Northern Michigan University alumnus DJ Hoffman was appointed chair of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians during a special board of directors meeting on June 27. He served as vice chair from 2016-22 and also two years as secretary. Hoffman earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from NMU.
“I am humbled and honored to serve as chairman of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians,” he said in a press release. “I realize we are a divided tribe, and members have strong feelings one way or another on who leads our nation. It is my hope I can help bridge this transition and move our tribe forward working with our tribal board.”
Hoffman's appointment will cover the remainder of the chairperson term until the next election in 2024. Former Chair Aaron Payment resigned May 10.
Serving as a board officer for eight years and additional time serving on various committees has helped Hoffman prepare for his new role.
“I look forward to working with the current and future board members to work collaboratively to achieve positive results for our tribe,” he said.
In addition to his MPA from Northern, Hoffman holds an MBA from Central Michigan University, and two bachelor's degrees, in business and human resources, from Lake Superior State University. He is a certified school board member and a certified parliamentarian.