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With over 15 years of experience in public and private sector communications, Candice brings a proven track record of elevating brand strategy and public engagement to Oregon’s largest urban school district.

Previously, Candice served as Deputy Chief of Communications for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), where she led the district’s brand campaign, “The Future of CMSD.”

Prior to CMSD, Candice served as Strategic Communications Advisor for McDonald’s USA, where she developed communication strategies to bridge the internal messaging gap between McDonald’s corporate and franchise owners across the 15 states. She most notably introduced 150 Chicago Public Schools students to career opportunities during McDonald’s Founder’s Day – the first in McDonald’s history.

Candice’s experience includes serving as Public Information Officer for Memphis, Tennessee, Mayor Lee Harris, where she led COVID-19 crisis response and public engagement, acted as the administration’s spokesperson, and managed media and community outreach campaigns.

Candice supported the 2016 Democratic National Convention’s Joint Press Office, managing logistics for national press writers and coordinating with Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the DNC team.

Her resume also includes working in private and public sectors, including the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the Memphis Urban League, thyssenkrupp , American Airlines, and Kraft Heinz.

A passionate community advocate, Candice launched the annual outreach project “Queens Need,” which has donated over 10,000 feminine hygiene products to school-aged girls. She serves on the Council of Great City Schools and the National Assessment Governing Board’s TUDA Taskforce, advising districts on using data to effectively tell their stories, and was recently named Crain’s Cleveland 2024 Notable Leaders in Communications. She has a B.A. in journalism and communications from Hampton University.