Carolina was born in São Miguel, Azores. Married and with three children, she graduated in the Law Faculty of the University of Lisbon and began her career as a public law lawyer in PLMJ – Sociedade de Advogados. For the last 15 years, she has been engaged in the field of Science, Technology & Higher Education as part of the cabinets of several Ministers and Secretary of State, both as legal adviser and as head of the cabinet. As a civil servant at Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia,  Carolina was the legal adviser of the Board. She was Portugal’s representative at the INL Council. She recalls having had hobbies at some point in life.