As Co-Founder & Managing Director, Candace leads Carbonate's strategic vision with a forward-thinking approach to hospitality branding, consumer insights, and client partnerships. She works closely with the agency's team and clients to shape distinctive concepts, uncover emerging opportunities, and ensure every engagement delivers meaningful business impact. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience, Candace has helped restaurants, hotels, and hospitality brands navigate change, build lasting guest connections, and grow with purpose.

Throughout her career, Candace has partnered with clients ranging from global corporations and boutique hotels to multi-concept restaurant groups and Silicon Valley startups, helping translate bold ideas into brands that drive both loyalty and growth. Before co-founding Carbonate, Candace served as Managing Director of Consulting Services at af&co., one of the country's leading hospitality consulting firms. There, she led a team in creating, launching, and refining more than 40 restaurant, hotel, and hospitality concepts nationwide, while overseeing the development of the firm's influential annual Hospitality Trends Report for more than a decade. 

Candace holds both a B.S. in Communications and an M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University. Before beginning her career in hospitality, she was a classically trained vocalist and actress who performed on stage, television, and film—including a memorable appearance in the vintage McDonald's commercial, "This Is My McDonald's!"