News & Stories
Staff Transition: Q&A with Amber Smith, Care Services Coordinator
As she transitions to a new role as a hospice social worker, Amber Smith reflects on her journey at ALS Northwest, including what she’s learned and her hopes for the ALS community moving forward.
After more than three years of compassionate service as a Care Services Coordinator in Portland Metro, Amber Smith will soon be transitioning from ALS Northwest to a new role as a hospice social worker. Jennifer Jordan, Development and Communications Coordinator, sat down with her for a few reflections on her journey so far.
Q: What first brought you to ALS Northwest, and what made this work meaningful for you?
Amber: In high school, I had a close family friend with ALS. In January of 2022, after leaving a career in project management and working on a master’s in social work, I started an internship with ALS Northwest. Later that year, I was hired as a Care Services Coordinator! It has meant so much to be able to honor my family friend and pursue a career I love. Serving this community has been so fulfilling, and I am not going to stop being an advocate for people living with ALS.
Executive Director Cassy Adams remembers Amber when she was still an intern: “Amber’s deep care, compassion, and enthusiasm during her internship made her move to the staff team feel seamless. We’ve been grateful every day since for the warmth and dedication she brings to our work.”
Q: Looking back, what moments or experiences stand out as especially impactful during your time here?
Amber: The ability to develop relationships with people on a deep level and connect in so many different ways has been so meaningful. A highlight of my experience at ALS Northwest was building an ALS community for people in Hood River, The Dalles, and White Salmon, WA areas through monthly support group meetings. I partnered with Terry Smith in Hood River to start the support group in early 2023 and it is still going strong today.
Q: How has working with people and families affected by ALS shaped you personally or professionally?
Amber: To be able to support people with ALS and their caregivers during such a challenging time has been incredible. It’s a true honor that families open up and trust us in so many different capacities – like at ALS clinic appointments, in their homes, and at support groups. Professionally, ALS Northwest is where I’ve been able to grow my social work skills and overall career! I’ve learned so much from our ALS community and how to better support them over time.
Q: Is there a particular story or interaction you’ll always remember?
Amber: There are so many. When we started Portland support group meetings back in person after the COVID-19 pandemic in April of 2022, we only had three regular attendees for a long time. It built up slowly and by the summer of 2024, we had numbers in the high 20s and a community that regularly gets together even outside of support group.
Helping people adapt in general so they can continue to do hobbies and the things they love will also stay with me. It’s being there for emotional support, but it’s also providing people with the tools they need so they can have a high quality of life.
Q: How do you see your new role as a hospice social worker building on the work you’ve done at ALS Northwest?
Amber: I’m looking forward to educating more communities about ALS. I will continue to be an advocate for people with ALS in the hospice community and am excited to extend the umbrella of resources for the ALS community to support those with other diseases as well.
Q: What inspired your decision to transition into hospice care?
Amber: I was a hospice volunteer in college – it’s always been something I gravitate toward. I feel like I have a gift for end-of-life care and I want to be able to share that, making sure a person’s transition is as peaceful and supported as possible. There are also a lot of stigmas about hospice, and I want to help educate communities that it isn’t so scary. It’s an important support during end of life.
Q: What do you hope continues to grow or strengthen within the ALS community?
Amber: I’m hoping for a cure! But in the meantime, I want ALS Northwest to continue being able to do what it does for people living with ALS and their families. The level of care that ALS Northwest can provide is amazing – we just have to keep the donations coming in so we can continue funding ALS research and growing to provide even deeper levels of support.
Q: What progress would you most like to see in care, advocacy, or research in the coming years?
Amber: For overall care, I want to see more expansive Medicare coverage, especially for things like in-home caregiving. I also want to see research advance not only to find a cure, but also to find ways to prevent ALS or to make it a more livable disease. In advocacy, I want to see continued awareness of ALS so we can get more funds for research!
Q: What message would you like to share with families currently navigating ALS?
Amber: Lean on ALS Northwest and your multidisciplinary ALS clinic team! And whether you’re a person living with ALS or a family caregiver, connect with others going through similar experiences at a support group. It’s really important to seek support – you don’t have to go through this alone.
Care Services Director Susan Pennock shared a few final thoughts. “As we wish Amber well on her next chapter as a social worker, we will always be thankful for everything she brought to individuals living with ALS and the larger ALS community. Transitions of all kinds can be difficult and this will mean change for us as an organization—and we know that the only constant with ALS is change.
Rest assured we will take the lead from the people we serve and continue to adapt! I am excited to find the next Care Services Coordinator to fill this position, bringing new energy and continued high-quality care to people living with ALS.”
While we will miss Amber, we’re so grateful for her service for people living with ALS. We know she will be an incredible advocate for people living with ALS in the broader community!