National Association of Social Workers-MO Chapter Ballot (2025) for President Elect
Elections to begin on 5/27/2025 and end on 6/6/2025
Board Positions to start on 7/1/25
2025 Chapter Board Slate of Candidates
Candidate Statements
Ambur Banner
Amber Banner is a seasoned macro-level social worker and visionary leader currently serving as the Director of St. Louis County’s Human Services Department. Ambur brings 15 years of experience in health and human services, 13 years at the executive-levels of government, and holds a BSW, MSW, MBA and is a Licensed Social Worker (LSW). Ambur is deeply invested in fostering inclusive and supportive work environments where each team member is empowered to reach their highest potential.
As the National Association of Social Workers - Missouri (NASW-MO) Chapter President-Elect, Ambur's passion-of-focus will be on strengthening the profession of social work by promoting sustainable workforce development mechanisms and pipelines that address Statewide unemployment and workforce shortages by creating opportunities for social work students and professionals through government employment at local-levels.
Ambur arrived in Saint Louis, MO in November 2023, was elected to join NASW-MO's Board as a Member-At-Large by June 2024 and was recently selected by Focus STL to join the 2025 - 2026 Leadership Cohort. Ambur continues to demonstrate her continued commitment to servant leadership to Missouri, modeling the values of NASW, and promoting initiatives that create lasting change.
As NASW-MO embarks on its next chapter, Ambur looks forward to supporting the vision of NASW-MO's incoming Executive Director, Tiffany Grant, and serving as a continued member of NASW-MO's Board to advance the mission of NASW to meet the ever evolving needs of our State and communities. Previous Board-held appointments include: (1) Vice President, National Association of Social Workers, Aug. 2018 – Aug. 2019 & (2) Board Member, National Association of Perinatal Social Workers (Nationwide), Aug. 2018 – Aug. 2019.
Nicholas Simons-Bracken
I’m Nicholas Simons-Bracken, a licensed clinical social worker, educator, Doctorate, and long-time advocate for our profession. I’m running for President-Elect of the NASW-Missouri Chapter because I believe in our community's strength and social work's power to lead change in Missouri and beyond.
Over the past two years, I’ve had the honor of serving as a Member-at-Large on the NASW-MO Board and as Co-Chair of the Professional Development Committee. Helping organize last year’s in-person conference and connecting with so many dedicated professionals reaffirmed my commitment to building spaces where we can learn from each other and grow together. It was energizing to be part of that momentum.
In my day-to-day work, I wear many hats, such as providing therapy, supervision for LMSW's, teaching future social workers, and supporting organizational leadership. I’ve served as the CEO of a mental health nonprofit, worked in emergency departments conducting crisis assessments, and now teach full-time at the University of Kansas. These roles have deepened my understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing social workers at every level of practice.
I’m excited about NASW-MO's future, especially with the leadership of our new Executive Director and the support of national partners. If elected, I’ll focus on strengthening our chapter’s visibility, expanding access to professional development, and advocating for the policies and practices that support our diverse membership across the state.
This isn’t just about holding a title, it’s about continuing to show up, listen, collaborate, and lead with integrity. I’m ready to continue that work and would be honored to serve as your next President-Elect.
If you are a member and did not receive an email regarding the ballot, please contact the chapter office at chapter.naswmo@socialworkers.org
Ballots must be received by May 2nd at 11:59pm CDT