David Paul Achneepineskum is the Chief Executive Officer for Matawa First Nations, a Tribal Council group of nine First Nations located within the Treaty Number Nine Territory. 

Achneepineskum has been working for his First Nations Peoples for more than 45 years. In 1971, he started as Councillor, then as the Band Manager, for his home community of Marten Falls. Since 1975, Achneepineskum has worked in various management and executive capacities for organizations such as Constance Lake First Nation, Chiefs of Ontario, Rainy River First Nations, and Nishnawbe Aski Nation. 

Achneepineskum comes from one of the original families of Marten Falls, the “Achneepineskums.” His father and his grandfather’s gathering and hunting territory are within the Gichi Siipii and Kenogami River basins, where he and his siblings were born and raised on the land. His mother was from the Cree Nation who originated from the English River Post known as Mammattawa. 

Achneepineskum attended residential schools during his primary education and went on to graduate from Geraldton Composite High School in 1970.  He can be reached at the Matawa First Nations office, where he started in July of 1988 as the Executive Director. 

Achneepineskum took a 10-year hiatus from Matawa in 1995 to work and gain further experience with other First Nations and Nishnawbe Aski Nation. He has since devoted working with Matawa as Chief Executive Officer since 2006 and loves spending many hours working for his Peoples. His dream is that someday his Peoples will be self-sufficient and independent like they were more than a hundred years ago.