Instead of returning to mixed practice like intended, she was distracted and fascinated by the practice of anaesthesia, and decided to pursue the discipline more fully and formally with a residency in veterinary anaesthesia at Murdoch University. Following a four-year stint at the University of Sydney, she moved to Melbourne in 2021 to pursue her career in private practice. Mara enjoys the challenge of critically ill patients, however she also gets a kick out of veterinary education and training.

Mara is a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia and is a registered specialist in Australia. She is also member of the Anaesthesia and Analgesia Chapter of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists.

When she is not thinking about how to better provide anaesthesia care and pain relief for companion animals, she enjoys long bushwalks, knitting, and aikido. She has a very cute, but very cheeky greyhound named Rosie.