Carey studied Fine Art at Goldsmiths College, followed by an MA in Aural and Visual Cultures, also at Goldsmiths. She is currently Deputy Director, Learning and Public Programmes at the Fitzwilliam Museum, where she is responsible for the strategic leadership and development of multidisciplinary creative learning experiences for a wide range of audiences. She has formerly held strategic, curatorial, and freelance roles at leading cultural institutions including Tate Britain, Tate Modern, the South London Gallery, South London Gallery, and the Courtauld.

Carey is Co-chair of My Cambridge, an initiative enabling young people to connect to cultural opportunities across the city. She is a Trustee at A New Direction, a not-for-profit organisation generating creative and cultural opportunities for children and young people, and Create London, an organisation who work with local communities in cities to commission art and architecture.