Influential Woman · Healthcare / Nonprofit
Candace Sanchez
Thrive Coaching / Director, Cantastic Media Productions, LLC
Milwaukee, WI 53221
Her Story
About Candace
Candace Sanchez is a seasoned healthcare IT professional with more than 30 years of experience in healthcare information technology and operations. Her career has progressed from early healthcare roles into technical, analytical, management, and strategic leadership positions, including her current role as Director of HIT Strategic Partnerships at Advocate Aurora Health. She has also held leadership positions with Ascension Information Services and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Candace holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, complemented by certifications in project management, cybersecurity, data analytics, and ITIL Foundation.
Beyond her corporate career, Candace is an author, podcast host, motivational speaker, Thrive Coach, and community advocate. She published her memoir, Unspoken—Because I Wasn’t Supposed to Tell, in 2020, transforming her personal experiences into a message of courage, healing, and empowerment. She hosts Unspoken: Conversations with Candace, a podcast that creates space for honest conversations and encourages people to find their voices. Through Thrive Coaching, speaking engagements, and her work with Cantastic Media Productions, LLC, she helps individuals pursue personal growth, resilience, leadership, and purposeful living.
Candace is also deeply committed to servant leadership, advocacy, and community engagement. She serves on the board of EndCAN and has been involved in initiatives focused on preventing child abuse, supporting survivors, and strengthening communities. Her advocacy extends through fundraising, mentorship, speaking, and efforts to build safe spaces where difficult stories can be acknowledged and healing can begin. A proud mother of two adult daughters and grandmother of six, Candace values family, faith, travel, and spending time near the water. Her professional and personal journey reflects a consistent commitment to turning adversity into purpose and using her voice to inspire others to move from surviving to thriving.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Candace
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my mom. She was a pillar of strength, a role model and inspiration. She had such a great work ethic. My mom always said, Candace, when you give back, it'll come back to you tenfold. There have been many coaches and people along the way... leaders, both men and women, mentoring, coaching me, sponsoring me. I come from humble beginnings. My family, my faith.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is go for it, don't be afraid, step out of your comfort zone. Third time's a charm. Fail forward. There's a lesson to be learned, and so that would be my advice, is everything that we encounter, everything we go through life, there's a lesson in it. And I believe with those lessons, it makes you a stronger, better person. It helps you be resilient. I believe in divine design.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Find yourself someone that can mentor you, or coach you, or counsel you. Find someone, reach out, don't be afraid to tap into your network. Don't be afraid to maybe message someone that you might not know. Do not be afraid to ask for help or guidance. Find someone that fits with you... and be able to walk alongside you. Someone that will pray with you.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I want to do more, but I have to be realistic. I still have to take care of me, right? I can pour into so many people, but am I pouring back into myself? So I'm very intentional with my business to take off June and July. I advocate for people to make sure they're being intentional with their time, but also to make sure they're pouring into themselves.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
For me, it's just trusting individuals, being a safe place. Having those spaces where you can share and know, like, it's safe to share. Having difficult conversations, some of the values, I would say, trust, integrity, honesty. Those are the three ones. Trust, honesty, integrity. And just having good character.
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