Candance Brake is a native of the Owensboro area, the daughter of Joseph Paul Castlen II and Nancy Ward Castlen. Her father, a United States Marine, served three tours of duty in Vietnam and retired from BellSouth where he was a member of the Communications Workers of America. Joe died on Christmas Day 2004 at the age of 56. Her mother, Nancy, is a graduate of Kentucky Wesleyan College and teaches elementary school at Wayland Alexander in Hartford. Candance's only sibling is her brother Chris who is a US Marine and a Sergeant with the Owensboro Police Department. He and his wife Stacy, a high school teacher, have three daughters.

Candance is blessed to have two grandparents living -- Gertrude Castlen of Stanley and Harold Ward of Owensboro.

Her husband of 16 years is Dr. Nicholas Brake, President and CEO of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation. Nick and Candance have two children, Anna Caroline and Nicholas, and a beagle named Rootie.

Professionally, Candance has spent the majority of her career involved in public service. At 24, after serving as the Chamber's program manager, she was appointed Daviess County Deputy Judge/Executive. In this role she administered operations and personnel for an organization with 200 employees and a $35 million budget. She also acted as chief of staff and worked daily in economic and community development. She was appointed through two separate administrations, Democrat and Republican.

In 2000 Candance left Daviess County Fiscal Court for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. where she served as Vice President of Workforce Development and Education, and later as its Executive Vice-President. Her duties included creating and developing a long-term community and economic development strategy through conceptualizing and building partnerships between business and education. Several of the programs have received statewide and national recognition and awards including the Kentucky Industrial Development Council's First Innovation in Economic Development Award.

In 2004 she was successful in her first bid for public office earning a seat on the Owensboro City Commission where she is serving her third term.

She has also served as an adjunct faculty member in Western Kentucky University's Department of Government and an educational consultant.

Candance has served the community in various volunteer capacities throughout her career. Those include: Chair of Skills, Inc.; RiverPark Center Executive Committee; United Way Board and Allocations Panels; Girls, Inc. Board Member; Board Treasurer and Volunteer; The Chamber of Commerce Board; Citizens Committee on Education; Greater Owensboro Learning Community; Greater Owensboro Alliance for Education; Brescia College Board of Trustees, Brescia College Alumni Association President; Owensboro Rotary Board and club member; Sutton Elementary and Owensboro 5-6 Center Volunteer and Youth Coach; and a founding member of Impact 100.

Her education includes a Bachelor's Degree in History from Brescia University and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Western Kentucky University. In 2005, she graduated from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, Center for Public Leadership.