Candace Thompson

Candace is a native of Dallas, Texas, and has 20 years of experience serving the nonprofit sector. She is a trusted community collaborator, community advocate pursuing equity in all spaces and an aspiring farmer in pursuit of collective health and well-being.

As CFT’s community philanthropy officer, Candace forges and fosters synergistic relationships with – and amplifies the work of – North Texas nonprofits, supporting capacity and asset-building efforts to help create a thriving community. She supports CFT’s philanthropic advising, disaster philanthropy, community grant cycles and grantmaking from CFT’s W.W. Caruth, Jr. Fund.

Prior to joining CFT, she served as the community outreach manager for Baylor Scott & White. While in this role, she managed community relations, a team of 30 state-certified community health workers and led initiatives to decrease health disparities through the provision of evidence-based health and wellness programming for nonprofit organizations and houses of worship throughout Dallas.

She also was community outreach director for Jubilee Park & Community Center, a case manager with Housing Crisis Center for families experiencing homelessness and director of program and operations for Catholic Volunteers in Florida, a statewide AmeriCorps program.

Candace holds a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Texas at Dallas, and a dual master’s in social work and public administration from the University of Texas at Arlington.

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP / BOARD SERVICE

Candace is passionate about community volunteerism and serves on several boards and committees. She is the founder and board chair of the Friends of Juanita Craft Civil Rights House & Museum and serves on the boards of Miles of Freedom and Seeds of Faith Collective.

She has formerly served on the boards of the Moorland Oak Cliff YMCA, Community Council of Greater Dallas and Cultiv8 Community and is the past Environmental Commissioner for District Four in the City of Dallas. Candace is an accomplished TedX speaker and public voices fellow with the OpEd Project.

She is currently a member of the City of Dallas Environmental Health Committee, was one of the founding members of the HERitage Giving Circle, and is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

In 2023, she received the Pride in Excellence award for Civic Engagement from the City of Dallas.