Lyn Romeo will fly to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen, who has awarded Mrs Romeo the title of "Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire" for her achievements in social work.
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Mrs Romeo was born and bred in Griffith, but has spent the past six years working as a policy adviser for the British government as the Chief Social Worker for Adults.
Her hard work has not gone unnoticed, which is why she was chosen for the 2020 New Year's honours list.
She studied social work at the University of New South Wales and has worked tirelessly in the field for the past 40 years.
"Social work is a key way to improve the lives of older people, disabled people, and people with mental health problems," she said.
One of the people who inspired her to serve others and pursue a career in social work was Sister Rita, a nun who taught Mrs Romeo at Marian Catholic College - known back then as Catholic High School.
Sister Rita had a reputation for being a tireless volunteer for the community, and back in the day Mrs Romeo helped her run an Aboriginal youth group.
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Another source of her inspiration was her family, who instilled in her the value of looking out for others.
"My family is a strong Italian family from Griffith, where looking for each other and supporting people is considered very important," Mrs Romeo said.
"They were pioneers who had to overcome obstacles of discrimination and disadvantage. That gave me a sense that it's possible for everyone to have a fair go, and social work is a good way to support people to do just that."
She works in England, but has returned to Griffith for a sabbatical so she can look after her elderly mother and spend some time in her home community.
"Places like Griffith have a strong community spirit, and I hope we never lose that sense of looking out for each other," Mrs Romeo said.
"A lot of people do a lot of good voluntary community work, and in the end it's the strength of communities that matter most. Professionals like me are just there to enable and support them."
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