Hosted by Samara Stone, LCSW-C
in honor of National Social Work Month
VIRTUAL
Why This Gathering Matters
Social work has always been a profession rooted in service.
But service has never meant small.
Across sectors and industries, social workers are building businesses, leading organizations, shaping policy, and designing solutions that extend far beyond traditional roles.
The Visionary Social Worker Awards was created to recognize this reality — and to make it visible.
During National Social Work Month, we pause not only to reflect on our values, but to acknowledge the leadership, creativity, and strategic thinking present within our field.
This event exists to honor that evolution.
READY TO CAST YOUR VOTES?
Voting opens March 1st!
This year, we've selected three nominees for all five categories. Voting is open from March 1, 2026 to March 15, 2026!
OUR PREVIOUS WINNERS
Business Boss
Latasha Riddick, MSW
Stand Out Brand
Dr.Radisha Brown, Phd, MSW
Putting the Social in Social Work
Jaida Morgan, MSW
Creative Arts
Rebecca Nicolas, MSW
Advocacy in Action
Dr. La'Shardae Scott, DSW
What This Celebration Represents
The Visionary Social Worker Awards is more than a ceremony.
It is a statement about the breadth of our profession.
It recognizes social workers who are:
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Expanding into entrepreneurship
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Leading in corporate and institutional spaces
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Creating innovative models of care
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Influencing policy and public discourse
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Building sustainable, impact-driven careers
This gathering reflects a profession that is both deeply human and strategically powerful.
WHAT TO EXPECT
On March 28,
you’ll experience:
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Recognition of the 2026 Visionary Social Worker Award Honorees
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Stories of leadership and innovation
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A community of professionals invested in the future of our field
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A moment of collective visibility and pride
This virtual event is open to social workers, students, leaders, collaborators, and anyone who values the role this profession plays in shaping culture and systems.
Sponsor the Visionary Social Worker Awards
The Visionary Social Worker Awards is a curated, community-centered event designed to recognize social workers who are leading with impact, innovation, and courage across clinical practice, entrepreneurship, advocacy, and systems-level change.
This year’s fully virtual format brings together an engaged national audience of social workers, practice owners, and leaders for a meaningful moment of recognition, reflection, and celebration.
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Sponsoring this event offers your organization the opportunity to:
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Align with a trusted professional platform rooted in leadership and excellence
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Gain targeted visibility with social workers who are decision-makers and influencers within their communities and organizations
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Demonstrate your commitment to supporting the advancement and sustainability of the social work profession
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We have created several sponsorship levels designed to offer meaningful visibility and alignment throughout the event and related Social Work Month promotion.
Review the full sponsor overview and opportunities, and partner with us.
Get to know your host + founder
A Personal Note from Samara Stone
When I created the Visionary Social Worker Awards, it wasn’t simply to host an event.
It was to create a space where our profession could see itself more fully.
For more than two decades, I’ve watched social workers carry extraordinary responsibility — often quietly, often without recognition. I’ve also witnessed the expansion happening within our field: clinicians becoming entrepreneurs, advocates becoming executives, educators becoming builders of new systems.
This celebration is about honoring that growth.
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For those who are building businesses, expanding their reach, or designing more sustainable professional paths, this event is also a reflection of the work I do year-round through Perfected Practice — supporting mental health professionals in growing businesses that reflect both their expertise and their ambition.
It is about acknowledging the leadership that already exists among us.
I hope you’ll join us.
With respect and gratitude,
Samara Stone, LCSW-C
Building Something of Your Own?
If you’re a mental health professional exploring entrepreneurship, leadership, or sustainable business growth, you’ll hear themes in this celebration that reflect the work I support year-round.
Through Perfected Practice, I help clinicians design businesses and brands that expand their impact without eroding the person leading them.