Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight: Meet Candace Tiller

Each month, our Community Spotlight series honors the exceptional individuals who bring heart, dedication, and purpose to our supported employment programs. These changemakers not only help others succeed, they inspire everyone around them.

This month, we are proud to shine the spotlight on Candace Tiller, she is a vibrant and committed professional whose creativity, compassion, and tireless work ethic have left an incredible mark on our community.

Candace currently serves as a Records Specialist, where her work behind the scenes supports the success of over 150 individuals engaged in meaningful employment and community inclusion opportunities. From maintaining critical records and documentation to ensuring participants have everything in place for successful service delivery and compliance of EO contracts, Candace’s role is essential and her impact is undeniable.

But Candace brings much more than administrative skill to the table. Her deep understanding of inclusive employment, her lived experience, and her unwavering belief in people’s potential make her a cornerstone of our mission. Whether she’s streamlining systems or cheering on someone’s first day at work, Candace is a powerful advocate for dignity, independence, and opportunity.

Stay tuned to learn more about Candace’s journey, the story that led her into supported employment, and the moments that continue to inspire her.

Community Spotlight with Candace Tiller

Building Pathways, Empowering People

Each month, our Community Spotlight series highlights individuals who bring heart, innovation, and dedication to supported employment. This month, we’re excited to introduce Candace Tiller, a passionate advocate and Records Specialist with Employer’s Overload, currently supporting a thriving program at in one of Clark County’s largest participants for employment and community, where over 150 individuals are supported in meaningful work and community.

We sat down with Candace to learn more about her journey, her work, and what drives her deep commitment to inclusive employment.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your role and how you got started in supported employment?

I currently serve as a Records Specialist. My role involves ensuring that all customer profiles are up to date with annual required documents, health protocols, emergency contacts, and consents for information sharing. These are essential to delivering effective Individual Employment (IE) or Community Inclusion (CI) services.

I actually discovered supported employment by accident. After earning my Master’s in Social Work, I intended to continue working for DSHS, where I had completed a successful internship. However, a state hiring freeze redirected my path. While searching for work, I contacted an agency that offered supported employment services—something I knew nothing about at the time. Rather than just helping me find a job, they offered me a position. Had I known about supported employment earlier, I would have pursued this field from the beginning. It turns out to be exactly where I belong.

Q: What inspired you to pursue work in this field?

Once I was introduced to supported employment, PEACE, DDA, DVR, and related services, I knew I had found my calling. I grew up with an aunt who had developmental disabilities. She was never given opportunities to engage with her community, despite being incredibly capable. Thankfully, my parents were supportive and always encouraged her to live as independently as possible—she even became active in her church.

Looking back, I know she would have thrived with supported employment services. As a child, I also witnessed the ignorance and exclusion she faced from others, which made a lasting impact on me. That experience shaped my values and continues to guide my work today.

Q: Can you share a success story or moment that really stood out?

One story that will stay with me forever involved a young woman who was a quadriplegic. We worked together to secure a supported employment opportunity that matched her interests and skills.

More than just getting her hired, it was about empowering her to walk—or in her case, roll—into that interview with confidence. I encouraged her to let the interviewer see her, not the wheelchair. Up to that point, she had been told repeatedly what she "couldn’t" do. Watching her land her dream job was incredible, but the real magic was in what followed—her growing independence, her rising confidence, and the way her workplace became more inclusive and compassionate.

It was a privilege to be part of that journey.

Q: How do you help individuals overcome barriers to employment?

I always return to what I learned growing up with my aunt—people may do things differently, but that doesn’t mean they can’t do them well.

That’s where tools like Community-Based Assessments (CBAs) and Discovery come in. Whether someone communicates differently, needs extra time, or requires an accommodation, our job is to understand their unique approach to work and match them with environments where they can thrive.

Q: What strategies have you found most effective?

The most effective approach combines patience, creativity, and collaboration, with the individual at the center of everything.

Job carving or customization can often highlight someone’s strengths. Accommodations—like assistive technology, task organizers, or visual prompts—may also be necessary. No single strategy works for everyone, so it's essential to stay flexible and solution-focused.

Collaboration & Community

Q: How do you work with employers to create inclusive workplaces?

I do my homework. Before reaching out to an employer, I try to understand the job requirements and any potential barriers. I present realistic support options so employers don’t feel like they’re being asked to take on more than they can handle.

It’s about building a partnership—where everyone, including the employee, has the tools and support they need to succeed.

Q: What role does collaboration play in your work?

Collaboration is at the heart of supported employment.

It begins with the individual—listening to their goals, challenges, and hopes. Then we work as a team: employment specialists, families, agencies, and employers all coming together to build a strong, supportive foundation.

When collaboration is effective, we create truly inclusive environments where individuals can succeed and feel valued.

Q: What challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges early on was getting employers to see beyond a person's disability and recognize their potential. Another was finding the right balance between offering support and encouraging independence.

Over time, I learned that stepping back—letting someone try, maybe fail, and then try again—is where the real growth happens. That’s where confidence is built.

Q: How has this work shaped your personal or professional growth?

Personally, it’s taught me to appreciate the small victories, to be more patient and empathetic. I think of my aunt often and how important it is to honor each person’s unique way of doing things.

Professionally, I’ve grown in problem-solving, collaboration, and advocacy. I’ve become more resourceful, more creative, and more confident in my ability to help others succeed. It’s also helped me improve my communication—especially important since I come from a different region and sometimes use dialects or terms unfamiliar to others. I’ve become more mindful of how I express myself to ensure clarity and connection.

Q: What are your hopes for the future of supported employment?

I hope supported employment continues to evolve as a path to dignity, empowerment, and independence. Every time I see someone's confidence grow or watch an employer’s perspective shift, I’m reminded of what’s possible.

Q: If you could change one thing about the current employment landscape, what would it be?

I’d increase access to the resources that make supported employment successful—whether that’s job coaching, assistive technology, or ongoing community support. Everyone deserves the chance to contribute and feel the pride that comes from meaningful work.

Q: What keeps you motivated?

Over 40 years ago, when I worked in a care facility, there was an elderly man who used to sit on the back patio. He had owned a successful business in town. One day, he asked me, “Do you feel like you made a difference today?”

That question stuck with me. To this day, I ask myself that after every shift. Supported employment is the first job where I can truly answer yes on a regular basis.

From the smiles after positive work interactions to the pride in someone’s first paycheck, it’s the little moments that fuel me.

Q: What’s one thing you wish more people knew about supported employment?

Supported employment is so much more than helping someone get or keep a job.

It’s about dignity, empowerment, and belonging. It’s about believing in someone’s potential and building a community where everyone is valued not despite their differences, but because of them.