John Leggieri

Employer: Cornerstone Government Affairs

Title: Vice President

Social Media Handles: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-leggieri/a/319/46b (LinkedIn)

John Leggieri is currently Vice President at Cornerstone Government Affairs, where he utilizes his broad array of defense policy, budget and appropriations expertise and experience to advise a diverse set of clients in the national security arena.  

Mr. Leggieri retired from the United States Army in December 2014 as a Colonel after thirty years of service, including almost fifteen years in Government Affairs and Congressional Liaison.  His last military posting was as Chief of the Army’s Congressional Budget Liaison Office, where he was the primary advisor to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Army on all Congressional Appropriations matters.  

Before assuming that position, Mr. Leggieri served as the Chief of Plans and Congressional Strategy for the Army in the Office of the Chief of Legislative Liaison. In that role, he directed the development of long-range Army-wide legislative goals and objectives and accompanying Congressional engagement strategies and plans supporting Army budget requests. 

Mr. Leggieri’s initial Congressional experience was as an Army Congressional Fellow, serving for one year in a House Congressional office. In that role, John was the principal advisor to the Congressman on all defense, veterans, banking and health care issues.  He drafted legislation, wrote speeches, developed hearing questions, marked bills, and fashioned press releases to support the overall legislative agenda.  

Mr. Leggieri then served as a Legislative Liaison Officer, where he created and implemented Congressional engagement strategies for the Army Reserve’s equipment portfolio.  He later served for four years as a Congressional Budget Liaison Officer in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller (Army Budget Office).  In that assignment he handled a diverse, multi-billion dollar Army portfolio, interfacing directly with Members and staff on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. 

Mr. Leggieri began his career as an Air Defense Artillery Officer and later became a Quartermaster Officer and Multi-Functional Logistician. He served with distinction in the 2nd Infantry Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and in command and key positions in outstanding logistics units including the 413th and 809th Supply and Services Battalions.  

Mr. Leggieri was a National Security Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.  He was commissioned through Army ROTC at Sienna College in New York, holds a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York and Master’s Degree in Secondary Education from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York.