Candice Jackson joined the team at Rustic Pathways in the summer of 2012 after graduating with her MBA from Lake Erie College in Ohio. After graduating with her MBA, Candice decided that she wanted to continue her career path in Human Resources while also working for an organization that she can stand behind and help support their mission, vision and values.
Candice started at the organization as the Human Resources Assistant in 2012 and worked her way up to now leading the Team Resources department.
As the Team Resources Manager, Candice enjoys supporting the organization’s most valuable assets, its employees and being a strategic partner across all departments in the organization. The most rewarding aspect of working in the Team Resources department is being able to engage with our employees and provide resources and support that will help them in both their professional and personal lives.
Candice enjoys being part of Team Resources team because of the amazing opportunity to be a part of shaping the company and being a true thought partner and offer meaningful change. Candice loves building genuine relationships with members across all areas in the organization. There’s always something new happening in Team Resources and she’s happy to be an essential resource to the organization.
Having a true passion for the work in Human Resources, one of the areas Candice enjoys the most is being able to strategically work with benefits brokers and providers to offer employees comprehensive benefits that will provide them with coverage that will best support them and their families.
Candice focuses on educating employees on their benefits options so they can best leverage them. She also loves that Human Resources is never boring. The work required in Human Resources is constantly changing and she enjoys the challenge it brings.
Rustic Pathways allows Candice to continue to work in the field that she enjoys the most, and she’s genuinely proud of the work completed at Rustic Pathways. Candice is most proud of the life changing experiences that students all around the world experience when they complete a program and for the true impact that Rustic Pathways has on communities around the world.
One of the proudest moments of being an employee at Rustic Pathways was when we were all challenged to raise money for Giving Week 2019 to build a brand new school for the village of Simha in Tanzania. It was truly incredible to see so many employees come together for a life changing project for so many in that community. It displayed how so many of us share the same passion to create a better world around us and to make a true impact on the communities we serve.
Looking back at the most memorable moments Candice has experienced at Rustic Pathways, the one that stands out the most goes back to 2016 when nearly the whole company gathered at Punderson Manor for companywide meetings.
The energy and teamwork that each individual contributed was an amazing experience to be a part of. It was especially incredible to meet so many different team members in-person from all over the world and work side by side with them to achieve a common goal.
Candice truly believes that travel is an essential part of every education. The world is ever changing and students should have the opportunity to experience many cultures outside of their own. We all gain a better perspective on life when we experience how others are navigating through life.
Having three kids, she’s excited for the day when they will begin traveling and have the opportunity to learn and experience the world around them and gain a true global perspective.
Read more about the Rustic Pathways team. Learn about Rustic Pathways programs.