Candace Moreno Ferguson, Ed.D.

Dr. Ferguson is a principal at Synergy, where she serves as the project director for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) National Technical Assistance Center. She has 28 years of experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including extensive collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education, state education agencies (SEAs), and local governments. Her background includes service as the SEA coordinator for Texas’s 21st CCLC program and leadership across a broad range of initiatives involving afterschool programs, dropout prevention, juvenile justice, emergency management for schools, school safety and violence prevention, youth development, substance use prevention, educator evaluation, human capital management systems, and educational technology.

Dr. Ferguson earned her Doctorate in Education from Baylor University in 2023. Her dissertation examined organizational implementation of trauma-informed approaches in alternative education settings and reflects her commitment to improving the well-being of students and the professionals who support them. She is a passionate advocate for educational equity, whole-child development, and evidence-based approaches that strengthen outcomes for youth, families, and communities.