Cara Elbert is an established Project Manager and Planner, with nearly 15 years of experience in a wide variety of public planning and project management.  She is passionate about public engagement and helping improve communities. Bringing a wide variety of experience in managing federal, state and local project, and facilitating a multitude of planning projects, she has a keen eye for detail.

She has spent all of her career in local government and believes relationship building is the key to a positive and collaborate process to help communities achieve success. Her approachable demeanor and experience working on a broad range of projects in places of all sizes inspires confidence in the planning practice and its possibilities for leading people to an even better future.

A Kansas City native, Cara spent her time in the northland area of Kansas City, took a detour to Iowa to attend Iowa State and start her planning career and decided it was time to move home to be closer to family. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, riding her bike, traveling, nurturing her plant babies, following along with her kids’ activities, spending time with family and cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones and Kansas City sports teams.

Cara holds a bachelor’s degree in Community and Regional Planning and minor in sociology from Iowa State University.