The 2023 NASW-Illinois Chapter Elections will take place from April 1–30, 2023. Keep an eye on your e-mail for a link to the electronic ballot. Be sure to have your selections prepared before opening the electronic ballot.
OPEN BOARD POSITIONS
VICE-PRESIDENT FOR BUDGET AND FINANCE (Two-year term)
Hilary Edgerly, MSW (Southern Illinois University Carbondale), LCSW
Hilary Edgerly is the Chief of Social Work Service at VA Illiana Health Care System. In this role, she has clinical and administrative responsibility and oversight of over 120 Social Workers, Rehabilitation Counselors, Nurses, Peer Support Specialists and support staff. Hilary began her career at VA Illiana shortly after graduate school. She has experience in many clinical program areas including care management, long-term care and geriatrics, acute medicine, home care, primary care, mental health and returning combat veterans programs. Hilary has extensive experience in policy/program development and management, advocacy, accreditation and survey readiness, system redesign and process improvement, graduate education programming and continuing education workshop development and presentation. She also has knowledge and experience managing budgets, personnel and equipment inventory. Hilary served on the National Association of Social Workers Illinois Chapter Board of Directors as Secretary from 2018-2022. She serves as the Chairperson of the Veterans Health Administration Case Management and Social Work Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Communications Committee. She is passionate about helping individuals and families in physical and mental health wellness and cultivating a diverse workforce that celebrates inclusion and equity. She strives to foster an environment of collaboration, learning and empowering growth of future social work leaders.
EAST CENTRAL DISTRICT CHAIR (Two-year term)
Melissa Box, MS (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), LCSW, MPH, LSOE, LSOTP
Melissa has 12 years of experience helping families heal from trauma. She has received training in play therapy and specializes in working with young children and their parents to reduce trauma-related symptoms and process abuse and neglect. Melissa is also skilled in treating children with sexual behavior problems and children who have experienced foster care and adoption. Melissa believes that parents have the power to help their children heal from trauma and that children have the power within themselves to find the way to healing. Melissa is passionate about the primary prevention of child sexual abuse and trauma and obtained her Masters in Public Health specializing in violence prevention. Melissa believes in the power of evidence-based approaches, community collaboration, and resilience-building initiatives to prevent adverse childhood experiences. Melissa has been involved in statewide consultation and support services for therapists affiliated with the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA). She is also an advocate for quality, ongoing professional/continuing education for social workers on the front lines who carry the burden of mental health and wellness for so many children and families. Melissa believes Black Lives Matter and love is love and is a compassionate advocate for anti-racism, cultural consciousness and humility, and the celebration of all abilities.
NORTHEASTERN DISTRICT CHAIR (Two-year term)
Jacki Brunk, MSW (California State University, Long Beach), LCSW
As a social worker, Jacki has worked in public and private child welfare; advocated for and empowered parents through work in Early Intervention; and served as adjunct professor, teaching and mentoring social work students. She currently works in a private practice where she can hone in on her skills to help children, adults and families improve their mental health. She continues to supervise social workers earning hours for licensure.
Throughout her career, Jacki has focused on advocating on behalf of those in need. This past year, she was fortunate to serve as the NASW Northeastern District Chair and discovered another fulfilling way to advocate for others. She participated in board meetings where legislation was discussed, as well as learned about current research and data on social workers efforts to enhance and improve the profession. She organized CEU events that energized social workers to learn more about marginalized populations and how they can further serve to help these populations in their everyday work. She's hopeful she can serve in this capacity for the upcoming term and that she can continue to offer other social workers an avenue to collaborate with fellow colleagues, as well as learn vital information that will further enhance the quality of their work.
THREE RIVERS DISTRICT CHAIR (Two-year term)
Kari Buttera, MSW (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), LCSW
After graduating with her MSW, Kari worked at a special education school in Washington, DC that served students with emotional and learning disabilities. Kari then moved to Philadelphia where she worked at a non-profit agency with teens and young adults who were aging out of the foster care system. She provided counseling and case management services to clients from diverse backgrounds with varying mental health needs. She was responsible for the supervision of interns and provided individual and group supervision to social work interns and staff seeking their clinical licensure. Kari then moved back to Northern Virginia and worked in a charter school and public-school setting. While working for a large public-school division, Kari served as a crisis team leader and as a trauma trainer for school staff. She promoted trauma informed classroom practices and restorative approaches to improving behavior and outcomes for students.
In addition to holding a LCSW in multiple states, Kari holds a Professional Educator’s License with an endorsement as a School Social Worker in Illinois and a Pupil Personal Services License in Virginia. After moving back to Illinois in 2019, Kari worked as a school social worker at a public high school in Naperville. Kari joined the University of Illinois School of Social Work Field Office as a Field Liaison in April 2022. She works with MSW students throughout their internship process. She also teaches field seminar classes for school social work students. Kari lives in Naperville with her family. She enjoys reading, Pilates, knitting, and traveling in her free time.
Roxann Camparone, MSW (Aurora University), LCSW, CAADC, PCGC, CODP II
Roxann has worked in social services for almost 30 years She has been a member of NASW since 2001. She has lived and in the Three Rivers community most of that time with her fiancee and 2 dogs. Giving back by training students for thier MSW and LCSW. She believes that Social Work is the future. She has run a private practice for the last 8-9 years. . Her platform is 2 add more acknowledgement of social workers. They are the unsung heros of many areas of life and have never gotten the recognition they deserve. She also would like to work with other agencies in the Three Rivers District to provide monthly or bimonthly trainings for the district.
WEST CENTRAL DISTRICT CHAIR (Two-year term)
Kimberly Stoerger, MSW (Southern Illinois University Carbondale)
Kimberly Stoerger, MSW is the Regulatory Director at Illinois Health Care Association (IHCA), a state affiliate of American Health Care Association, who serves over 500 long term care centers across the state and strives to educate and advocate for the long term care profession. Mrs. Stoerger earned her Master's of Social Work and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She was selected for the 2016-17 Celia M. Howard Research Fellowship at the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. Also, she was selected as a SIU Trauma Based Behavioral Health Fellow at the SIU School of Medicine. These opportunities allowed her to advocate for underserved populations on a macro level. During her graduate studies, Mrs. Stoerger served as an advisor the Governor’s Statewide Human Trafficking Taskforce and Illinois Department of Children and Family Service to develop new strategies to shine light on human trafficking in Illinois and advocate for victims and survivors. She continues to serve on the Central Illinois Human Trafficking Taskforce. In her current role, Mrs. Stoerger oversees regulatory, survey, and policy issues for IHCA. She leads the COVID-19 response for the association and analyzes current infection control guidance, regulations, and the rulemaking process for the sector. Mrs. Stoerger currently serves as the Director of the Long Term Care Nurses Association and the Board of Director’s for NASW-IL.
MEMBER AT-LARGE (Two-year term)
Anjanette Young, MSW (University of Illinois at Chicago), LCSW
Anjanette Young is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and graduate of Jane Addams School of Social Work at The University of Illinois Chicago. She obtained a master’s degree in clinical social work with a special interest in Mental Health.
Anjanette’s passion for people and her professional work is rooted in her DNA. Her grandmother was a civil right activist who fought for justice and equity and march with Dr. King.
Anjanette has many years working with individuals, children and families in the Chicago area. Anjanette is experienced in Mental Health interventions, crisis management, and trauma informed treatment; her clinical lens is guided by an extensive knowledge of cognitive behavioral therapeutic, and other evidence based theories within the BIPOC communities.
In March of 2019 Anjanette became President and CEO of Café Social Work which was birthed out of a dream when Anjanette decided to return back to school in 2012 to obtain a Master degree in Social Work, despite having worked in the field for over 11 years and already held a Master’s degree in Human Service. Anjanette learned a valuable lesson in the need for Social Work mentorship, due to the lack of mentorship in her own life.
Anjanette took an unnecessary extended route to her current destination of Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). It is because of her journey she wanted to give back and offer her life experiences to assist future Social Workers in walking a more intentional path. Anjanette does not regret her journey as she gleamed a wealth of knowledge along the way, which she uses to support the work and mission of Café Social Work.
GRADUATE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE (One-year term)
Vincent Cieslak, CDVP, CADC (Currently enrolled at Aurora University; BA, National Louis University)
I am compassionate and empathetic and serve populations through a trauma-informed lens. I am a Human Services professional with an established history of working in trauma, substance use, and mental health. I'm a skilled problem-solver, advocate, and humanitarian.
I seek to align my values and beliefs with the NASW-Illinois Chapter Board of Directors Graduate Student Representative position. My goal is to gain knowledge of the operating practices of NASW and use my developed skillset to facilitate engagement with the NASW community.
My work and academic experience allow me the tact and emotional intelligence to collaborate effectively, strengthen outreach, and diligently work to assume the responsibilities of this position.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE (One-year term)
Rayne Stokes (Currently enrolled at Bradley University)
Rayne Stokes is an undergraduate student with the passion for making a change and bettering the system, she plans to work for DCFS and become a therapist for children. Having experience as an intern with the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Stokes is able to advocate and find the resources needed to address the concerns of the BSW students. There is no doubt that Ms. Stokes will do her best to accommodate all needs and concerns, while effectively communicating the information through student organizations and the Student-Network. Following policies and bylaws is no new experience to Ms. Stokes as she has come accustomed to organizations regulates and chain-of-command. Rayne Stokes is an excellent candidate for the BSW Student Representative position and would fit in well with the NASW-IL Chapter's culture.
Tyler Thomas (Currently enrolled at Bradley University)
Tyler Thomas is a first-year student at Bradley University, pursuing a degree in social work and considering a second major in sociology. In her professional life, she plans on continuing to be an advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. She is currently working with The Bradley H.E.A.T (Help, Empower, and Teach) to provide resources related to mental health awareness, safe alcohol and drug usage, and sexual harassment across the Bradley campus. Tyler's goals as an Undergraduate Student Representative are to address the concerns of LGBTQIA+ students across the nation. Being a part of theLGBTQIA+ community herself, Tyler wants to make sure their voices are heard and represented in NASW, especially at a time when many voices are being silenced. She will advocate for keeping and expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) education in schools across Illinois, as well as having continuing education (CE) courses focus even more on the mental health of the LGBTQIA+ community in today's society.
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