Aurora Matthews is an award-winning writer and communications and public affairs strategist specializing in advocacy and social justice issues. Aurora Matthews is Senior Vice President at New Heights Communications in Washington, D.C. where she specializes in strategies for nonprofits and advocacy organizations, particularly those in the climate justice, voting rights, and civil rights spaces. Prior to joining New Heights Communications, Aurora was a publicist at Sunshine Sachs. She also earned her master’s degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA). Her research focused on state and human security issues, particularly human trafficking, genocide and inter- and intra-ethnic conflicts. While working toward her degree, Aurora worked as a Communications and Research Associate for the Ford Institute for Human Security. She was also an editor for the Pitt Policy Journal, an academic journal.In her role at The Hatcher Group, Aurora led a communications campaign – using a strategy that mixed traditional media with innovative digital and online media actions – as part of a successful coalition to repeal the death penalty in Maryland. Aurora also served on the board of FAIR Girls, an international nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. - with programs in Bosnia, Montenegro, Serbia, Russia and Uganda - focused on the prevention of the exploitation of all girls, with a special emphasis on girls who have experienced homelessness, life inside the foster care system, sexual abuse, and trafficking.