Your Partner in Communication
Our Approach
H/Advisors Abernathy is your partner in engaging with key stakeholders on complex issues.
With strategic communications experts across disciplines and around the world, we work closely with clients to build and preserve value, seize opportunities and solve problems in today’s dynamic and interconnected world.
News
More Than the Sum of Its Parts: Board Members as Communicators in the Age of the Universal Proxy Card
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Learning from Wile E. Coyote: Communications Strategies to Prevent the Multidistrict Litigation Timebomb from Going Off in Your Hands
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Revisiting Guidance: Ten Considerations to Keep in Mind in Today’s Uncertain Environment
Read moreLeadership
Tom Johnson
Chief Executive Officer
Tom Johnson is Chief Executive Officer of H/Advisors Abernathy, where he is leading a growth trajectory rooted in the firm’s powerful heritage as a trusted partner to leading organizations and executives in their most critical moments.
Tom Johnson
Chief Executive Officer
Tom Johnson is Chief Executive Officer of H/Advisors Abernathy, where he is leading a growth trajectory rooted in the firm’s powerful heritage as a trusted partner to leading organizations and executives in their most critical moments.
Tom counsels CEOs, executive teams and Boards on all strategic communications matters, with a particular focus on special situations such as transactions, activist investors, crises, management changes and governance matters. He has overseen a significant expansion of Abernathy’s business over the last five years, including the launch of several new practice areas rooted in the firm’s stakeholder-oriented approach. Tom also serves as the co-Chief Executive Officer of the H/Advisors global network, which offers clients leading local market expertise with a seamless cross-border offering in all of the world’s key financial centers.
Prior to joining Abernathy, Tom served as Editor-in-Charge of Investment Banking and Finance for Reuters North America, where he also ran the M&A and IPO desks. Earlier, he worked at CNN Financial News as a financial markets and M&A reporter.
Representative Experience
• Cerner Corporation on its $28.3 billion merger with Oracle
• Anaplan on its revised $10.4 billion merger agreement with Thoma Bravo
• JAB on all North American communications
• The National Women’s Soccer League on its joint investigation into alleged misconduct
• Medline Industries on its majority stake sale to Blackstone, Carlyle and Hellman & Friedman for approximately $30 billion
• DXC Technology on the unsolicited merger approach by Atos
• Comcast on Trian Fund Management’s investment in the company
Education
• Towson State University, B.A. in Mass Communications
Memberships and Affiliations
• Volunteers of America Greater New York, Board Member
• Economic Club of New York, Member
Carina Davidson
President
Carina Davidson serves as H/Advisors Abernathy’s President, based in the firm's New York office. Carina counsels companies of all sizes across a broad range of sectors on complex communications matters. She has significant expertise helping clients manage their reputations and develop strategies to reach their core audiences.
Carina Davidson
President
Carina Davidson serves as H/Advisors Abernathy’s President, based in the firm's New York office. Carina counsels companies of all sizes across a broad range of sectors on complex communications matters. She has significant expertise helping clients manage their reputations and develop strategies to reach their core audiences.
She has led the communications efforts on behalf of her clients surrounding critical, often transformational, events, including mergers and acquisitions, take private transactions, initial public offerings, regulatory developments, leadership successions, hostile takeover attempts and shareholder activism. Carina also is one of the firm’s leading executive coaches, helping prepare senior leaders to effectively communicate to their stakeholders.
Prior to joining Abernathy, Carina specialized in issues management and public affairs at Edelman.
Representative Experience
• Toast on its IPO and on select corporate communications matters
• WisdomTree on transaction communications support, shareholder activism defense and investor relations
• WideOpenWest Inc. (WOW!) on its $1.8 billion sale of five service areas in two separate transactions
• SAS Institute on corporate communications advisory in connection with the company’s plan to become IPO-ready
• RE/MAX on investor relations advisory
• Signify Health on its approximately $8 billion sale to CVS
Education
• Skidmore College, B.A. in Spanish and Political Science
Memberships and Affiliations
• Women in America
• Chief
Languages
• Dutch
• Spanish
Peter Lee
Chief Financial Officer
Peter Lee is the Chief Financial Officer of H/Advisors Abernathy, where he is responsible for all of the firm’s financial functions, including accounting, financial planning, forecasting, client accounting and various financial analyses and reporting. He also oversees and manages the firm’s information technology. His career spans more than 25 years of experience in financial management, business leadership and corporate strategy in various industries, including strategic communications, marketing and advertising, manufacturing, banking and logistics.
Peter Lee
Chief Financial Officer
Peter Lee is the Chief Financial Officer of H/Advisors Abernathy, where he is responsible for all of the firm’s financial functions, including accounting, financial planning, forecasting, client accounting and various financial analyses and reporting. He also oversees and manages the firm’s information technology. His career spans more than 25 years of experience in financial management, business leadership and corporate strategy in various industries, including strategic communications, marketing and advertising, manufacturing, banking and logistics.
Prior to joining Abernathy, Peter spent almost ten years as the Controller for Publicis Groupe ReSources Americas. During his tenure, he was instrumental in building out the finance business support capabilities and function at the firm’s Information Technology and Shared Services Center. Before that, he spent over nine years in banking at JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America. Peter also has over nine years of distinguished service as an officer in the United States Navy.
Education
• Loyola University of Chicago, M.B.A. in Finance
• Norwich University, B.S. in Business Administration
Email: peter.lee@h-advisors.global
Chuck Dohrenwend
Managing Director
Chuck Dohrenwend primarily works with private equity investment professionals and portfolio company leadership teams to optimize their investment and value-creation strategies through strategic communications. He collaborates with executive and communications teams to develop and implement highly effective communications programs for a range of stakeholders, primarily during pivotal events such as mergers and acquisitions, leadership transitions, crises, restructurings, investments and divestments. He also works with publicly traded companies on M&A, crisis management, restructurings and executive transitions. Additionally, Chuck is a member of H/Advisors Abernathy’s Leadership Team and helps ensure that the firm’s operations and teams align with the firm’s client-centric growth strategy.
Chuck Dohrenwend
Managing Director
Chuck Dohrenwend primarily works with private equity investment professionals and portfolio company leadership teams to optimize their investment and value-creation strategies through strategic communications. He collaborates with executive and communications teams to develop and implement highly effective communications programs for a range of stakeholders, primarily during pivotal events such as mergers and acquisitions, leadership transitions, crises, restructurings, investments and divestments. He also works with publicly traded companies on M&A, crisis management, restructurings and executive transitions. Additionally, Chuck is a member of H/Advisors Abernathy’s Leadership Team and helps ensure that the firm’s operations and teams align with the firm’s client-centric growth strategy.
Prior to joining Abernathy in 2004, Chuck held communications positions at Broadgate Consultants, Nasdaq-listed Knight Capital Group (now part of Virtu Financial) and Edelman.
Representative Experience
• Multi-engagement communications advisory to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R), Madison Dearborn Partners, Eurazeo and JMI Equity, among other private equity investment firms of various investment strategies and sizes
• EVO Payments on its $4 billion acquisition by Global Payments
• Complex financial restructurings, including the City of Detroit’s Chapter 9, Dex Media’s Chapter 11 and post-emergence combination with YP Holdings, TOMS in its transfer of ownership from Bain Capital to creditors and Travelport on its agreement with an Ad Hoc Group of Lenders during the initial lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic
• SJW Group on its $1.1 billion merger with Connecticut Water Service, a process in which both publicly traded water utility companies received separate, unsolicited acquisition proposals and multi-state regulatory scrutiny
• Shuanghui International (now known as WH Group) on its $4.7 billion acquisition of Smithfield Foods, which at the time was the largest acquisition of a U.S. domiciled and listed company by a Chinese company
• A global biopharmaceutical company on executive communications, ESG initiatives, philanthropy and public commentary surrounding topical socioeconomic issues
• Numerous public and private companies on executive transitions, staff relocations and reductions and various crisis matters
Education
• College of the Holy Cross, B.A. in History
• Universidad de Sevilla, Academic Year of Study
• London School of Economics, Hansard Society Scholars
Sydney Isaacs
Managing Director, Head of Houston Office
Sydney Isaacs provides strategic communications counsel to companies during times of change, including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, crises and activist shareholder engagements. Sydney’s work supports companies’ valuations and reputations through a combination of financial communications and PR strategies. She has particularly deep experience advising companies across the energy sector, providing support to clients on communications related to their diverse efforts to participate in and respond to the energy transition.
Sydney Isaacs
Managing Director, Head of Houston Office
Sydney Isaacs provides strategic communications counsel to companies during times of change, including mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, crises and activist shareholder engagements. Sydney’s work supports companies’ valuations and reputations through a combination of financial communications and PR strategies. She has particularly deep experience advising companies across the energy sector, providing support to clients on communications related to their diverse efforts to participate in and respond to the energy transition.
Sydney joined H/Advisors Abernathy in 2005 in the firm’s Los Angeles office and subsequently founded the Houston office. She was named one of the 50 most influential leaders in corporate governance in 2022 by the National Association of Corporate Directors. She is a frequent speaker on topics ranging from crisis management to investor activism defense. She is also a member of the firm’s six-person Leadership Team.
Representative Experience
• Centuri Group on its corporate repositioning as its parent company evaluated strategic alternatives under activist shareholder pressure
• ConocoPhillips on its $9.7 billion acquisition of Concho Resources
• Frank’s International on its merger with Expro Group
• Stratus Properties on its successful proxy contest against Oasis Management
• Texas Pacific Land Trust on its proxy contest and related litigation
• Xcel Energy on its crisis planning and response
• A chemicals manufacturer on its management of a ransomware crisis
Memberships and Affiliations
• Board of Directors, YMCA of Greater Houston
• Honoree, Directorship 100
• Advisory Board, National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Texas Tricities Chapter
• National Investor Relations Institute, former Houston Chapter Board member, Southwest Conference Chair and co-Chair
• Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, Troop Leader
• Turnaround Management Association, Houston Chapter, former President
• Center for Houston’s Future’s Business / Civic Leadership Forum, Graduate
Kate Schneiderman
Managing Director, Chief of Staff
Kate Schneiderman is a member of H/Advisors Abernathy’s Leadership Team and serves as a Managing Director and Chief of Staff to the CEO and President. As Chief of Staff, she plays a leading role in developing and implementing the firm’s growth strategy.
Kate Schneiderman
Managing Director, Chief of Staff
Kate Schneiderman is a member of H/Advisors Abernathy’s Leadership Team and serves as a Managing Director and Chief of Staff to the CEO and President. As Chief of Staff, she plays a leading role in developing and implementing the firm’s growth strategy.
Kate has nearly twenty years of experience in strategic communications and public affairs, working across sectors, including tech, industrials and consumer goods, on high profile M&A, bankruptcies and restructurings, IPOs, investor relations, executive transitions and corporate reputation initiatives. After beginning her career at Abernathy, Kate served as Communications Director and Deputy Chief of Staff for the New Orleans City Council President post-Hurricane Katrina, leading all communications initiatives and advising on policy. She also has experience managing profile raising and public relations campaigns for prominent foundations and non-profits.
Education
• University of Michigan, B.A. in Political Science