Cara’s previous experience focused on workplace and campus investigations. She has conducted investigations in the roles of internal and external investigator and has worked as in-house counsel, external counsel, and in Human Resources roles. 

Trained in Trauma-Informed interviewing techniques, Cara is an experienced investigator in both on- and off-campus matters. She has conducted campus investigations involving student conduct as well as faculty conduct.

Cara is passionate and committed to improving the quality of workplace and campus investigations, and has focused the last decade of her practice conducting investigations and providing trainings. She currently serves and is actively involved in the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI) as faculty at the Training Institutes and as a member of the Board of Directors. 

Prior to her work with Van Dermyden Makus, Cara worked as Lead Counsel Business Conduct and Ethics at TriNet, a US-based publicly traded company, managing their internal investigation program. Before that she was an external neutral investigator for workplace and Title IX matters for both public and private institutions at the Law Offices of Amy Oppenheimer. At the beginning of her legal career, Cara served as a litigator in matters involving employment law, and provided advice and counsel to employers regarding compliance.

Cara is a member of the California Bar, and received her Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Texas A&M University.