Nana Meriwether

Meriwether was born on May 24, 1985, in Acornhoek, Tintswalo Hospital, South Africa. Her father is Delano Meriwether, the first African-American student at Duke University School of Medicine, while her mother, Nomvimbi Meriwether, is South African and works as a lawyer.[1] Her parents had been doing volunteer work in South Africa at the time of Meriwether's birth. She was raised in Potomac, Maryland and graduated from Sidwell Friends School in Bethesda, Maryland.[2]

Meriwether played volleyball at Duke University for one semester.[3] She later transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was named a two-time NCAA All-American volleyball player and graduated with a degree in political science.[4] After graduating, Meriwether played volleyball professionally for Las Indias de Mayagüez in Puerto Rico, and trained for the United States women's national volleyball team for the 2008 Summer Olympics.[5][6] She later completed a degree in premedical sciences at the University of Southern California.[2]

Meriwether competed in her first pageant for the Miss Universe Organization, Miss California USA 2008, representing Malibu, where she didn't place in the semifinals. Meriwether returned to Miss California USA in 2009, this time representing Beverly Hills, where she finished as the third runner-up to Carrie Prejean. Meriwether competed in Miss California USA 2010 and finished as first runner-up to Nicole Johnson. She competed in the Miss California USA for the final time in 2011, where she finished as fourth runner-up to Alyssa Campanella, who would go on to win Miss USA 2011.[7]

After competing in Miss California USA for four years, Meriwether returned to her home state of Maryland, and entered Miss Maryland USA 2012. She won the title and received the right to represent the state at Miss USA.

Meriwether represented Maryland at Miss USA 2012, where she eventually finished as the first runner-up to Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island. On December 19, 2012, Olivia Culpo won the title of Miss Universe 2012. Due to pageant protocol, Miss USA must resign her title in order to fulfill her duties as Miss Universe. The first runner-up assumes the title of Miss USA, meaning that Meriwether became the new Miss USA 2012. After assuming the crown, Meriwether became the oldest contestant ever to be crowned Miss USA at the age of 27, the record stood until Cheslie Kryst would be crowned in 2019.[8]

Meriwether is a cofounder of the Meriwether Foundation, which she runs along with the members of her family. The organization operates programs in health, education, nutrition, and development in rural and impoverished communities of Southern Africa.[9] Meriwether worked as an executive assistant to Glenda Bailey, the editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar.[10] She has worked for and contributed to Carine Roitfeld's CR Fashion Book, Vanity Fair, and Vogue Australia.[11] Founded by Joseph Lubin, Meriwether joined ConsenSys in 2018 where she helps build decentralized companies and applications for the Ethereum blockchain.