Meet the Chief of the Nulhegan Abenaki Nation
Chief Donald Stevens Bio
Chief Donald Stevens is the Chief of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk-Abenaki Nation and President of the tribal nonprofit AHA – Abenaki Helping Abenaki, Inc. He is a respected leader, businessman, and lecturer whose work has been featured in magazines, books, television programs, and documentaries focused on uplifting and advancing the Abenaki community.
Chief Stevens was appointed to the Vermont Commission on Native American Affairs by Governor Jim Douglas in 2006, serving two terms and acting as Chair during his second term. He played a key leadership role in the successful effort to secure legal recognition for the Abenaki People in Vermont, which was granted by the Vermont Legislature in 2011. Through this work, Chief Stevens also helped the Nulhegan Tribe reacquire land and restore hunting and fishing rights that had been absent for more than 200 years.
A strong advocate for cultural preservation, Chief Stevens has been instrumental in the revitalization of the Western Abenaki language. In 2010, only six fluent speakers remained; today, language classes regularly enroll approximately thirty students per session. He continues to work closely with federal agencies, legislators, state and local governments, educational institutions, and other Indigenous Nations to represent and advance the perspectives and interests of the Nulhegan Abenaki People.
In addition to his tribal leadership, Chief Stevens brings over 30 years of experience in Information Technology and Project Management, having successfully developed strategies and systems for multi-million-dollar organizations. He is a proud United States Army veteran and a graduate of Champlain College, where he earned a degree in Computer Information Systems. He currently serves on numerous state boards and advisory panels.
Chief Stevens has been honored by Middlebury College, Champlain College, and Sterling College with Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degrees in recognition of his leadership, service, and lifelong commitment to Indigenous advocacy and education.
He is married to his wife, Diane Stevens, and together they have six children and nine grandchildren.
Cultural Leadership Through Art & Storytelling
In addition to his work in advocacy, language revitalization, and community building, Chief Don Stevens is a juried artist and Master Storyteller with the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association. Through storytelling and creative expression, he helps preserve and share traditional Abenaki knowledge, values, and lived history—ensuring that cultural teachings are passed forward with authenticity and respect.
Chief Stevens’ work as a storyteller reflects a longstanding tradition within Abenaki culture, where oral history serves as a vital means of education, identity, and continuity. His artistic contributions strengthen community connection, reinforce cultural pride, and provide opportunities for both Abenaki citizens and the broader public to engage with Indigenous perspectives in meaningful ways.
By participating in and supporting Abenaki artistic expression, Chief Stevens continues to elevate Indigenous voices, promote cultural understanding, and affirm the importance of art and storytelling as living, evolving elements of Abenaki heritage.
Published Articles & Perspectives
Chief Don Stevens Represents a New Era of Abenaki Leadership in Vermont
Seven Days - Vermont's Independent voice
2/26/2020
Chief Don Stevens, leader of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation, represents a transformative moment in Abenaki leadership, sovereignty advocacy, and Native American rights in Vermont. The article highlights Stevens’ role in reaffirming the sovereign hunting and fishing rights of the Abenaki people—rights they never ceded—and his efforts to promote legislation such as H.716, which would grant free, permanent hunting and fishing licenses to members of Vermont’s four state-recognized tribes.
Standing at the Vermont Statehouse in traditional Abenaki regalia—including a beaded vest, bear‑claw necklace, and a red moose‑hair headdress symbolizing ancestral bloodlines—Stevens calls for a renewed partnership between the state and Indigenous communities. His leadership embodies cultural revitalization, environmental stewardship, political activism, and community empowerment.
Beyond legislative efforts, Stevens is portrayed as a politically astute, culturally grounded, and forward‑thinking chief, working to strengthen tribal recognition, economic opportunity, and cross‑cultural understanding. His vision emphasizes Indigenous sovereignty, cultural preservation, land stewardship, and restoring respectful relationships between the Abenaki people and the State of Vermont.
Vermont Conversation: An overdue apology for the state’s campaign of forced sterilization
VTdigger
2/24/2021
The article examines Vermont’s long‑delayed reckoning with its state‑sanctioned eugenics program, a decades‑long campaign of forced sterilization, institutionalization, and family separation targeting Indigenous people—particularly the Abenaki, along with French‑Canadians, mixed‑race families, low‑income Vermonters, and people with disabilities. The discussion highlights the historical impact of the Vermont Eugenics Survey, which operated for over 30 years and resulted in at least 253 documented involuntary sterilizations, though the true number is likely higher.
The piece covers efforts in the Vermont Legislature to pass a formal state apology, noting that if approved, Vermont would become the first U.S. state to officially apologize for such actions. The article features voices including Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe, whose own family was affected by the sterilization program; independent scholar Nancy Gallagher, who has documented the history of Vermont's eugenics movement; and Amanda Gokee, a VTDigger reporter of Native American heritage covering the apology resolution.
Stevens emphasizes that an apology is essential for healing, acknowledging that the campaign caused generational trauma within Abenaki communities. The article frames the apology as part of Vermont's broader effort to confront its legacy of racism, colonial violence, and human rights violations, while raising questions about future steps toward reconciliation, truth‑telling, and restorative justice for impacted families.
Abenaki Chief Don Stevens appointed to state racial-justice panel
Shelburne news
05/24/2018
The article reports that Chief Don Stevens, leader of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk‑Abenaki Nation, has been appointed by Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan to serve on the state’s Racial Disparities in Criminal and Juvenile Justice Panel. The panel’s mission is to develop statewide strategies to identify and address racial disparities in key systems including education, employment, housing, health care, and economic development.
Stevens, a Shelburne resident and long‑time advocate for Indigenous rights, brings years of experience addressing systemic racism, particularly as it affects Abenaki and Native communities. His work includes cultural collaboration with Burlington city officials, participation in Vermont State Police Fairness and Diversity meetings, and testimony before the Vermont Legislature regarding S.281, a bill focused on researching and addressing systemic racism in state government.
In his new role, Stevens aims to examine policies and practices within Vermont’s criminal and juvenile justice systems, offering insight on issues affecting Native peoples, including disparities within the Department of Corrections and child welfare systems. As both a minority leader and cultural representative, Stevens emphasizes the importance of bringing Indigenous perspectives into statewide conversations on equity, justice, and policy reform.
Middlebury’s Honorary Degrees for Chief Don Stevens and Jeanne Brink
Middlebury College
06/2021
The article explores Middlebury College’s evolving relationship with the Abenaki people, highlighting the institution’s steps toward reconciliation, cultural recognition, and repair. Built on Western Abenaki homelands, the college has historically benefited from land taken from Indigenous communities, and only in recent years has it made meaningful efforts to honor and engage with Abenaki culture. These efforts include creating a formal land acknowledgement, incorporating an Abenaki prayer into commencement ceremonies, and establishing an Abenaki Language School to help revitalize a language categorized as extinct by UNESCO.
As part of this reconciliation work, Middlebury awarded honorary degrees to two prominent Abenaki leaders:
- Chief Don Stevens (2019), of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk-Abenaki Nation
- Jeanne Brink (2018), an Abenaki elder, cultural preservationist, and basketmaking tradition‑bearer
The article notes that honorary degrees historically went to socially elite recipients, but have increasingly shifted toward honoring individuals for public service, cultural leadership, and community impact. Middlebury’s recognition of Stevens and Brink symbolizes this shift and marks a major step toward acknowledging the contributions and resilience of Indigenous communities long marginalized within academic spaces.
Chief Don Stevens emphasized that the degrees demonstrate Middlebury’s “forward‑thinking direction” and a genuine commitment to building partnerships, supporting Indigenous rights, and uplifting Abenaki voices. The college’s actions show a broader transformation in how institutions value Indigenous knowledge, cultural stewardship, and historical accountability.
Abenaki leader reflects on effects of eugenics movement
Shelburne news
03/05/2020
The article focuses on the lasting intergenerational trauma caused by Vermont’s eugenics movement, as reflected on by Abenaki leaders, including Chief Don Stevens. The eugenics campaign—which targeted Abenaki families, French‑Canadians, mixed‑race residents, low‑income Vermonters, and people with disabilities—led to forced sterilizations, family separation, and widespread pressure on Indigenous people to hide or deny their identities.
Chief Don Stevens describes how the eugenics program directly harmed his own family: his grandmother was included in the Vermont Eugenics Survey, which caused her to suppress her Abenaki heritage and live with fear, stigma, and cultural loss. He emphasizes that the emotional and cultural harm of these policies continues to affect Abenaki descendants today, contributing to generational trauma and identity erasure.
The article situates Stevens’ reflections within the broader movement calling for state accountability and formal apologies for Vermont’s past involvement in eugenics. Abenaki leaders argue that public acknowledgment is essential for healing, justice, and rebuilding trust between tribal communities and the state. They also highlight the need for continued education about the eugenics era, stressing that many Vermonters still do not understand the depth of its impacts on Indigenous families.
Overall, the piece underscores how the eugenics movement resulted in deep cultural disruption, the silencing of Abenaki identity, and the long‑term erosion of family histories—harm still felt across Abenaki communities today.
City of Burlington and Abenaki Alliance to promote awareness of Abenaki history and culture
Vermont biz
05/11/2018
The article announces a new collaboration between the City of Burlington and the Vermont Abenaki Alliance, represented by Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk‑Abenaki Nation, aimed at promoting greater public awareness of Abenaki history, culture, and heritage. This partnership emerged during discussions surrounding the controversial Church Street mural “Everyone Loves a Parade.” Rather than joining the Mural Task Force, Abenaki leadership chose to focus on forward‑looking cultural initiatives that better reflect and honor Indigenous presence in Vermont.
The planned projects include:
- An annual summer cultural event on Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace
- A potential Abenaki cultural artifact display at the Burlington International Airport
- Additional collaborative initiatives designed to elevate local and international understanding of Abenaki traditions, identity, and historical contributions
These new efforts build upon prior collaborations between Burlington and Abenaki communities, such as the creation of the Chief Grey Lock statue in Battery Park and the City Council’s 1995 acknowledgment supporting Abenaki tribal recognition.
Chief Don Stevens emphasized that the Abenaki have a long and enduring history in Vermont, and that these projects reflect a shared commitment to fostering accurate representation, cultural respect, and Indigenous visibility in public spaces. Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger expressed appreciation for Chief Stevens’ insights and affirmed the City’s dedication to collaborative efforts that recognize the vital role of Abenaki people in Vermont’s past, present, and future.
Bill would exempt Abenaki property in Vermont from property taxes
VtDigger
01/18/2022
The article reports on H.556, a bill introduced in the Vermont Legislature that would exempt property owned by the state‑recognized Abenaki tribes from both municipal and statewide education property taxes. Supported by two dozen lawmakers, the proposal aims to address historical injustices by easing the financial burden placed on Indigenous communities whose land was originally taken from them. The exemption would apply to real and personal property owned directly by a tribe or by tribal nonprofits, so long as the land is used for tribal purposes and not leased or rented for profit.
Abenaki leaders, including Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk‑Abenaki Nation, emphasize that the exemption would have minimal fiscal impact on the state while providing substantial financial relief for the tribes. Current taxable holdings include four parcels totaling around 150 acres, on which tribes pay just under $11,300 annually. These lands include the Nulhegan Abenaki tribal forest in Barton, Wantastegok Natami (Elnu Abenaki land in Brattleboro), the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi’s tribal building in Swanton, and Brunswick Springs, a sacred Missisquoi site.
Stevens, who helped draft the bill, frames it as a continuation of Vermont’s recent steps toward reconciliation, including the state's formal apology for its eugenics movement and prior legislation granting free hunting and fishing licenses to tribal citizens. He notes that Abenaki tribes lack predictable revenue streams and rely heavily on grants and donations. Tax relief would allow them to redirect funds toward tribal services, such as food security programs, cultural preservation, health‑related support, and community development. It would also make it easier for tribes to acquire or accept gifted lands without the fear of unaffordable tax liabilities.
Missisquoi Chief Richard Menard adds that the exemption would help tribal members maintain and improve essential facilities, ensuring long‑term stewardship of tribal properties and strengthening tribal sovereignty.
Opening Blessing for Saskadena Six
Ski Vermont
03/13/2024
The article highlights the opening‑season blessing conducted by Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk‑Abenaki Nation at the newly renamed Saskadena Six Ski Area in South Pomfret, Vermont. Formerly known as Suicide Six, the ski area adopted the name Saskadena, meaning “standing mountain” in the Abenaki language, as part of a collaborative effort to honor the original Indigenous stewards of the land and strengthen ties between the resort and Abenaki communities.
Chief Stevens emphasizes that the Abenaki are a place‑based people, deeply connected to the land. His blessing ceremony marked the beginning of the winter season under the ski area’s new, culturally respectful identity. This renaming process resulted from a years‑long partnership between the ski area staff, marketing agency Origin, and the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe, who worked together to promote Indigenous visibility and cultural acknowledgment.
A key feature of this partnership is a display case of Abenaki cultural items housed in the ski lodge, showcasing artwork and historic pieces from all four state‑recognized Abenaki tribes—Nulhegan, Elnu, Ko’asek, and Missisquoi. During the blessing, Chief Stevens explained the cultural significance of these items, including well‑used handmade snowshoes that illustrate the Abenaki tradition of repairing and reusing objects—a practice he linked to modern‑day values of sustainability, resourcefulness, and environmental responsibility.
The article underscores that this renaming and blessing mark the beginning of an ongoing relationship between Saskadena Six and the Abenaki community, rooted in communication, mutual respect, and shared values such as land stewardship, community connection, and cultural preservation. Resort leadership echoed this alignment, highlighting the joint commitment to sustainability, community well‑being, and honoring the land’s Indigenous history.
Our New Name
Saskadena Six
07/13/2022
The article explains the meaning, purpose, and cultural significance behind the renaming of Suicide Six to Saskadena Six, a change made to honor the land’s Indigenous heritage and promote a more inclusive and respectful identity for the historic Vermont ski area.
Why “Saskadena”?
In the Abenaki language, “saskadena” (pronounced sahs‑kah‑deena) means “standing mountain.” The name was chosen by the resort in collaboration with Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk‑Abenaki Nation, reflecting the mountain’s deep connection to Abenaki homelands and acknowledging thousands of years of Indigenous presence. The name signals a commitment to honoring the ancient legacy, language, and stewardship of the Abenaki people while embracing the mountain’s longstanding traditions of community, inclusion, adventure, and discovery.
Why “Six”?
The “Six” preserves an important part of the mountain’s historical identity. In 1936, ski pioneer Wallace “Bunny” Bertram selected the site marked “No. 6” on a local map as the location for what would become one of the nation’s earliest rope‑tow–served ski areas. Retaining “Six” honors this heritage and maintains continuity with nearly 90 years of local ski culture.
New Logo and Visual Identity
The updated logo preserves the mountain’s mid‑20th‑century design roots—including the historic red “6” ball first used in the early 1960s—while adopting a modern, friendly typeface and a color palette inspired by the Vermont landscape. This balance of heritage and modernity reflects a philosophy of honoring the past while progressing toward a more welcoming future.
Abenaki Partnership and Cultural Stewardship
Chief Don Stevens emphasizes that the renaming represents more than a branding shift; it is a recognition of the mountain’s Abenaki history, the original language of the land, and an opportunity to offer cultural education to visitors. The Abenaki have used the “standing mountain” for over 11,000 years, and the partnership reinforces shared values of stewardship, respect for the land, and intergenerational connection.
Why the Name Needed to Change
The resort cites increasing awareness around mental health and the harm caused by the former name “Suicide Six,” acknowledging that the term carries emotional weight and can be distressing. Changing the name reflects a deliberate move toward greater sensitivity, inclusivity, and accessibility, ensuring that the mountain’s identity aligns with modern values while preserving its historic spirit.
Attorney General Donovan & Abenaki Chief Stevens Urge Governor to Sign Bill Recognizing Abenaki’s Historic Claim
Office of the vermont attorney general
07/01/2020
The article details a joint appeal by Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan and Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk‑Abenaki Nation, urging Governor Phil Scott to sign H.716, a bill affirming the historic rights of Abenaki and other state‑recognized Native American tribes in Vermont. The legislation, recently passed by both chambers of the Vermont Legislature, would grant free, permanent hunting and fishing licenses to citizens of Vermont’s state‑recognized tribes—expanding access not only for those living in Vermont but also for Abenaki and Indigenous citizens residing outside the state.
Both Donovan and Stevens frame the bill as a necessary step toward correcting historical injustices and honoring the centuries‑old agreements in which Abenaki people retained the right to hunt and fish throughout their homelands. Donovan emphasizes that the state has a responsibility to uphold those rights, acknowledging the deep history of Indigenous stewardship. Stevens praises the Legislature’s action within the broader context of social justice reform, noting that the bill uplifts Indigenous communities, expands access to traditional food sources, and strengthens cultural and environmental ties between Native Peoples and Vermont.
Advocates argue that H.716 would support environmental stewardship, cultural revival, education, and conservation initiatives, while also encouraging a new generation of sportspeople to engage with Vermont’s natural landscapes. With legislative approval secured, the bill was forwarded to Governor Scott for final signature—positioned as a meaningful and overdue recognition of Abenaki heritage, sovereignty, and presence in the region.
Summary of HCR 153: A Resolution Commemorating the Transfer of 350 Acres to the Nulhegan Abenaki Nation
VTCNG - The Other paper
07/02/2020
HCR 153 is a Vermont House Concurrent Resolution honoring a historic act of land return: the transfer of 350 acres of forested land in Wheelock, Vermont, from landowner Molly Davies to the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation.
The resolution recounts the background of the landholding:
Davies’ family had owned approximately 600 acres in Wheelock since the 1990s.
Roughly six years prior, the Vermont Land Trust placed a conservation easement over the land, and a local farmer obtained ownership of the agricultural 250 acres.
Davies was seeking a new steward for the remaining 350 forested acres, prioritizing a caretaker who would respect its ecological and cultural value—especially for activities like maple sugaring and fishing on nearby Chandler Pond.
A chance meeting between Davies and Chief Don Stevens at a Stowe art gallery led to a conversation about transferring the land to the Nulhegan Abenaki. Chief Stevens was initially hesitant due to the history of insincere or misleading offers made to Native communities, but after Davies invited him to walk the land with her, an authentic partnership emerged.
With support from Abenaki Helping Abenaki, the transfer was finalized—at no cost to the tribe—on Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2023, during a ceremony attended by around 50 community members. The event followed traditional forms of acknowledgment, including:
A livery of seisin (feoffment) ceremony
The symbolic passing of an evergreen branch to Chief Stevens
A pipe ceremony that honored ancestral customs
Chief Stevens described the moment as profoundly meaningful, marking the return of sacred land into Abenaki stewardship—lands their people have long considered part of their Ndakinna, the ancestral homeland.
The resolution formally commemorates the land transfer and directs the Secretary of State to send copies to Molly Davies and Chief Don Stevens, recognizing both the cultural significance and the spirit of generosity embodied in this act of land repatriation.
“We honor our ancestors by caring for the land, uplifting our people, and walking forward in partnership.
When we recognize the truths of the past and choose respect in the present, we ensure that future
generations—Abenaki and non‑Abenaki alike—can stand together on this land in a good way.”
— Chief Don Stevens, Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation
Chief Donald Stevens
Chief of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation
Copyright 2026. Chief Donald Stevens. All Rights Reserved.
Dedicated to the preservation of Nulhegan Abenaki culture and the well-being of its
citizens.