Changes in Council Executive 

Aianóhon Kaylia Marquis will be transitioning away from her role as Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) executive strategic and accountability officer (ESAO) and will now be strategic initiatives manager, with the change effective as of October 1, the day the announcement was made.

MCK executive director Onerahtókha Marquis said that the change was due to an ongoing restructuring of the executive office, rather than due to Aianóhon’s performance.

“I’m just very appreciative and grateful for the amicable discussions that she and I have had, and very grateful that we’ve come to a solution that is satisfactory to both parties,” said Onerahtókha. “I’m looking forward to getting the opportunity to continue to work with Kaylia, just in a different role at this point.”

“Onerahtókha and I have a very good relationship, so we’ve been really candid about the organization and my comfort level and a lot of different positions,” said Aianóhon.

Aianóhon said the new position will help her allot her time more effectively and focus on projects more directly.

“From my perspective, it’s something that’s going to help our community, and something I can do for them. I’m not overly concerned about the title,” said Aianóhon. “I think it just allows me to offer my undivided attention on different areas that we know need to move.”

Aianóhon Marquis will remain in a management position, overseeing the management, implementation, and reporting of various MCK projects.

“Being an executive, whether it be executive director or an executive officer, that comes with a lot more decision-making authority and the supervision of a unit, or various units, which includes employees,” said Onerahtókha.

“This particular situation doesn’t involve executive authority and doesn’t include people management. The supervisory role is eliminated, but she still maintains a position within the executive office.”

The MCK has been undergoing a review of different positions, in collaboration with the consulting firm Brant & Associates. The MCK had previously worked with the same consultants during an overview on housing in 2022.

“A lot of our units within the MCK are going through operational assessments to determine, how they’re functioning now, how they needed to function before, and what types of resources and people are or aren’t necessary to carry out their mandate,” said Onerahtókha.

“I think we’re both committed to improving our community and having open and transparent conversations about what’s important, what’s needed, and what makes sense for the organization and the community,” said Aianóhon. “I wish a lot of these conversations happened in other arenas, because we would get a lot more work done.”

While Onerahtókha said not to expect an announcement every week in terms of changes to roles inside the MCK, she said more changes are likely to come.

“I think over the next, I would say weeks or months, we could see some changes in how we do things at the MCK,” said Onerahtókha. “We’re trying to be more effective and efficient with how we operate at the MCK.”

She said that any report from the consulting firm in terms of what positions needed to be changed, created, or eliminated would be considered.

The ESAO position was one that was recommended for elimination in the medium to long-term, but according to the MCK’s executive director, the opportunity to make a change sooner rather than later presented itself and was acted upon.

The position of strategic initiative manager did not exist prior to the change, Onerahtókha said.Instead, an existing vacant position was adjusted to “align with the type of work that we want Kaylia to continue to produce, which she is very well equipped to do.”

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