Her Story
About Ambria
Ambria Willis is Vice President of Social Services at Aspire Health Group, a role she has held since January 2026, overseeing social services programs across more than 260 facilities in New Jersey, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas. With roughly 17 years of experience in healthcare, she has built her career on a foundation of education, mentorship, and administrative leadership, previously serving as Regional Social Services Director for Complete Care in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Director of Social Services for Ocean Healthcare Management, and in earlier roles as a social worker and geriatric protective services investigator in Philadelphia. In her current position, she leads regulatory compliance efforts, survey readiness, and performance improvement initiatives while developing the next generation of social work leaders across her regional teams.
Willis earned her bachelor's degree in public administration and social service professions from Temple University and went on to complete a master's degree in counseling at Cairn University in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. She holds certifications in domestic violence recovery and trauma-informed care, is a certified and licensed social worker in the state of New Jersey, and has completed additional coursework in licensed home administration. Beyond her clinical and administrative credentials, she has dedicated time to volunteer efforts alongside nurses and nonprofit organizations, reflecting a career-long commitment to service that extends well past her formal job duties.
Outside of her professional responsibilities, Willis is deeply involved in her church community, where she holds administrative responsibilities and attends services regularly as the daughter of a pastor. She also enjoys golf, dining out, and tending to a vegetable garden she maintains at home nearly every day. Guided by the values of integrity and authenticity, Willis credits her family and her faith as the driving forces behind her achievements, and she continues to advocate for grounded, purpose-driven work in an industry she describes as facing a critical shortage of skilled social workers.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Ambria
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my family and to my faith in God. My family has been a constant source of support throughout my career, encouraging me to pursue my goals while giving me the freedom to focus on my education and my purpose.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've ever received is to never take a job you don't enjoy. Life is too short to spend the majority of your time in something you're not passionate about, so I make it a priority to choose work I truly love, even when other opportunities might offer more financially.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell them to never lose sight of why they entered this field in the first place: to help people. It's easy to feel overwhelmed or underappreciated in this line of work, so staying grounded in that original purpose is essential. I'd also stress the importance of self-care — when you spend your days caring for others, especially those who are sick or dying, you have to be intentional about pouring back into yourself too.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field is the shortage of qualified social workers willing to work in healthcare. With an aging population and rising mental health needs, the demand for case managers and social workers has never been higher, yet there aren't enough professionals to meet it — a challenge I see across all four states in which I work. On the opportunity side, this shortage has driven up compensation significantly, so social workers today, myself included, are entering and advancing in the field with far greater earning potential than in years past.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity and authenticity are the values I hold most closely. I strive to be the same person on and off the clock, and I want to be able to lay my head down at night knowing I made honest decisions that were right for the people I serve.
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