Political Action for Candidate Election

Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) is the political action arm of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) on the federal and state level. PACE endorses and financially contributes to candidates who support NASW’s policy agenda.

NASW-NYS PACE endorses and contributes to state and local candidates for elected office. NASW-NYS PACE is responsible for working collaboratively with the state chapter to guide the process of endorsements, raise and distribute funds for political action, and mobilizing social workers to vote by informing members of which candidates have been endorsed. Contributions to NASW-NYS PACE are used to support state and local candidates who support NASW-NYS’s policy agenda.

NYS PACE is committed to endorsing candidates from all political parties who are running for elected office within New York State, regardless of political affiliation. Our objective is to ensure that the endorsement process is rooted in evaluating the candidate's record, their application for endorsement, their level of community involvement, and, most importantly, whether their actions and values align with the core values of the social work profession.

Committee Members:
Christina Lesyk, LMSW (Treasurer)
Pilar Bonilla, MSW
Cliff Jacobs, LMSW
Sonia Swan, MSW
Monique Murray, MSW

Join PACE

We are currently recruiting for the Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) Committee! If you are interested in learning more and getting involved, please complete the form available here.

Donate Now

PRINT CONTRIBUTION FORM:
Download and print the contribution form (PDF) and mail it to NASW-NYS PACE at 188 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY, 12210

Do you support increased wages for New York State social workers? Why or why not?

Dr. Anna Kelles, Assembly District 125
"Yes. Now more than ever social workers play a vital role in healthcare, and we should be looking to attract and retain more social workers in the profession."

If elected, how will you uplift and invest in the social work profession?

Harvey Epstein, Assembly District 74
""I will stand with social workers and help advocate for them."

How have you supported the social work profession?

Donna Lupardo, Assembly District 123
"I have co-sponsored numerous measures supported by NASW over many years of service."

How have you supported the social work profession?

Patricia Fahy, Senate District 46
"I have long supported bills that would support our social worker workforce, including the Social Work Workforce Act, Medicaid Home Care Access Act, and more. I've fought for better wages for social workers, better working conditions, and to ensure that we're staffing social workers in more settings while recruiting and retaining more in the workforce. That includes increasing and improving benefits, pay, and more to ensure our workforce, one of the most trained and skilled in the nation, has the tools and resources necessary to do the job."

How have you supported the social work profession?

Jessica González-Rojas, Assembly District 34
"I’m the prime sponsor of the Social Work Workforce Act and of legislation to expand the number of mental health professionals including social workers in schools. I’ve employed social workers and hosted social work interns since I assumed office."

How have you supported the social work profession??

Senator Samra Brouk, Chair of Mental Health Committee - Senate District 55
"During my work so far as Chair of the Senate Committee on Mental Health, I have prioritized cost of living adjustment for state mental health workers, many of whom are social workers. I also successfully passed S.9449 (2022), which allows mental health professionals like LCSWs to maintain their diagnosing ability. I have also introduced legislation to establish a social worker pilot program S8594. As well as legislation S5975 to repeal the requirement that applicants must pass an examination in order to qualify as a licensed master social worker."

Evelyn G. Williams, MSW (She/Her)
Policy Director

Evelyn G. Williams has over 30 years of progressive experience in health care administration, consulting, legislative advocacy, and teaching at the baccalaureate and graduate levels. Her primary professional direction was in community health care assisting in opening three community health centers (CHC) and providing technical assistance to CHC’s in the federal Region II locations. She also held several administrative positions in the NYS Department of Health. In 1999, after completing eleven years as the President/CEO of Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Center, Evelyn chose to pursue her consulting career, working with community-based organizations in the areas of program development, strategic management, and leadership.

Her consultant endeavors include providing consultant services to state and federal agencies, community-based organizations, and social/cultural groups. She assisted organizations in opening health care programs, developing short and long-term strategic plans, writing grants, conducting organizational performance evaluations, designing fundraising projects, facilitating governing board retreats, and planning and implementing statewide and national conferences and professional meetings.

Concurrent with the progressive experience in health care, Ms. Williams has had varied teaching positions since 1979. Completing her tenure in FORUM and the Center of International Programs within Empire State College, she is currently a lecturer within the School of Social Welfare, University at Albany.

Ms. Williams’ leadership skills are represented through serving on several statewide and regional professional organizations’ governing boards, as well as her role as legislative chair and chairperson of the community health care statewide association.

Ms. Williams, in addition to the above, is a certified yoga & Shake Your Soul/Dancekinetics instructor and a proud grandmother.

Contact us.

Submit PACE inquiries to APressly.naswnys@socialworkers.org

Amanda Pressly (She/Her/Hers)
Policy Coordinator
apressly.naswnys@socialworkers.org
518-463-4741 Ext. 384A

manda Pressly is a highly motivated advocate for positive change that has experience in the government sector as well as the non-profit sector. Serving as the Policy Coordinator for NASW-NYS, Pressly has lived in New York State her whole life. After furthering her education at Cazenovia College, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management with Minors in English and Pre-Law. Pursuing her Masters, she attended Albany Law School for a graduate degree in Government Affairs and Advocacy, solidifying her understanding about what it takes to invoke change at a local, state, and federal level. Pressly’s expertise is diverse, with a background in Public Relations, Marketing, Policy, and Government Relations.

Prior to entering the social work world, Amanda Pressly has worked as Media Manager for Cazenovia Welcomes Refugees, supporting immigrants seeking asylum in Central NY. She was instrumental in the facilitation of housing projects, which housed families integrating into new communities. Also, she aided the assimilation process to engage neighbors, churches, schools, and the community-at-large to support new families in their transition. Following this era, Pressly served as a Resolution Writer for the New York State Legislative Bill Drafting Commission. Here, she acquired knowledge about the inner workings of the State Capital and experienced multiple legislative sessions, while demonstrating the Bill Drafting process.

Pressly is passionate about supporting the essential social work workforce; eliminating systemic racism; implementing actions towards COVID-19 recovery; ensuring access to health, mental health, and behavior health services; addressing economic inequality and promoting increased funding in those areas; reforming criminal justice and policing; lastly, ensuring workplace safety for social workers and preventing violence.

Pressly’s goals are to identify key issues in the ever-evolving field of social work and to work with the necessary political players or entities to create and fight for solutions. Her drive towards positive change will reach individuals that are members, social workers, clients, patients, and residents of under-resourced communities. Focusing the conversation on advances in social work that will inspire a betterment of services provided in communities and also bring necessary change to society is vital as we engage the public and the government.

Growing up in Cherry Valley, New York, Amanda Pressly is the middle child of two brothers and is family centered. She was originally born in Long Island, and her family still enjoys sailing on the bay. In addition, she played D3 lacrosse and soccer for Cazenovia College, making it to the NCAA tournament in 2021 for lacrosse.

Political Action for Candidate Election