Growing up in Frederickton, Elizabeth (Libby) Sinclair wasn't surrounded by big tech lawyers, however regardless of the lack of exposure, Libby carved her own path, landing a job in the legal department at Meta (formally Facebook) in Berlin.
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Libby's career is what many people would define as a success story, but what she is most proud of, is creating the life she wanted and now leads, herself.
"I had plenty of role models in my life, but no one to show the steps to get to where I am now," Libby said. "But I figured it out as I went."
Growing up in the Macleay Valley, Libby attended St Josephs Primary School, going on to complete her Higher School Certificate at St Pauls College, Kempsey.
After completing her schooling, Libby spent a gap year in Edinburgh Scotland and Duisburg Germany. After many years spent holidaying, studying and living in Europe, Libby officially bought an apartment in Berlin in 2022 where she now resides with her wife Katharina and dog Marie.
Libby's working life started at 14 years and 9 months where she made pizzas and took orders at West Kempsey's Eagle Boys, followed by a stint at Crescent Head Surf Co.
Libby continued working as a casual employee abroad, from selling Havaianas and Lego in Essen, to making Subways in Bottrop, Germany.
"All of these student jobs in Germany were primarily to improve my German to one day, hopefully, work as a lawyer in Germany," she said. "Thankfully, it worked."
Libby finished the Australian five year Bachelor of Laws degree at University of Wolloongong, before bridging her qualification with the one year Master of Laws, which she completed in Germany and Finland.
She was ready and rearing to take on the challenge of being a lawyer for one, let alone in a foreign country, using a second language.
Libby received an internship at a media company in Germany before working at a German law firm.
Libby had decided to become a lawyer in year 10 of high school, but at the time didn't anticipate she'd become an Associate General Counsel at the big tech company, Meta, where she has now worked for the past two-and-a-half-years.
"I just want people growing up in Kempsey Shire to know that there are limitless opportunities to do what you want, here or anywhere else," Libby said.
"Sometimes you really do just have be brave, to imagine something completely new to what you've known."
Libby comes back to Australia regularly to visit friends and family living in the Valley.
"I typically come back once a year for a couple of weeks at a time," Libby said. "I will always love it here, and I hope to one day buy land in the area."
Libby specifically has a soft spot for Hat Head, being a member of Hat Head Surf Life Saving Club in her youth and spending many Christmas holidays camping there as a family.
