Candace Sahm, MA Ed
Executive Director; Chair, Board of Directors
Candace Sahm has a special interest in helping clients with ADHD successfully navigate the transition into and through college. She is a tireless advocate for raising awareness about ADHD. She leads workshops for conferences and community groups. Ms. Sahm is a coach, educator, and she has first-hand experience with ADHD. She holds a Master’s Degree in Special Vocational Education from GWU and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education and Elementary Education from the University of Maryland. Ms. Sahm has over 200 CEU credits in the areas of ADHD/LD/GT, Coaching, Executive Functioning, and Remedial Reading. She was also a coach and Study Strategies Teacher for the Lab School of DC, the Norwood School, and the Bullis School, to name a few.
She is a member of ACO-American Coaches Association, LDA-Learning Disabilities of America, CHADD-Children and Adults with Attention Deficit, and was Co-President for the LDA of Montgomery County group. She is also the Founder of Positive Learning Experiences (PLE), a highly regarded private tutoring center in suburban Maryland. PLE is known for its ADHD expertise, a coaching approach to tutoring, and SAT/ACT prep. She has also presented at conferences such as CHADD and LDA. She was very involved with ACCD- (American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities) and gained extensive experience with program development for special needs groups.
Candace has had great success in her professional life, so it might be surprising that, given her background, she went undiagnosed with ADHD into adulthood. But, the reality is that ADHD frequently goes undiagnosed because the symptoms of ADHD are often chalked up to "not trying."
This double diagnosis spurred Candace to learn everything she could about this misunderstood neurological disorder. Every year since 1996, Candace has attended the CHADD-Children and Adults with Attention Deficit conference, eventually serving as a conference presenter and a presidential board member. Since her diagnosis, Candace has tirelessly championed raising awareness about ADHD. She is involved with research, support, and advocacy for ADHD children and adults.
Driving Candace's work is the knowledge that children and adults with ADHD often labor under the mistaken belief that they are not intelligent when the ADHD brain is brilliant. Difficulties in focusing, organizing information, and managing time can make it challenging to bring the products of these amazing brains to fruition.
Candace knows firsthand how critical one-on-one coaching, guidance, and advocacy are for the success of children with ADHD. This is why she founded the CSahm Foundation: to bring these vital services to every deserving child.