Candace Weber, Ph.D., serves as the Chief of Partnerships at the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, where she spearheads the creation, management, and implementation of strategic partnerships to support coalitions of early care and education advocates across Louisiana. A recognized thought leader, Dr. Weber is frequently consulted for her insights on enhancing early education workforce compensation in the state. Utilizing data and research, she advises businesses, chambers of commerce, advocacy organizations, and early care and education professionals on initiatives aimed at boosting workforce participation and strengthening the economy.
Before joining the Policy Institute, Dr. Weber was a Fellow in the Broad Residency in Urban Education Program at the Louisiana Department of Education. As Director of Early Childhood Strategy and Operations, she focused on data analysis and worked to expand the reach of the State’s Child Care Assistance Program to serve more families and children. In her final rotation, she served as Director of Education Finance, overseeing the management of the agency’s multi-billion-dollar budget.
Dr. Weber has over 15 years of experience in Corporate America, holding several leadership positions within two Fortune companies prior to her transition to the public sector.
During her doctoral studies, she was recognized as a 2022-23 Social Justice Scholar by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Her research explores early childhood education policy, particularly strategies to improve access to early childhood systems at scale. She is especially interested in the economic implications of child care and policies that support young children, their families, and the early education workforce.
Dr. Weber earned her Ph.D. in Public Policy from the Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Sciences at Southern University and A&M College. She also holds a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the Broad Center at Yale School of Management, an MBA from Pepperdine University, and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Xavier University of Louisiana. Throughout her career, Dr. Weber has committed herself to advancing educational equity as a pathway to social justice for communities and families with young children.