Cara Esposito is the Executive Director of the Leonetti/O’Connell Family Foundation which funds innovative projects and initiatives that benefit Los Angeles County and improve the wellbeing of its communities. Prior to her role as Executive Director, Cara spent nine years as a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney, with special emphasis in Juvenile Prosecutions.
Cara graduated with a BA from Harvard University, a JD from Loyola Law School, an MPA and a Doctorate in Policy Analysis and Planning from USC’s Price School of Public Policy. Her doctoral dissertation evaluated collaborative governance, network partnerships and implementation of participative systems specifically focusing on service delivery and intrinsic transaction costs between for profit, non-profit and governmental organizations at the Magnolia Community Initiative.
She is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Sol Price School of Public Policy where she teaches non-profit policy and theories of governance. In addition to the Board of Councilors, she sits on the board of Loyola High School. Cara is a lifelong resident of Los Angeles and is married to Joseph Esposito, with two sons.