Girlstart’s Women in STEM weekly series highlights various women who are making a difference in STEM. Be inspired as these incredible women describe how they became interested in their field, provide insight into a day in the life, and share learnings from their experiences.

Candace McCabe

Sr. Solution Architect – InfoSec GRC @ Walmart

Candace has been the “only girl” in the room many times in her career. She has fought to develop a tribe of women that stand with her, in spirit, in those kinds of rooms today. Because of this, she wants to encourage girls to feel empowered to stand up and stand out in STEM careers knowing that there are women like her here to help. We are greatly honored to have such a strong woman on our blog today and we are excited to hear what she has to say!

Was there a specific moment in your life that led you to your STEM career?
I always had an aptitude for languages, as well as math. Data has always made sense. Once I was introduced to project management and product delivery using data, I was hooked.

What is a “Solution Architect”?
I am an expert strategist, architect, and leader with 25+ years of experience in information privacy and governance, analysis, design, architecture, and project management. I have deep expertise in information privacy, architecture, and governance; enterprise architecture; and technical architecture.

What projects have you worked on in your career?
I am currently the product owner for analytics and machine-learning based forecast and ordering system for disaster preparedness. I previously developed and managed the information governance and information privacy practices at another Fortune 400 company.

What is your greatest achievement?
Raising a strong, smart, independent daughter.

Why is confidence in STEM important for girls?
These girls will be the “only” in the room. They have to be confident in their ability and their knowledge to bring that highly valued diverse voice into that room to be heard. Without these diverse voices, we will never have the best products and services available.

What words of encouragement would you share with girls wanting to pursue a career in STEM?
I, and others like me, are here! We want to stand with you, beside you, and behind you to help you navigate this world and be the best that you can be.