Aera’s Senior Vice President of External Affairs Sara O’Neill-Bouton keeps a finger on the pulse of all state and local government and legislative activity in California as it relates to Aera and the work it does to help fuel the needs of our state. Additionally, O’Neill-Bouton oversees all external communications and community relations for Aera in the communities where our employees work and call home.
“Aera does such important work here in California, and the political and regulatory climate in our state is one that is challenging and constantly changing,” O’Neill-Bouton says. “At Aera, we are working with the state to find an all-encompassing energy solution to fuel California’s needs now and, in the future, and we’re committed to being part of that solution.”
O’Neill-Bouton joined Aera in 2019 and brought with her a wealth of experience in the energy sector relating to political, regulatory, and market strategy of deregulated energy markets, as well as oil and gas. Prior to joining Aera, she served as the manager of government relations for Shell Oil, Western United States. She has also worked at several other energy companies in the US throughout retail and wholesale power and gas, renewable energy, carbon as well as traditional oil and gas industries.
O’Neill-Bouton is a member of several organizations including the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), the California Manufacturers and Technology Association, the California Business Roundtable and the Hawthorn Club, an international network for executive women in the energy industry.
O’Neill-Bouton holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from St. Lawrence University. A native of Buffalo, New York, she now lives in Sacramento with her two children, Jake and Lily.