By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
Miranda Thompson Meyer, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), works for one of the most well-known federal agencies there is – the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She is one of only 28 members of federally recognized tribes employed there.
Meyer has worked there since October 2022 and serves as the contracting officer – procurement at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. According to NASA, over 10,000 people work at this facility which is the “premiere space flight center and home to the nation’s largest organization of scientists, engineers, and technologist who build spacecraft, instruments, and new technology to study Earth, the Sun, our solar system, and the universe”.
Miranda Thompson Meyer, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, works for one of the most well-known federal agencies there is – the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (NASA Public Domain image by Thalia Patrinos)
NASA states, “Meyer’s responsibilities include advising and counseling in areas such as commercial partnerships, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), environmental law, safety and security, export control, ethics, and memoranda of understanding and other agreements in furtherance of NASA’s strategic goals.”
Meyer hails from Tsisqwohi (Birdtown) originally and served the EBCI as the 2003-04 Teen Miss Cherokee.
She served in the U.S. Army (2010-14) attaining the rank of sergeant and being awarded five Army Commendation medals and three Army Achievement medals. “I was the U.S. Army 249th Engineer Batallion Soldier of the Year in 2013 and supported relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy,” Meyer said.
“Discipline is one of the things that they instill within you in the military,” she told Thalia Patrinos, NASA interviewer. “All the way starting in boot camp, the goal is doing the right thing when no one is looking, integrity. Whenever you’re in boot camp, they always say, ‘it’s too easy’. It’s just too easy to follow the rules, read the book, read the regulations, and that’s probably why I enjoy contracting. I like reading the regulations and following the regulations.”
Meyer values education immensely and has earned three degrees including the following: bachelor of arts degree in communications from UNC Charlotte in 2008, a master of science degree in emergency management from the University of Maryland University College in 2015, and a master of science degree in acquisition and contract management from the University of Maryland Global Campus in 2023.
She told the One Feather, “I began my career as a 1102-Contracting and Acquisition person in 2018 at the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Detroit Arsenal. From there, I did two tours with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) where I provided substantial contract support to run the National Weather Service on the eastern seaboard as well as award contracts for construction projects in Hawaii and Alaska.”
“I would like to continue my career as a federal employee and possibly explore other agencies. But, I am happy where I’m at right now. My goal though is to come home to North Carolina and retire in the mountains.”
When asked who she’d like to thank for their support, Meyer noted, “My main people who I am thankful for is my mother and father, Robert and Rita Driver of the Birdtown community; also, my grandmother and my sister who are both named Amanda Thompson.”
