Heath Robertson sat at the back of the bus on a college tour trip when he was asked about his future plans. Robertson’s answer? He didn’t have any.

Jennifer Thompson, DPT, CLT, physical therapy manager at the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA), and the CIHA Physical Therapy Department were named the winner of the 2024 Dr. Frell Owl Award. 

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) has selected six tribal members to join riders from the Cherokee Nation in June 2025 on the annual Remember the Removal Ride (RTR).  The ride will retrace the northern route of the Trail of Tears. 

Isabel Driver knows how important the work she does is. As an intern with the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University, Driver etched 224 craftspeople into the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts’ craftsman database.

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. 

The Center for Native Health, in partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Natural Resources Division and the USDA Forest Service, recently coordinated a historic gathering at Buck Creek, marking the beginning of a series of gatherings aimed at strengthening dialogue and collaboration between the Forest Service and Cherokee people throughout their ancestral lands.

The Mayor’s Youth Council of Knoxville, Tenn. is made up of 15 young people who have a voice in the decisions of the city.  Jasmine Smith, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and a student at Knoxville Montessori, has been selected to serve in the 2024-25 Council.