Swemy Sanchez Roman Named “Servant Leader for Good” for Outstanding Impact in Her Community
November 14, 2024
Swemy Sanchez Roman has long been dedicated to community service and giving back. And Swemy has been able to have an even stronger positive impact on her community through her work at Lineage. Not only is Swemy involved in the work of helping to feed the world every day, but she is also able to partner with the Lineage Foundation for Good to give back to her community with intentionality and purpose.
That’s because Swemy is one of over a hundred Lineage Champions for Good around the network—individuals who step up, outside of their day-to-day role, to help engage Lineage team members in volunteer service across the hundreds of communities in which Lineage operates.
And, among a crowd of Champions, Swemy stands out. Swemy has the hustle, drive and positive spirit to truly bring our value of servant leadership to life among the sites and team she supports.
As a result, Swemy was honored as the 2023 Servant Leader for Good. This honor reflects Swemy’s outstanding impact as a Champion for Good, coordinating more than 15 volunteer events across six Lineage facilities in Houston.
“When I got the award, I couldn’t believe it, I felt like I was just doing what needed to be done, but it made me realize I have a responsibility to do even more.”
As part of this honor, Swemy was able to award a $5,000 donation to a charity of her choice and she was invited to share her insights, ideas and perspectives with Lineage’s Executive Leadership team on how we can enhance the organization’s charitable giving initiatives.
Swemy Was Driven to Serve from a Young Age
Swemy’s passion for community service began long before her time at Lineage. When she was growing up, she was deeply impacted by her early childhood experiences helping classmates with Down syndrome. She consistently stepped in to support in any way she could, trying to serve as a positive example to her classmates and peers. Swemy was the sort of girl who was not afraid to stand up to bullies, and today the courage and empathy she showed as a child continues to drive her to do what she can to make the world a better place.
Her philosophy of “everyone needs a little help,” developed and strengthened over time and remains a driving force behind her work with Lineage’s Champions for Good Program. Swemy’s approach is rooted in empathy, a willingness to listen and a dedication to building stronger communities. This philosophy carries through her work as a Champion for Good. From organizing volunteer events at her sites to supporting her team members and building a strong sense of community.
Embracing Change and Building a Career for Herself at Lineage
Since she first joined Lineage, Swemy embraced the opportunities in front of her to learn, grow and shape her own career as well as to make a difference in her community. Swemy’s Lineage journey began in 2019, with Lineage’s acquisition of Preferred Freezer Services (PFS), where she was working as a customer service representative.
The strength of Lineage’s team culture and the breadth of opportunities were immediately visible to Swemy as she transitioned onto the Lineage team. She stepped into the change of ownership with a sense of optimism and a commitment to having a positive impact on the company and in our work to help feed the world.
“I realized how much opportunity Lineage offered,” she recalls. “Not just in my career, but in my ability to continue doing good in my community.”
Once she was officially on the Lineage team, mentorship and stretch assignments further helped Swemy forge her own career path. After starting in customer service, she was promoted into a lead trainer role, and more recently, she was promoted to Quality Assurance Supervisor. At each step of the way, Swemy stayed focused on doing her best, supporting her coworkers and driving for results for the customer—in short, she owned her work.
Champions for Good Program Is About Showing Up for Our Team and Communities
In 2022, Swemy became one of the founding members of the Champions for Good program. This program was developed through the Lineage Foundation for Good, the independent philanthropic arm of Lineage, with the goal of empowering team members in different roles and regions around the world to engage in community service to help strengthen their local communities.
As a Champion for Good, Swemy organizes volunteer activities, promotes community engagement and helps direct Foundation for Good resources to causes that resonates with her team and the broader community. Her efforts in 2023, coordinating more than 15 volunteer events for team members across six Houston facilities, earned her the 2023 Servant Leader for Good recognition. An award that provided Swemy with $5,000 to donate to a charity of her choice. She chose United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led network in the country.
Swemy has continued her community efforts throughout 2024 and earned herself a spot at the table at the annual Foundation for Good Breakfast, where she had the unique opportunity to share her ideas directly with Lineage’s executive leadership team, including CEO Greg Lehmkuhl.
“It was surreal,” she says. “To have my ideas valued at that level—it just showed me how much the leadership team, and Lineage as a whole, truly cares.”
At the breakfast, Swemy shared her idea of a friendly competition among Champions for Good in different regions, with the goals of increasing engagement and stoking excitement. Her ideas were well-received by the leadership team and an action plan was started. This helped reinforce Lineage’s values of servant leadership and the empowerment of its team members to drive meaningful changes and continuous improvements. Swemy’s role as a Champion for Good also offered her several opportunities for professional growth, allowing her to work closely with leadership, build her budgeting skills and connect with colleagues across the network.
Swemy is Building Something Special in Houston
Swemy’s influence goes beyond organizing events; she uses her platform to cultivate a vibrant culture of giving across her Houston sites. She is building a real community among the team, which cascades outward into the neighborhoods and communities in which Lineage operates.
“I’m motivated by the idea that even the smallest acts of service can spark meaningful change,” she says. “It’s the sincerity behind our actions, not their scale, that truly makes a difference, and those small, genuine efforts add up to inspire others and create lasting impact.”
From annual toy drives to meal packing contests, her creative and inclusive approach takes feedback from her team members to ensure everyone can take part. This unique method encourages team members to participate in ways that resonate with them. By removing barriers—like providing materials for events and being mindful of personal budget constraints—Swemy ensures that volunteering is accessible to all team members in the Houston sites she supports. She even organized kid-friendly events so her team members’ whole families could get involved.
Her thoughtful planning and genuine commitment helped create an environment where the team feels empowered to give back both as team members and as members of a larger community.
“Swemy is a mobilizer in the truest sense. She inspires people through her own community service and is contagious in her generous spirit and enthusiasm. She has facilitated group activations for charitable events and has aided other Champions for Good with technical assistance and support along the way.”
Showing People They Matter Through Acts of Service
Swemy’s journey as a Champion for Good shows just how powerful the ripple effect can be from one dedicated and generous individual with the support, empowerment and encouragement from a purpose-driven organization like Lineage. Her work in the Houston community and her leadership within Lineage have inspired others to step up and make a difference.
It’s leaders like Swemy and the Champions for Good around the world who are building a compassionate, engaged and supportive culture at Lineage. They demonstrate that service and business success can go hand in hand.
Swemy’s legacy continues to inspire her colleagues and uplift her community. In her words, “Helping others isn’t just about what you give—it’s about showing people they matter.” Her work and leadership inspire those around her, reminding us that giving back is central to fulfilling Lineage’s purpose and the type of team we strive to be every day.
