Ghanaian of Excellence Knighted In Austrailia

A distinquished Ghanaian Lady Mrs Juliana Ampofowaa NKRUMAH profiled in Wendy McCarthy's book A Fair Go, Portraits of the Australian Dream: 50 Inspiring Australians and Westpac Group's publication The Power of 100: One Hundred Women who have shaped Australia was recently knighted by the Queen's Governor-General.

MEMBER (AM) IN THE GENERAL DIVISION OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

For significant service to the community, particularly the welfare of women and refugees.

Active Women's Advocate, since 1989, particularly through the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

Chairperson, Australian National Committee on Refugee Women, 1993-1994, 2002-2004 and 2005-2007; Co-Founder, African Women's Advocacy Unit, 2005-2010.

Member, Multicultural Ministries Reference Group, NSW Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia, 2010-2012.

Board Member, Institute for Cultural Diversity, since 2009.

Member, Women's Steering Committee, Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia.

Former Executive Committee Member, Ethnic Communities Council of NSW.

Member, Federal Government's African Ministerial Consultative Committee, since 2012

Initiator and Convenor, National Conference to mark the International Year for People of African Descent, 2011.

Co-Founder and Adviser, African Women Australia, since 2010.

Member, Reference Group, Australian Human Rights Commission's Research into Racism against African Communities, In Our Own Words, 2010.

Project Team Leader, African Liaison Unit, Centrelink, 2006.

Established, African Workers Network, Sydney, 2004.

First Women's Representative, African Communities Council of NSW, 1993-1995.

Former Member, Nepean/Blacktown Regional Advisory Council, Community Relations Commission for a Multicultural NSW, for 2 terms.

Former Management Committee Member, Blacktown and Auburn Migrant Resource Centre.

Member, National Steering Committee, Living in Harmony Partnership Project, Family Law Court of Australia and Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.

Co-Founder and former Adviser, Sierra Leone Women's War Word Inc.

Former Adviser, Friends of Sierra Leone Inc.

Member, Australian Citizenship Test Review Committee, 2008.

Coordinator, Multicultural Community Liaison Officer Program, NSW Police, since 2008; also served as Member, Police Commissioner's Committee on Responsive Policing.

Assistant Manager, Refugee and Network Support Team, Multicultural Services Branch, Centrelink, 2006-2008.

Coordinator, New South Wales Education Program on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Western Sydney Area Health Service, 1996-2005.

Convenor, first National Conference on FGM.

Community Educator, Ethnic Affairs Commission, 1995-1996.

Publicist and Fundraiser, International Women's Development Agency, 1992-1993.

Welfare Worker, Surry Hills and Marrickville Offices, Care Force, 1988-1992.

Awards/Recognition include:

• Profiled in Wendy McCarthy's book A Fair Go, Portraits of the Australian Dream: 50 Inspiring Australians.

• Profiled in the Westpac Group's publication The Power of 100: One Hundred Women who have shaped Australia; and the subsequent film Shaping a Nation, 2011.

• Community Personality of the Year, African Professionals Association, NSW, 2012.

• 'Living Legends' Award, Celebration of African Australians Inc, 2012.

• Excellence Award in Community Services, African Chamber of Commerce, SA Inc, 2011.

• Women of the West Award, University of Western Sydney, 2007.

• Ambassador, The Salvation Army, since 2011.

Extracted from Australia Day 2013 Honours Lists