By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
One Feather Asst. Editor
CHEROKEE, N.C. – If you see the current Senior Miss Cherokee at events, there are two things that are ever-present – a smile and grace. Kimlyn Sneed Lambert, an elder of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), is that person, and she has served her people for over 40 years in various capacities.
In 2023, Lambert retired as executive director of VOC (Vocational Opportunities of Cherokee), and she worked for over two decades with the EBCI Higher Education & Training Division. She also has served on the TERO Commission.
Kimlyn Sneed Lambert, 2024-25 Senior Miss Cherokee, waves to the crowd during the 2024 Cherokee Christmas Parade held in Cherokee, N.C. on Dec. 14, 2024. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
Lambert is highly educated holding a bachelor of science degree in business administration and a master of arts degree in educational administration from Western Carolina University. She was the first EBCI tribal member to serve on the North Carolina State Rehabilitation Council, and she also served as a Governor appointee to the North Carolina State Independent Living Council.
My colleague, Brooklyn Brown, reported on the 2024 pageants in which she wrote, “Judith Smith conferred the crown to Kim Sneed Lambert after holding the title for 20 years. Lambert was posed the question, ‘What would it mean to you to win Senior Miss Cherokee?’ to which Lambert answered, ‘It would be the great honor of my life.’”
In attending events as Senior Miss Cherokee, Lambert brings her smile and can-do attitude to these events and the community as a whole.
She is also representing the EBCI in the Senior Games as part of the Tsalagi Cougars cheerleading squad which won a silver medal at the North Carolina games last year in Raleigh.
I’m looking forward to covering the remainder of Lambert’s year as Senior Miss Cherokee as she is simply a delight to see and to photograph. She’s an excellent ambassador for the EBCI and brings her positivity with her each step of the way.
