Ruth Massie is the interim chief of the Council of Yukon First Nations.
Massie, a former chief of the Ta’an Kwach’an Council, was appointed April 8. She will hold the job until a new grand chief is elected at the next general assembly in July.
Massie replaces Andy Carvill, who resigned mid-way through his term on March 29 as chiefs held tumultuous talks over how to rebuild the CYFN.
The council has been hobbled by infighting and a declining membership in recent years. The most contentious proposals involved taking power away from the grand chief, stripping the job of its current responsibilities to serve as a political advocate.
Carvill has only said he left for “personal reasons” in a press release and hasn’t elaborated.
On April 1, he started managing the new Whitehorse office of Arctic Construction Limited, according to a newspaper advertisement.
Massie served as Ta’an chief until October, when she lost a re-election bid to Brenda Sam.