50 MIW honoree: Candice Lake

Candice Lake. Courtesy 616 Media

Candice Lake

Founder, director

Autism Center for Child Development/Wedgwood Christian Services

 

A passion for advocacy and inclusivity led Candice Lake, Ph.D., to develop and open a supportive space for children with autism spectrum disorder, while also implementing workplace policies that support and empower women.

As the director and founder of Wedgwood Christian Services’ Autism Center for Child Development, Lake’s team offers comprehensive, early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI) for children between 18 months and 5 years of age.

“I’ve built a center where we provide the highest quality therapy to children with autism, where we consider their desires and respect their dignity, and where people want to work. We’re showing that you can provide excellent, ethical services in an environment that is supportive and fun,” Lake said.

The center also recently expanded services to include therapy for older children and has plans to open after-school programming, social skills groups and summer camps within the fiscal year.

By implementing policies such as encouraging women to take time off from work to become a mother and care for a baby, offering mentorship and flexibility, and providing time and space needed for mothers to express breastmilk at work, Lake has made it her intent to help women successfully balance their career and family lives under her leadership. 

Lake also is a founding member and current board president of the Michigan Behavior Analysis Providers Association, where she has served for three years, and has worked to pass legislation and contributed to boilerplate language in Michigan’s state budget to advance the organization’s mission of promoting access to the science of applied behavior analysis through advocacy, education and quality practices.