About Meg Strickland

Meg Strickland was born in Nashville, Tennessee. She spent her early years in a small town with her mother, who was raising her as a single parent. They lived with Meg's grandparents - hard-working people who shaped her sense of family responsibility and resilience. Her grandfather was a butcher, her grandmother worked in a factory, and her mother became the first college graduate in the family. This background modeled perseverance and upward mobility, which would define Meg's outlook.

Meg moved to North Carolina, her father's home state, to attend Appalachian State University. Even within an extremely progressive academic environment, she excelled, stood up for her beliefs, and earned a degree in International Relations with a minor in Criminal Justice. After college, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she interned in the U.S. Senate. Like many young adults during the 2008 financial crisis, Meg worked multiple jobs, sold her car, and stretched every dollar to get by, an experience that shaped her understanding of economic insecurity, government regulation, and personal resourcefulness.

Meg worked for U.S. Senator Richard Burr during the early years of the Obama administration, gaining firsthand experience in federal operations, including transportation and infrastructure policy. She witnessed how federal decisions impact families and communities during uncertain times. Determined to deepen her understanding of leadership and governance, Meg earned a Master's degree in Political Management from George Washington University. Often one of the only Republican women in her program, she learned to stand firm in her values while listening thoughtfully to differing perspectives.