In 2007, Romano was nominated by President George W. Bush to be the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. As head of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), Romano advised the Secretary of Labor and worked with all DOL agencies to lead a comprehensive and coordinated national policy regarding the employment of people with disabilities in the United States. A noted producer/director, Romano’s film, “Youth Homicide: A Public Health Crisis,” earned an Emmy Nomination for him in the category of Best Director. And his 2010 film, “America’s Strength,” which documents the inspiring stories of people with disabilities in mainstream employment, received national acclaim following its release. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Romano currently resides in Clarksville, MD, with his wife, Barbara, and his daughters, Bianca and Christina.