Cara Buenaventura

Biography

Cara Buenaventura is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Concordia University Irvine with more than three decades of critical care experience. She has served as a critical care RN since 1992 and has maintained CCRN certification since 2011. Her clinical background includes service as a Medical Emergency Team (MET) member at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California.

She is an active member of AACN/GLBOC, ACNL, and ANA, and contributes extensively to academic governance through her service on the AFSA and ACE committees. While on sabbatical, she completed outcomes analysis for the ACE committee (Spring and Summer 2019). Cara also served on the Sigma Theta Tau chapter board from 2017 to 2023, where she continues to support oversight of chapter bylaws.

Her service extends beyond campus. She volunteered as a greeter for the hospitality committee at Bethany Church in Long Beach (2014–2022), served as a women’s ministry table leader (2022–2023), and previously held leadership roles in the MOMS (Making Our Mothering Significant) program from 2008–2015, supporting new mothers and community outreach. She also participates in Concordia’s information sessions and assists with interviewing new faculty candidates.