Aura provides strategic, financial and crisis communications support to companies and institutions involved in a range of special situations. She also assists clients with ongoing investor and public relations, media relations strategies and corporate communications. Her areas of expertise include:

Investor Relations & Public Relations

She has expertise in helping companies develop and execute ongoing investor and public relations programs that adhere to best practices, including assisting with message development, quarterly earnings, investor conferences and presentations, non-deal roadshows, analyst days, buy- and sell-side targeting and general profile-raising. Select clients include ANSYS, Foot Locker, Gartner, Host Hotels & Resorts, Johnson & Johnson, Motorola Solutions, Omnicell and S&P Global.

Restructuring & Bankruptcy

She advises companies involved in out-of-court financial restructurings and in-court Chapter 11 reorganizations. Select assignments include Basic Energy Services, CWT, Dean Foods, EXCO Resources, FTD Companies, Global Eagle Entertainment, Ferrellgas Partners, LTL Management LLC, Mallinckrodt, Pier 1, Sabine Oil & Gas, Skillsoft and Southcross Energy.

Crisis Communications

She has advised numerous clients on crisis preparedness and response related to a range of issues, including COVID-19, cybersecurity, workplace misconduct and sexual harassment, short attacks, regulatory inquiries and SEC investigations, accounting irregularities, unplanned leadership changes, litigation, facility and store closures, workforce reductions and diversity and inclusion issues.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Notable transactions include advising S&P Global on its merger with IHS Markit; Skillsoft on its merger with Churchill Capital Corp II, a SPAC; Bemis Company on its sale to Amcor; Johnson & Johnson on its acquisitions of Actelion and Momenta Pharmaceuticals; Penn National Gaming on its acquisition of Barstool Sports; Marriott Vacations on its acquisition of ILG; Array BioPharma on its sale to Pfizer; and Zayo on its sale to Digital Colony and EQT.

Shareholder Activism

She has advised on numerous public and private activist situations, helping companies defend against some of the most notable activist investors, including Bow Street, Elliott Management, Engaged Capital, Sandell Asset Management, Sarissa Capital, Starboard Value, Third Point and Vintage Capital Management.

Private Equity

She assists private equity firms with investor and media relations at both the fund and portfolio company level. Current and former clients include Cinven, First Reserve, Fundamental Advisors, Kanders & Co., Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, Lone Star Funds, Ridgewood Private Equity Partners, Tower Three Partners and Z Capital Partners.

Aura joined Joele Frank in 2015. She was previously Vice President, Convertible and Equity-Linked Origination at RBC Capital Markets and a Director at Weston Growth Capital. She received a JD from the UCLA School of Law, with a concentration in business law and policy, and a BA in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles.