Kara is a senior strategy, learning, and evaluation officer supporting the Environment Program at the Walton Family Foundation. She has over 14 years of experience measuring and evaluating program effectiveness. She most recently worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to improve the agency’s ability to measure and communicate its impact. She has conducted research on small-scale fisheries in Nicaragua, supported national park development in Afghanistan and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal.

Kara holds a Ph.D. in fisheries science from Michigan State University and a B.S. in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Tennessee.