Prior to joining the Harvard University Office of Federal Relations in 2019, Kara worked in federal relations for Yale University for thirteen years and before that in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly twelve years.She has served as Professional Staff for the House Science Committee, with legislative and oversight responsibilities for the National Science Foundation and math and science education across the federal agencies. Previously, she held legislative staff positions for various members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Kara holds a Bachelor of Science in History and Politics from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.