Candida Leon, MSW

Candida Leon is a bilingual social worker and educational advocate with over 25 years of experience helping families navigate complex systems to secure appropriate services for their children. A native New Yorker with Dominican roots, Candida was inspired by her mother’s intuitive support for others and pursued a career in social work, earning a Master’s from Columbia University.

Known for her creative problem-solving and thinking outside the box, Candida has worked in special education advocacy, pediatric healthcare, and child welfare, where she’s helped families in crisis, advocated for students with disabilities, and supported children and parents in life-changing situations. She provides guidance in navigating the New York City Department of Education system, advocating for services at IEP meetings, CPSE/CSE reviews, and Turning 5 transitions. She also assists parents in evaluating school placements and non-public options.

Her work in healthcare, Candida delivers clinical assessments, crisis intervention, and bereavement counseling, helping families cope with devastating diagnoses and supporting school reintegration and access at every step of the way.

A passionate educator, Candida has served as a lecturer and field instructor at Columbia University, mentoring the next generation of social workers with an emphasis on school reintegration.

Fluent in English and Spanish, and with knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL), Candida is dedicated to inclusive, culturally competent support for diverse communities and committed to finding innovative solutions to help children and families With culturally humbly supports.