Donna Abbott grew up in lower Dorchester County, MD in the small community of Robbins near the Little Blackwater River. She is a single mom to Jerry, an electrician, automations specialist, and programmer, and pet parent to a Leopard Appaloosa named Spot and a 165 lb Newfoundland dog named Saffron. Donna graduated from Chesapeake College in Wye Mills, MD, with a degree in Allied Sciences. She pursued a career as a Radiologic Technologist, which she has been for over 30 years. Her most recent place of employment is Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD.

Donna has served as Treasurer and Secretary of the organization. She worked closely with her predecessor, Chief Sewell Fitzhugh. In 2014, the tribe suffered a tragic loss: Chief Fitzhugh suddenly crossed the veil while at home with his wife Kathy. Elders of the tribe asked Donna to run in the Chief’s election. Being a matrilineal society, the women of the Nause-Waiwash voted Donna to lead the organization and continue the mission of preserving the history, culture, and traditions of the tribe. In the last 10 years, the Nause-Waiwash has made huge strides and accomplishments.

As Chief, Donna has served on the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs for 6 years. She was included in the Women of Dorchester mural in Cambridge, MD. Donna has had the honor of meeting Governors Wes Moore, Larry Hogan, and Martin O’Malley. Chief Donna has built relationships with other tribes in Maryland as well as Maryland state agencies. While under her leadership, the tribe continues to have the most successful Native American festivals in tribal history, and there has been much progress made in renovating the tribe’s two churches using no government funding. One church was granted the prestigious honor of being added to the National Registry of Historic Places and will be used as a resource center upon completion. The Maryland Department of Transportation erected a historic road marker in Dorchester County acknowledging Indian Lands, the last known village of the Choptank Indian Reservation.

Chief Donna’s goals for the Nause-Waiwash are to continue preserving the tribe’s culture, history, and traditions, get more young people interested in their heritage, and protect Mother Earth.