
2 Francis Street, Annapolis, MD, 21401,