Cara is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with more than 10 years of healthcare experience. Her career reflects a strong commitment to service, beginning with her time in the U.S. Army on both active duty and in the National Guard before transitioning into advanced nursing practice. Her diverse clinical background includes experience in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Department (ER), equipping her with the expertise to provide compassionate, evidence-based care to patients across the lifespan.

Dedicated to lifelong learning and professional excellence, Cara has pursued advanced education while also contributing to the development of future nurses as a clinical professor. She earned an Associate of Liberal Arts from Blackhawk College in 2013, an Associate of Science in Nursing from Trinity College of Nursing in 2016, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Governors State University in 2017. She completed a Master of Science in Nursing Education at Western Governors University in 2021, followed by a Post-Master's Certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Purdue University in 2024. In 2025, she further expanded her expertise by completing a Post-Master's Certificate as an Emergency Nurse Practitioner.

Cara is committed to staying at the forefront of her profession through active membership in several professional organizations, including the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the National League for Nursing (NLN), and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

Outside of her professional life, Cara enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and cheering on her children at their hockey games. She believes that maintaining a healthy balance between career, family, and personal interests allows her to bring greater energy, compassion, and perspective to the care she provides.