Meet the Cornerstone Team

Commitment to exceptional craftsmanship and design is not just our profession; it’s a reflection of who we are.

Cornerstone

Leadership

With 18 years in the remodeling industry, A.J. Ballantine founded the acclaimed Cornerstone Remodeling, heralded for its success and community impact. His approach to growing companies led to the founding of Rendr, a groundbreaking remote engagement solution for home improvement. As CEO of Rendr, A.J. leads with a vision that fosters expertise, collaboration, and innovation. His competitive spirit and commitment to challenging norms define his leadership. A.J. balances his professional success with happy family life in Frederick county, where he enjoys being a husband and father, as well as volunteering in humanitarian projects overseas.

AJ Ballantine

Owner

Lauren holds a B.S. from Virginia Tech in the NKBA accredited Kitchen and Bath Design program, and joined the Cornerstone team in 2015 as our first in-house designer. Throughout the years, she’s been instrumental in creating beautiful spaces for clients and enjoys witnessing the positive effects that re-imagining a home has on the families that she works with. In 2022, Lauren took on the role of General Manager, fostering a creative and collaborative culture within the office and field teams. Outside of work, you can find Lauren running around with her two girls, chasing her dog down the street, and hiding Amazon packages from her husband. 🙂

Lauren Weber

General Manager

With 17 years of industry experience, Chris joined Cornerstone in 2014 as a site supervisor, gradually progressing to the role of Project Manager. His expertise and dedication eventually led him to take the helm of the sales team as a Project Developer. Known for his meticulous attention to detail, Chris embraces the challenge of customized projects and enjoys using his construction knowledge to create more functional spaces for his clients. He is heavily involved in the planning, bidding, and overall organization of each project in the Exploration/Design phase. Chris spends his free time working on various home projects, and relaxing with his wife and two children.

Chris Hogsten

Operations Manager

Heath has been building since his teens, first alongside his father and later on his own. Since joining Cornerstone in 2018, he’s led the field team with calm expertise and a love for the craft. He lives in Frederick County with his wife and four kids and can often be found working in his shop.

Heath Runkles

Production Manager

Cornerstone

Office team

Kara comes to Cornerstone with 15+ years of experience in remodeling and real estate, spanning both residential and commercial markets. She approaches every project with a strategic, design-forward mindset and is known for her consultative style and strong advocacy. Kara is passionate about building relationships, ensuring clients feel genuinely heard and supported. Outside of work, Kara cherishes time spent with her husband and their two daughters. She enjoys traveling, kayaking, hiking, and camping—and is always up for a spontaneous road trip! Kara is an avid sports fan, especially when it comes to college basketball and cheering on the Orioles.

Kara Windebank

Project Consultant

Annamarie holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mathematics from Mount Saint Mary’s University, and joined the Cornerstone design team in 2022. Clients love her attention to detail and calm, focused approach. Annamarie’s favorite part of her job is giving clients new ideas that they may not have thought of before for their spaces, and finding unique solutions to design dilemmas. Ever since she can remember, design has heavily influenced her life. She nurtures her artistic side by drawing, painting, and designing in her own home. When Annamarie is not here in the office, she is home juggling a busy life with her four kids and husband (and most likely wallpapering a room somewhere 🙂).

Annamarie Hamilton

Designer

Born and raised in the Midwest, Hannah has been surrounded by design her entire life. After receiving her B.S. in Interior Design from Purdue University, Hannah and her husband moved to Maryland and she continued working in the design field. Hannah has been with Cornerstone since 2018, and can only classify it as her dream job. She loves creating relationships with her clients, and considers it a privilege to design spaces that improves how they & their families live, work, and play. When she’s not at the office, Hannah enjoys spending time with her husband & daughter, traveling to new & familiar places, and dreaming up her next house project (that her husband may or may not know about).

Hannah Fish

Designer

Molly initially joined Cornerstone as our office manager in 2022. During her first year, she fell in love with the design side of things and swiftly transitioned into a designer role due to her passion for design and extensive knowledge of company operations. With a creative family, Molly learned to paint, sew, and crochet at a young age. Since then, she has never shied away from an art form. Molly has found that being a designer allows her to be creative while also doing something incredibly important to her - contributing to others' happiness! In Molly’s free time, she enjoys tackling home projects with her husband, caring for her four dogs, and exploring new places in their camper.

Molly Grubor

Designer

Lorrie grew up learning about construction from her dad, who owned his own remodeling company. She graduated from East Carolina University with focuses in Interior Design and Business Administration. Prior to joining Cornerstone in 2021, Lorrie spent five years gaining industry experience as a kitchen and bath designer/project coordinator. As our Production Coordinator, she has a heavy role in the behind the scenes organization of the company. She handles all aspects of material orders, warranty calls, and important production meeting schedules. Outside of her roles here, Lorrie enjoys being creative with her own home remodeling projects, as well as traveling and exploring other countries.

Lorrie Somerville

Production Coordinator

Kyle has always enjoyed building things; starting with legos as a kid, and later on developing a focus on fine arts and drafting. After graduating from Miami University of Ohio with his B.A. in Architecture, Kyle came to Cornerstone as an intern and has been with us ever since! His knowledge of estimating and architectural experience helps to bring our client’s visions to life. He takes care of all of our drafting and drawings, helping to bridge the gap between our office and field teams, and ensure a seamless experience from planning to production. In his free time, Kyle volunteers with the youth group at his church and enjoys playing electric guitar.

Kyle Myers

Architectural Designer

Zack has been obsessed with filming and editing videos since he was 11 years old and has always been around cameras. After graduating with a Digital Media degree, he started producing occasional freelance videos for Cornerstone back in 2019. He eventually joined the team full time in 2022 and handles all things photos, videos, and marketing. While he can’t design your dream home, he can take a pretty good picture of it. He has a slight obsession with sports and loves playing and discovering new music. He currently lives in Frederick county with his wife, daughter, and dog.

Zack Lazo

Marketing and Content Director

Kim joined Cornerstone in early 2025, bringing several years of experience as an administrative assistant. She loves keeping things organized behind the scenes to help projects run smoothly and enjoys supporting a team that brings homeowners’ visions to life. Kim lives in Carroll County with her partner and two little ones. Her days are full of laughter, tiny footsteps, endless snuggles, and plenty of coffee. When she’s not at work, she enjoys relaxing by the pool, reading a good book, spending time with family and friends, and sneaking in a really good nap.

Kim Sheeler

Administrative Assistant

Beth earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the UMD Business School and has accumulated over 22 years of experience in accounting and finance across public and private sectors. Joining Cornerstone in 2022 part-time, she swiftly transitioned into a full-time role as the team’s Finance Manager. Outside of work, Beth relishes time with her husband and two boys. She actively engages with the local ice hockey organization, where she serves on both the Board of Directors and Executive Board, alongside managing her boys' High School Hockey program. She delights in traveling to support her boys' hockey games. At home, she enjoys family time and undertaking household projects.