NASW’s National Board Election is Under Way

Cast your vote by May 30

By Laetitia Clayton

Voting in NASW’s national election opened on May 1 with 18 candidates on the ballot and nine open board positions.

“This year’s election includes the selection of a president-elect, who will become president of the association in July 2026,” said current NASW President Yvonne Chase, PhD, MSW, LCSW, ACSW. “My year as president-elect with past President (Mildred “Mit”) Joyner at the helm allowed me to become immersed in the board activities and prepare for my term as president.”

Other positions to be filled this year include board secretary, member-at-large, BSW student member, Region V director, Region VII director, Region XI director, Region XII director, and Region V representative for the National Committee on Nominations & Leadership Identification (NCNLI).

Board members serve three-years terms, with the exception of student members, who serve for two years. The winners of this election will be ratified during the Annual Meeting of Members in June, and will begin their terms on July 1.

Outgoing BSW student member Hana Kisswani was interviewed for an article in Social Work Advocates magazine in 2024 about serving on the national board.

“Being a BSW student member means representing the future of upcoming social workers,” she said. “I think it is important to have a student voice on the board.”

Kisswani advised social workers to be active with their professional association. “Getting involved is really the most important thing that you can do as a social worker,” she said. “You are going to learn a lot about your community and the clients we serve as social workers.” Read the full article.

Cindy Bautista-Thomas, previous Region III board director, also was interviewed for an article in Social Work Advocates, in 2023. She said she viewed the position as an “opportunity to connect with other leaders across the country.”

As a social work educator, Bautista-Thomas said she wanted to be more grounded in the social work profession. “I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to do that and to dedicate some of my leadership skills to the profession.”

She noted that giving back is part of the social work Code of Ethics, and that service is one of the values. “Service is something everyone can contribute to. In order for us to grow in the ways that are needed at this time, it’s going to take more than our 9 to 5 jobs to make the impact that is needed politically, the impact that is needed on the grassroots level,” Bautista-Thomas says in the article. “It’s important to volunteer, because not one social worker can do it all. Being in a space where you make time to volunteer will make a broader impact in the world on issues that need support.” Read the article.

President Chase also stresses the importance of being involved in the association by voting.

“NASW depends on its membership to elect leaders who will continue to focus on the profession of social work and steer the course for the future,” she said. “These are challenging political times, and social work’s voice for social justice must be heard to make a difference for the increasing number of marginalized individuals and families.” 

Electoral Regions Updated

This year, election ballots will be aligned with the new regional alignment approved by the NASW board of directors, which will take effect on July 1. Find your region here.

About the Candidates

Learn more about the 18 candidates on the 2025 election slate, including short bios and platform statements, on our website and in the Spring issue of Social Work Advocates magazine, out this week. Read more about the vacancies and position descriptions.

Voting in NASW’s national election is open May 1-30 to NASW members in good standing. An email from Intelliscan Inc. should have been sent to you with a link to your personalized ballot. To request a hard copy ballot, contact Member Services at membership@socialworkers.org. Mail-in ballots must be received by May 30.