After suffering a traumatic first pregnancy in which she developed severe preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and a silent placental abruption at 31 weeks gestation, followed by a NICU stay and subsequent surgeries for her infant daughter, she began seeking out others who had been through something similar. She realized that there was limited support available where women could share their experiences.

In order for no woman to feel alone, as she did after her preeclampsia experience, Kara and a small group of dedicated volunteers from across the world began operating Preeclampsia, Eclampsia & HELLP Syndrome Survivors Global Support Group. This is an evidence-based online community that has swelled to a membership of nearly 30,000 preeclampsia survivors and it is continually gaining new members. It truly has a group reach with members from over 110 countries. EndPreeclampsia supports the Butterfly Brigade, a group of women with lived experience who visit hospitalized antepartum mothers experiencing complications at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to provide support and essential supplies during long hospital stays.

Kara is a Certified Trauma-Informed Professional, a Patient Advisor for several organizations and research studies, including the Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative, Patient Advisor for the $10 Million HRSA Grant partnership between the University of Iowa Health Care and the Iowa Department of Public Health to improve maternal outcomes for women in Iowa, and is a member of the Institute of Clinical and Translational Science Stakeholder Advisory Board at the University of Iowa. She was the HOPE Award Recipient for Maternal Health Volunteer of the Year in 2009, and the Champions for Change Maternal Health Champion of the Year award recipient in 2019.  She has led charitable giving initiatives raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Maternal Health causes over the last 15 years.