Lockheed Martin [LMT] on Monday named Shelly O’Neill Stoneman, currently BAE Systems Inc.’s chief of government affairs, as its next top lobbyist, succeeding Greg Walters who is retiring and has been acting head of the company’s government relations efforts since February when Christian Marrone resigned.
O’Neill Stoneman will take over as senior vice president of government affairs for Lockheed Martin on Aug. 28. Walters will retire later this year.
O’Neill Stoneman has been with BAE Systems, Inc. since 2013 and led their government relations unit since April 2021. Prior to that, she was vice president of international government relations for BAE Systems, Inc., which is the U.S.-based business of Britain’s BAE Systems
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In 2008 and 2009, O’Neill Stoneman served as congressional liaison for national security for the transition team of then President-elect and Vice President-elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden respectively. Before joining BAE, she worked in the White House as special assistant to the president for legislative affairs and later as special assistant to the secretary of defense on White House priorities and interagency matters, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Between late 2003 and January 2009, she also worked for then Rep. Steve Rothman (D-N.J.), first as a legislative assistant and then as deputy chief of staff.
As senior vice president of government affairs at Lockheed Martin, O’Neill Stoneman will take charge of the company’s relations with Congress, the Defense Department, and manage all federal, state and local government relationships.
“Shelly will play a critical role in maintaining Lockheed Martin as the premier, mission-focused partner for 21st Century Security solutions for our government customers and stakeholders,” Jim Taiclet, chairman, president and CEO of Lockheed Martin, said in a statement. “She has deep experience in our industry and government.”
O’Neill Stoneman is also chair of the board of directors of the Leadership Council for Women in National Security, a non-profit group advocating for gender diversity in the national security space. She is also the committee chair for the DoD’s Advisory Committee on Women in the Services.