Niemyer is a native of Annapolis, Maryland and attended University of Maryland where she received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1978. She was commissioned a lieutenant in the Navy Nurse Corps in 1981. Prior to joining the nurse corps, she worked as a medical surgical nurse and a public health nurse for the State of Virginia.

In her distinguished career, Niemyer has held numerous clinical nursing and nursing leadership positions at National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Md., Naval Medical Clinic Quantico, Virginia, and Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, California.  As a lieutenant commander, she was transferred to Naval Hospital, Okinawa, Japan as the risk manager. During this tour, she earned a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from Chapman University.

Following her Okinawa assignment, she was selected to attend graduate school at San Diego State University as a full-time student in the Education and Training Management Subspecialty Program. She completed a Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis in Education Technology in 1994 and transferred to Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton as the department head for Staff Education and Training.

Niemyer has held the following executive positions: National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, where she served as director for Managed Care; Naval Hospital Rota, Spain as the executive officer and the commanding officer; TRICARE Area Office – Europe as the executive director; the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery as the assistant deputy chief of staff for Operations; the TRICARE Regional Office – West as the regional director; and the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery as the deputy chief, Installations & Logistics.

Niemyer served her last assignment as deputy chief, Wounded, Ill, & Injured, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, and the 23rd director, Navy Nurse Corps, until her retirement in October 2013.

Her personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal (two awards), Legion of Merit Medal (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and National Defense Service Medal (two awards).

Last Updated: 3 February 2022