Political Action for Candidate Election


We are currently recruiting for the Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE) Committee! If you are interested in learning more and getting involved, email Amanda Pressly at APressly.naswnys@socialworkers.org

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.

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

 

 

 

Committee Members:
Sarah Young, Ph.D., LMSW (Chair)
Christina Lesyk, LMSW (Treasurer)
Jeff Cox, LCSW
Pilar Bonilla, MSW
Cliff Jacobs, LMSW

Evelyn G. Williams, MSW (She/Her/Hers)
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.

 

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

Amanda 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.