Cara Abernathy
Cara Abernathy is a seasoned customer service and logistics professional with a well-rounded background spanning operations, transportation, sales, and business management. Her career is defined by a strong foundation in communication, critical thinking, and process optimization, developed through years of hands-on experience in fast-paced, customer-driven environments. From an early age, she demonstrated a natural ability to excel in customer-facing roles, consistently earning trust through professionalism, reliability, and a calm, solution-oriented approach to problem resolution.
Over the past three years, Cara has developed a specialized focus in logistics and customs brokerage, including nearly a year in her current role. Her career progression has been shaped largely through recruiter-led opportunities, reflecting the strength of her skill set and professional reputation. In her current position, she is responsible for clearing international shipments through customs, ensuring full compliance with regulatory requirements and accuracy in all documentation. Her day-to-day responsibilities include high-volume data entry, meticulous verification of shipment details, and ongoing collaboration with clients to collect and validate essential customs information. She also leads recurring Microsoft Teams meetings for annual customer reviews, reinforcing alignment, improving communication, and strengthening long-term client partnerships. Her attention to detail and proactive communication style have contributed significantly to operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Throughout her professional journey, Cara has consistently prioritized exceptional customer service as the cornerstone of her work ethic and career success. Her ability to build strong, trusted relationships has not only enhanced client experiences but also earned her direct recognition from customers, including being identified as a preferred point of contact within her organization. This acknowledgment reflects her commitment to responsiveness, accountability, and genuine care in every interaction. In addition to her logistics expertise, she is highly proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and Word, and has experience developing training materials, streamlining workflows, and supporting system improvements. Cara’s career reflects a steady progression of growth, adaptability, and dedication to delivering high-quality service while continuously elevating operational and customer experience standards.
• Saint Charles Community College - AA
• Crohn's and Colitis Foundation research
What do you attribute your success to?
My friends and family who supported me through my career, and the opportunities that have presented themselves at the perfect time.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
If you do your best, then you should be proud of what you’ve accomplished.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't rush it. Take your time and figure out what you really want to do. Find opportunities that actually line up with your values, because honestly, it's so hard nowadays to even get a chance, let alone the perfect one. I wanted to be an architect when I was growing up. That's why I sometimes think about schooling, but at the same time, schooling doesn't always help you get there.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges come with constantly adapting as an organization. With everything going on in the economy and changes in government policy, we're always having to learn new tariffs and regulations as they come out. A big part of my role is staying up to date with those changes and then implementing and communicating them clearly to our clients so they understand how it affects their shipments and processes. Keeping up in the industry really comes down to constantly tracking those new tariffs and making sure we're applying the most current information correctly.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Communication, honesty, family, and respect are the values that matter most to me. Beyond that, I believe in just being who you are and putting some fun into it. Authenticity and bringing joy to what you do makes all the difference.