AIAI is governed by our Chiefs Council, comprised of elected Chiefs from each member Nation. Chiefs Council is led by a Grand Chief and Deputy Grand Chief and meets on a quarterly basis.
Members of Chiefs Council
- Grand Chief Joel Abram
- Deputy Grand Chief Stacia Loft
- Chief Dean Sayers, Batchewana
- Chief Mary Duckworth, Caldwell
- Chief Denise Stonefish, Delaware
- Chief Laurie Carr, Hiawatha
- Chief R. Donald Maracle, Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte
- Chief Todd Cornelius, Oneida
- Chief Philip Franks, Wahta
Grand Chief Joel Abram
Grand Chief Joel Abram hails from the Oneida Nation of the Thames Settlement, is a member of the wolf clan, and his Oneida name is Tewa:slake, which translates as an ‘axe with two blades’. Joel is currently 46 years old, and has served 12 years on Chief and Council in Oneida; 6 as a councilor, and 6 as the elected Chief.
He had a role in initiating the institution of a gladue court in the City of London, only the third such court in Ontario, and also in the successful establishment of a 64 bed Long Term Care facility in Oneida. He has also been involved with the community radio station Oneida Radio in various capacities including DJ, fundraiser, and technician for the past 17 years. In his free time, Joel enjoys playing competitive chess, spending time with family, and getting out his guitar and playing the occasional gig with his brother.
Deputy Grand Chief Stacia Loft
Stacia Loft (Ie’khahatakhe) is Kanyen’keha:ka from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. She received her Juris Doctor from Queen’s University in January 2020, and a Bachelor of Arts, Hons. from the University of Western Ontario in 2004. Stacia is currently Articling with Amnesty International and anticipates her call to the Bar in June 2021.
Stacia served on Tyendinaga Mohawk Council as an elected Band Councillor from 2015 to 2019. She began her career supporting Indigenous youth program development, delivery, and management, and transitioned to managing justice programs at the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres. She is highly skilled in strategic and operational management and has held leadership roles on local, provincial, and federal boards and advisory tables for the past 15 years.
An avid runner, Stacia has completed several 5km, 10km, half-marathons, and marathons. In pursuit of health and well-being, Stacia enjoys cooking traditional and contemporary foods, and spending as much time as she can with her family.
