CHIEF PROFILE
Chief Profile: 
Gimaa Cathy Stevens  
of Nipissing First Nation
BY RICK GARRICK
Issue 1 2026 – Chiefs of Ontario Advocate magazine 
24  l
N
ipissing Gimaa Cathy 
Stevens, spirit name 
Mashkode Mshkikii 
Ogichidaa, is enthusiastic 
about the progress Nipissing First Nation 
has made in addressing the drug problem 
in her community since her election  
in 2024.
“Everyone in the community has been 
very concerned about the drug issue,” 
Stevens says. “I’m not claiming we’ve 
eliminated the drugs; we’re still working 
on that. However, I believe we’ve become 
more aware of our resources and options, 
and the community is increasingly 
engaged in addressing the drug problem.”
oriented and less of a colonial construct,” 
she says. “We’re adjusting our governance 
to better fit the community and meet its 
needs, while maintaining our operations 
and strengthening our financial standing. 
We’re very excited about it.”
When Stevens first ran for chief 
in 2024, her goal was to foster a new 
outlook for the community. “I have 
immense respect and support for our 
previous chief, Scott McLeod, who 
is now our Regional Chief for the 
Lake Huron Region,” Stevens says. “I 
sensed the community was looking for 
something different, and I believed I 
could fulfill that without drastic changes. 
I think I’ve introduced some change, and 
it has been a comfortable transition.”
Stevens says politics is a part of 
her family’s history, noting that her 
grandfather, Ernest Couchie, previously 
served as Nipissing’s Chief for 23 years. 
“I remember him after his retirement; 
his time as Chief was before my memory 
recall,” she says. “Being a Chief in those 
days must have been quite challenging, 
given the limited resources available for 
First Nations.”
Prior to running for Chief, Stevens 
spent time working with the North Bay 
Indigenous Friendship Centre and her 
own community before pursuing her 
law degree at the University of Ottawa. 
After graduation, she worked with 
Anishinabek Nation, handling both 
articling and contracts.
Stevens explains that she chose to 
study law because she felt the existing 
system was unfair to First Nations. 
“The work I did at the Anishinabek 
Nation aligned with my desire to effect 
change,” Stevens says. “It’s not a rapid 
Among these options is the 
establishment of a land-based wellness 
camp for those seeking treatment. “It’s 
a 12-week program located in a private 
area by the lake, completely off the grid,” 
Stevens says. “It’s a beautiful setting, and 
we’re committed to developing that camp 
further. As it evolves, it will grow, and 
Nipissing Nation will become stronger – 
I’m genuinely excited about that.”
Stevens adds that they are working 
towards a governance model that aligns 
more closely with community needs. 
“Our Chief and council are moving 
in a positive direction to tweak our 
governance, making it more community-

View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.