Cara Esposito, MPH, BS, LPN

Since becoming a nurse in 2005, Cara has built her career around advocating for patients and their families to ensure they receive compassionate, effective and equitable care. Her clinical background spans orthopedics, geriatrics, wound care, pediatrics, dermatology, otolaryngology and primary care, experiences that now guide her work supporting mesothelioma patients and their caregivers as they navigate every step of their treatment journey.

Driven by a passion for patient education and improved healthcare outcomes, Cara earned a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration with a minor in psychology in 2014 while serving as Clinical Operations Manager at Yale University and Yale Medicine. During this time, she played a vital role in a groundbreaking clinical trial, advocating for participants by helping them overcome barriers to treatment, medication access and insurance coverage. Her success in guiding patients through these challenges led to an invitation from a leading pharmaceutical company to educate nurses across the East Coast on supporting patients undergoing immunotherapy and navigating access challenges.

Committed to advancing ethical and equitable access to healthcare, Cara earned a Master of Public Health and Health Sciences from the University of New Haven in 2020. She later served the State of Connecticut as Regional Chief Operating Officer for Health Services, where she worked across disciplines to strengthen care delivery and ensure quality medical and mental health services for diverse patient populations.

Cara’s advocacy also extends to addressing the social and emotional challenges patients face. To better support individuals and families during vulnerable times, she has earned numerous supplementary credentials which help her to meet patients where they are, without judgment or stigma. These certifications, from Purdue University and the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, are in substance use disorder (opioid specialty), alcohol and drug use disorder. Cara is certified in Human Rights Education by the U.S. Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights and in Addressing Vicarious Trauma training through the New England Addiction Technology Transfer Centers. She is also trained in both Pediatric and Adult Mental Health First Aid, and QPR self-harm prevention.

Cara is known by colleagues and patients for her integrity and compassion, bringing a patient- and family-first approach to every interaction. She considers it a privilege to be a part of the Mesothelioma.com team, where she can advocate for mesothelioma patients and their loved ones by helping them access care, understand their options and feel supported throughout every stage of their journey.