Dr. Candace M. Kyles

Candace M. Kyles, EdD, MA, is a Chicago-born writer, educator, researcher, and theologian whose work sits at the intersection of faith, inquiry, and public life. She brings a distinctive interdisciplinary lens that integrates rigorous research and evaluation with theological reflection, church leadership, and curriculum development, creating pathways for deeper understanding across both academic and faith-based contexts.

Dr. Candace holds a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and a graduate certificate in Organizational Evaluation from Loyola University Chicago, a Master of Arts in Systematic Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Northern Illinois University. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago, where she teaches Research Methods, equipping graduate students with the tools to design, analyze, and apply research with clarity and integrity. Her academic training reflects her long-standing commitment to both analytical precision and theological depth, an approach that continues to shape her professional and ministerial work.

As a researcher and evaluator, Dr. Candace has extensive experience in educational research, organizational and program evaluation, and mixed-methods study design across K–12, higher education, and community-based initiatives. She specializes in culturally responsive and equitable evaluation, centering methodologies that honor diverse cultural perspectives, amplify marginalized voices, and prioritize community-defined measures of success. Her work spans large-scale, grant-funded initiatives, where she has evaluated complex, multi-site programs and translated findings into actionable strategies that strengthen outcomes and expand equitable access to opportunity. Her portfolio also includes cross-sector work in STEM education, behavioral and public health, community development, and faith-based organizations with a focus on fostering social cohesion, engagement, and long-term impact.

Alongside her research and evaluation work, Dr. Candace is deeply engaged in theological education and church leadership. With formal training in systematic theology and a passion for discipleship, she develops and facilitates theological curricula that invite critical engagement, spiritual formation, and practical application. Her work in faith-based spaces reflects a commitment to helping individuals and communities thoughtfully wrestle with the complexities of belief, particularly at the intersections of theology, culture, and lived experience.

As the curator of Sister Theologian, Dr. Candace has created a platform dedicated to exploring questions of life, faith, and culture through thoughtful dialogue and reflection. Grounded in the belief that the pursuit of truth strengthens faith, she cultivates spaces where rigorous thinking and deep conviction coexist. Across her writing, teaching, and leadership, she is committed to bridging divides between disciplines, communities, and perspectives, while fostering inquiry marked by both intellectual rigor and care.

She resides in Chicago, where she continues to write, research, and build spaces for meaningful engagement.

For speaking inquiries, contact candace@candacekyles.com.