After 6 years in Springfield, Cara now calls Springfield home, but she is not a Missouri native. Cara grew up in the Chicago area. A die-hard fan of all Chicago sports, she is still adjusting to life in "Cardinal Nation."

In 2000, Cara graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. After graduation, she did a two-year stint at WIFR in Rockford, Ill., as a reporter and weekend anchor.

In 2002, she made he way to KY3 News as the early morning field reporter for Ozarks Today. A little more than a year later, she switched to the afternoon and evening shift. She took over the Contact KY3 Consumer Investigative Unit in 2006.

Cara has received several Missouri Broadcasters Association Awards and a regional Radio-Television News Directors Association Murrow Award. She has also received two Mid-America Emmy Awards.

The first Emmy was for an investigation uncovering a major problem with drivers running school bus stop arms. The investigation led to the change of several laws to better protect kids on the way to school.

She received her second Emmy in October 2008 for an investigation into Springfield's recycling centers. Following a viewer tip, she found sensitive documents were being dumped by a federal agency in recycling centers without first being shredded.

In addition to these awards, Cara was also named an honorary firefighter by the Springfield Fire Department for various reports she has done relating to fire safety.

Cara says the reason she comes to work every day is to produce stories that protect your money, families, and lives. This mission became even more important to her following the birth of her daughter, Avery Rose. She and her husband Brad welcomed Avery to the world in April 2007.

If you have a consumer complaint or other story you’d like Cara to investigate, please email her at crestelli@ky3.com.

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Favorite movie: "The Shawshank Redemption"

Favorite Book: "Gone with the Wind"

Favorite Pizza: Chicago-style deep-dish pizza (is there any other kind?)

Favorite type of music/band/group: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, U2, Coldplay