Indigenous Journalists Association President Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi (Diné) appointed Luella Brien to fill the vacancy left by Angel Moore (Cree) who stepped down from the board of directors in June 2026. The board voted to confirm Brien during the Aug. 13 board meeting. She will serve the remainder of Moore’s two-year term through July 2028.
As the founder of Four Points Media, Brien shares the triumphs and tragedies of her people, which she feels is the natural evolution of the Native storytelling tradition. She also believes strongly in serving her community. She has worked as a media consultant, a communication arts instructor at Little Big Horn College, and an outreach coordinator. Brien’s Apsáalooke name is Akbaaítchesh, or One Who Keeps Things Good. Her name was given to her by her maternal grandfather Benjamin Big Man Sr., as a tribute to his own mother. She is the descendant of powerful healers, educators, and leaders and most importantly, storytellers.
She is a 2006 graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism, a 2002 graduate of the Freedom Forum’s American Indian Journalism Institute, a Chips Quinn Scholar, and Maynard 2024 Fellow.
“We are grateful to Angel for her time and contributions to the board and to the organization as a whole. We wish her well in all of her future endeavors,” Clahchischiligi said. “We are also elated to welcome Luella to the board of directors. She is a longtime member of the association who brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in Indigenous media, as well as a unique perspective that is rooted in her lived experiences as a storyteller.”
The remaining officers and members will continue to serve on the board of directors for the duration of their elected terms.
2026-2027 IJA Board of Directors
- Sunnie R. Clahchischiligi (Diné), president
- Angel Ellis (Muscogee Nation), vice president
- Joseph Lee (Aquinnah Wampanoag), treasurer
- Roselynn Yazzie (Shoshone-Bannock / Diné), secretary
- Melissa Greene-Blye (Miami Tribe of Oklahoma)
- Graham Lee Brewer (Cherokee Nation)
- Eden Fineday (Cree, Sweetgrass First Nation)
- Bryan Pollard (Cherokee Nation)
