Influential Women Spotlights Candiss Kumar, CPSM: Associate Director, Strategic Sourcing At Wolters Kluwer
Candiss Kumar, CPSM, is a seasoned supply chain and strategic sourcing leader, professional speaker, and published author with more than 30 years of experience driving operational excellence, supplier strategy, and organizational growth. As Associate Director Strategic Sourcing at Wolters Kluwer, a Fortune 500 organization, Candiss has built a distinguished career focused on improving efficiency, strengthening partnerships, and aligning team performance with business objectives.
With 29 years of experience at Wolters Kluwer, Candiss has developed extensive expertise in supply chain management, strategic sourcing, vendor relationships, market analysis, and operational optimization. She is also the Principal Owner of International Kreative Family, LLC, where she continues to expand her impact through entrepreneurship, speaking, mentorship, and leadership development. Her CPSM certification reflects her deep knowledge of supply management and her ongoing commitment to professional excellence.
Throughout her corporate career, Candiss has played an important role in supporting executive decision-making through market studies, data analysis, vendor research, and budget evaluations across marketing, sales, and human resources divisions. Her ability to connect strategy with execution has allowed her to help organizations improve processes, maximize resources, and navigate complex business environments.
One of the most defining moments of Candiss’ career came during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. At a time when organizations worldwide faced unprecedented disruption, she led a global supply chain organization overseeing 28 active projects. Recognizing the need for preparation before widespread shutdowns occurred, Candiss proactively helped teams transition to remote operations to ensure continuity and uninterrupted service for customers.
Beyond operational responsibilities, Candiss helped coordinate critical employee support efforts during one of the most challenging periods in modern history. She tracked affected employees and their families and assisted in providing essential resources, including oxygen and medical supplies. For Candiss, this experience remains the most meaningful accomplishment of her career because it demonstrated the importance of leadership grounded in compassion, responsiveness, and service.
In addition to her corporate achievements, Candiss is passionate about public speaking, training, and mentorship. She is dedicated to helping professionals—particularly women in business and supply chain fields—develop confidence, recognize their value, and pursue growth opportunities. Through speaking engagements and entrepreneurial initiatives, she combines professional expertise with personal experiences to inspire resilience, leadership, and meaningful change.
Candiss attributes her success to grit and perseverance. She believes these qualities have helped her overcome challenges, accomplish goals, and continue progressing throughout her career. While she acknowledges that achieving balance has not always been easy, she credits determination, persistence, and the willingness to fight for what matters as important factors in her professional journey.
She also believes that success is not solely measured by titles, compensation, or professional recognition. Throughout her career, Candiss focused on doing work she enjoyed and finding purpose in her contributions rather than becoming consumed by external measures of achievement. Today, she encourages younger generations—including her daughter and others entering the workforce—to pursue excellence while also protecting their personal well-being.
Based on lessons learned throughout her own career, Candiss emphasizes the importance of working hard without losing oneself in the process. She encourages professionals to remain committed, work smarter, and create a healthier relationship between career ambitions and personal fulfillment.
The best career advice Candiss has received is not simply to go to work and complete assigned responsibilities, but to become fully engaged in the work. She believes true professional success comes from bringing passion, authenticity, and purpose into every role. Building relationships, allowing others to see who you are as a person, and actively participating in the workplace are all essential components of meaningful career growth.
For young women entering the supply chain and business fields, Candiss offers a powerful message: know your worth. She believes women should recognize their value, advocate for themselves, and never hesitate to pursue environments where they are respected and appreciated.
Throughout her career, Candiss has mentored individuals who felt unhappy or undervalued in their roles. Her advice has remained consistent: no one is handcuffed to a position. If a workplace no longer supports personal or professional growth, she encourages individuals to have the confidence to seek new opportunities.
Candiss believes understanding personal worth is essential to building a fulfilling career. She encourages women to stand confidently in their abilities and recognize that professional growth often begins when they are willing to make courageous decisions.
Looking toward the future, Candiss sees artificial intelligence as one of the greatest challenges and opportunities shaping business today. She believes organizations must continue learning, adapting, and investing in education to understand how emerging technologies can be used effectively.
Currently, Candiss is pursuing certifications in various AI tools and preparing to speak with CEOs about positioning their organizations for the future of artificial intelligence. She recognizes that some professionals and businesses remain uncertain about AI, while others are embracing its potential to improve efficiency and innovation. For Candiss, the key is helping organizations understand how to strategically leverage technology while maintaining adaptability, awareness, and thoughtful implementation.
Among all the values that guide Candiss, balance remains one of the most important. She believes maintaining balance can be difficult in a highly driven professional world, but it is essential to protecting identity, relationships, and overall well-being.
Candiss emphasizes that companies are not family—family is family. While work can provide purpose, fulfillment, and achievement, she believes individuals should never become so immersed in their careers that they lose sight of who they are beyond their professional roles.
She understands that organizations must sometimes make difficult decisions, and employees may find themselves impacted by circumstances outside their control. Candiss believes that when someone’s entire identity is tied to their job, those moments can become especially challenging. Her message is to work hard, pursue success, and remain dedicated, but never lose yourself in your career.
As she enters the next chapter of her journey, Candiss Kumar remains committed to expanding her outreach and creating a lasting impact through education, mentorship, advocacy, and leadership. Through her corporate expertise, entrepreneurial vision, and dedication to empowering others, she continues to inspire professionals to embrace growth, recognize their value, and lead with purpose.
Learn More about Candiss Kumar:
Through her Influential Women profile, https://influentialwomen.com/connect/Candiss-Kumar
Influential Women
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