Our Team

Kara is a dual-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with more than 15 years of experience caring for children, adolescents, and adults with a wide range of mental health, behavioral, developmental, and medical needs. Her experience includes providing care to individuals with and without developmental disabilities, with specialized expertise in intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), autism, complex medical needs, and significant behavioral concerns.

Kara’s career began working directly with individuals with developmental disabilities, giving her a unique understanding of the everyday experiences of the individuals and families she now serves as a nurse practitioner. Over the years, her experience expanded across nursing and advanced practice roles, caring for children, adolescents, and adults in a variety of healthcare settings. This broad clinical background has allowed her to work with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD, behavioral concerns, and other mental health needs, as well as those with more complex developmental and medical conditions.

Throughout her career, Kara has seen how difficult it can be to find mental health providers who have the time to understand each person as an individual. This can be especially challenging for individuals with autism and IDD and the people who care for them, who may need a provider who understands communication differences, sensory needs, complex behaviors, co-occurring medical conditions, and the important role caregivers and support teams can play in treatment. These experiences inspired her to create Bluebird Behavioral Health.

Kara believes effective care starts with understanding the whole person, not simply a diagnosis or list of symptoms. She takes time to understand each person's concerns, strengths, daily life, medical and mental health history, treatment experiences, and goals. When relevant, she also considers communication style, sensory needs, developmental history, and environmental factors that may affect a person's well-being.

Her approach is collaborative and individualized. Depending on each person's needs and preferences, care may also include collaboration with families, caregivers, medical providers, therapists, schools, care managers, and other members of the support team.

Outside of work, Kara is a mom of two and enjoys spending time with her family. She loves reading, hiking, traveling, cooking, and baking and can often be found volunteering and staying involved in her children’s school and activities. She values time spent with family, exploring new places, and being an active part of her community.

Through Bluebird Behavioral Health, Kara’s goal is to provide thoughtful, personalized medication management where children, adolescents, and adults with a wide range of mental health needs feel heard, understood, and meaningfully included in their care.