Cara has worked at The University of Queensland for twenty years, in a variety of professional roles, currently as the School Manager at the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, and from August 2020 to July 2022 as Operations Manager for the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI). Previously she worked at the Institute for Social Science Research in education and commercial training coordination and engagement (and previously as Office Manager, Postgraduate Administrative Officer, and Workplace Health and Safety Coordinator for ISSR). She has managed student and academic administration at the School of Political Science and International Studies, where she also fulfilled finance and research administration positions for over 9 years.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Political Science, her early career was focussed on policy and media positions in the Health and Transport state government Ministerial portfolios, providing advice and communication, before undertaking a team leadership position in the retail travel industry for Flight Centre. She is a UQ MBA candidate and has a Graduate Certificate in Mediation and Conflict Resolution and been recommended for accreditation as a Mediator, having met the training requirements of the National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS).