Kara is the Executive Director of the Integrative Center for Alternative Meat & Protein (iCAMP), the first comprehensive center with a mission to accelerate the commercialization of sustainable alternative meat and proteins. The center is +55 cross-disciplinary researchers and educators from UC Davis, UCLA, USDA, University of Maryland Baltimore County, the Culinary Institute of America, and Solano Community College. It is the largest academic body developing plant, fungal and cell-based meats and protein. Prior to iCAMP, Kara was the Executive Director and co-founder of the UC Davis Cultivated Meat Consortium (CMC), the first state and federally funded academic consortia in cell-based meat research. She was also Chief of Staff for the Singapore based alternative dairy protein company, TurtleTree, where she coordinated strategic partnerships, product launch, and overall organization management. Before TurtleTree, Kara was a Development Director for the UC Davis Office of Research in charge of fundraising for InnovationAccess (University Intellectual Property Program), Venture Catalyst (University Startup Program), Gene Therapy Center, Biotechnology Program, Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, Feminist Research Center, and the Institute for Global Nutrition. Kara holds bachelor’s degrees in molecular Genetics & Cell Biology and Environmental Design, and a Master’s degree in Wine Fermentation. Kara sits on the Food and Ag Council for the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, the Advisory Board for the Chicago Future Food Tech Summit, and the Good Food Institute APAC Advisory Council. Kara is a strategic dot connector with a passion for building national & global food security by innovating food systems, developing equitable human nutrition and agricultural sustainability through education, partnership, and collaboration.