Cara Wiggins

Co-owner & Behavior Services Program Director

Hello! My name is Cara. I am the Co-owner and Behavior Services Program Director of Among Friends, LLC.  I joined Among Friends in March of 2017 and have done everything from supporting intake / scheduling for our Behavior Services Program and working with clients to managing operations and supervising staff.  If you have worked with our agency, chances are you’ve worked with me.  I am excited to share that on May 1st, 2023, Shanya and I became legal partners, co-owning the Agency and I became the Behavior Services Program Director.

In my free time, I love being in nature, going to the beach or walking in the trees. I am an avid Geocacher and found caches in Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Colorado, Hawaii, Florida and Canada.  My goal is to find a geocache in all 50 states and Mexico in the next 10 years.  I have a rescue named Lucy, whom I love spending time with as well.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to live my passion and love what I do.  I look forward to working with you.

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Get to Know Cara

  • I love spending time in nature. I enjoy camping, hiking, geocaching and painting.

  • In July of 2019, my son and I rescued a very sweet dog. Her name is Lucy. Lucy is a Chihuahua / Terrier mix that loves cuddling, playing with squeaky toys and time outside.

  • I live in a quiet neighborhood in SW Portland in a house with a beautiful backyard with my son and mom, whom I provide care for.

  • I have a 20 year old son. His name is Kit. He enjoys video games, time at the beach and hanging out with friends.

  • I have lived in Oregon most of my life and LOVE it here. I was lucky to spend a year in Colorado and really liked it there, but Oregon is definitely home.

  • The quarantine was very enlightening. It taught me a lot about what is really important to me, like family and friends. I also learned a lot about the people in my life, what their values are and how they treat others when times are hard.

  • I was blessed with the opportunity to go to Maui for my 50th birthday. I loved being able to swim in the warm ocean and snorkeled for the first time. I saw turtles and incredible scenery. It was magical.

  • One of the best shows I have seen is Blue Man Group in Las Vegas. It was an experience I will never forget.

  • Guns and Roses, because they rock and bring back a lot of good memories.

  • One of my favorite home cooked meals is pork chops, have to be bone in, home made apple sauce and pan cooked asparagus.

Professional Information

  • The school of Life and Learning Opportunities.

    Although I do not have a degree that applies to this field, I have been working with individuals with I/DD for several years.

  • 7 years (as of 2024)

  • I am a 3rd Degree Black Belt and taught Martial Arts for 13 years. I worked with students ranging from 3 years old to 64 years old.

  • My philosophy is that everyone deserves the opportunity to live their best life and I am blessed with the chance support them in that.

  • When working with one of my first clients, we were discussing sexuality and relationship goals. The client shared very personal information and then stated “I have never shared this with anyone before. Thank you for making me feel safe and supported”.

  • Shanya Luther has been both my employer and mentor for many years. She has taught me so many things in the time I have known her. One thing that stands out is that she has taught me how to stay curious and ask questions when working with someone that has behaviors that are difficult.

  • I love working with teams and clients to connect them with the Behavior Professional that will be supporting them with Behavior Services. The work we do changes lives and is my passion. I am so blessed to be able to do what I love.