Candace D. Battles received her Bachelor of Science degree in social work from Gannon in 1993. As an adult student, raising a family and holding a full-time job filled her schedule, yet she found time to be a member of the University’s Social Work Club. Ms. Battles went on to earn her Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western University, Mandal School of Social Work in 1997.
She has over 43 years of experience working with child welfare services, including positions at the Erie County Office of Children and Youth, Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Erie County Coordinated Day Care Program, Harborcreek Youth Services, Family Services and Perseus House.
Ms. Battles currently serves on the Housing And Neighborhood Development Services (HANDS) Board of Directors, Gaudenzia Crossroads Advisory Board, Fourth Ward Diversion Committee, Gannon University African-American Affinity group, Erie Times News Diversity Committee and Our West Bayfront Steering Committee. She has also been recently appointed to Gannon University’s Board of Trustees.
Since 1966, Ms. Battles has served her community in countless ways and on many boards, including the Gannon University National Alumni Board, the Greater Erie Community Action Committee (GECAC), Booker T. Washington Center Board of Directors, Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) Board of Directors, Head Start Council, Pennsylvania State Child Care Committee, National Welfare Rights Organization, and both the Mercyhurst College Social Work Advisory Board and the Edinboro University Social Work Advisory Board. She has also served on the Erie County Truancy Task Force, helped organize the Get Out the Vote Initiative as an active member of CALL, and is a parishioner of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church.
She has been recognized for her service by the Northwest Pennsylvania Division of the National Association of Social Workers and received the YMCA’s Black Achiever’s Award in 2002. In 2004, Ms. Battles was a finalist in the Women’s Roundtable “Woman of the Year” Award and was a member of the Mercy Center’s “Women Making History’s” Dynamic Dozen. She has also been awarded the Bayfront NATO Community Leadership Award for Humanitarian Outreach and the Community Service Award from the Gem City Lodge #328 and Ozeil Temple #317 I.B.P.O. Elks of the World.
Ms. Battles resides in Erie, Pennsylvania and is the mother of four adult children, eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
(Published in June 2016)