Swearer Center for Public Service

Candace Harper is the Deputy Director at West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation. She is responsible for providing key management, administrative and technical support to the Executive Director. Prior to joining the WEHDC team, she served as the Education and Training Director for the Community Action Partnership of Providence (CAPP), served as the Director of Industry Partnerships for the Division of Workforce Partnerships at the Community College of RI, was Chief of Operations for a local nonprofit start-up program and also served as the Family Engagement Coordinator at the College Crusade of Rhode Island. 

In addition to her work, Candace has made several community connections. In 2013, she served on the Family and Community Engagement Task Force for the Providence Public Schools.  She served on the Civic Design Team for the inaugural Providence Parent Leadership Training Institute at CAPP. Candace was a Core Team Member of the Ambassador Design Team for the Rhode Island Department of Education from January through June of 2015, and along with a team of twenty-three others, wrote the Strategic Plan for Pre-K through 12 Education in Rhode Island for 2015-2020.  Candace was also appointed by Governor Raimondo to the RI Family Engagement Advisory Council and she was also invited to participate in the RIDE’s Parent Outreach Design Team for the 2016-17 year.  

In her spare time, she and her husband Marquis Harper serve as the Marriage and Family Pastors at New Dimension Apostolic Center in Providence. She is a proud mother of two and grandmother of one grandson and one granddaughter-on-the way. Candace currently serves on the Fountainhead RI Advisory Board, is a member of the Greater Providence RI Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, is a past President and Life Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and is active in the Theta Psi Omega Chapter in Providence.

Candace received her Bachelors degree from Northeastern University and spent one year, post-graduate in the School of Journalism at Northeastern University.