NIAF congratulates Italian American actress Ellen Pompeo as her 19-year’s playing Dr. Meredith Grey on the award winning drama Grey’s Anatomy comes to a close. Her last episode as a series regular aired Thursday, February 23rd. In 2007, Ellen Pompeo was awarded the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Entertainment at our 32nd Anniversary Gala in Washington D.C.

Holding the award high above her head, she exclaimed, “This is for everyone who has sacrificed and left their country to follow one’s dream,” in reference to the sacrifices made by her grandparents, who immigrated to the U.S. from Gesualdo, Italy (located in the region of Campania). Congratulazioni Ellen Pompeo!