Strategy Elevation Alliance
Executive Preview · Pre-Operational Readiness · April 28, 2026

Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde

Sovereign Nation · Grand Ronde, Oregon · Reservation-Doubling Land Acquisition Pending
Built for Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy and the Grand Ronde Tribal Council.
The Onliness
Strategy Elevation Alliance is the only strategic operating partnership where three enterprise practitioners run the full ILLUMINATE → FOCUS → PERFORM arc as one continuous discipline alongside the leadership team driving the enterprise. The same practitioners read the conditions, shape the priorities with leadership, and install the operating cadence inside the work. The methodology is SEA's to run. The enterprise is leadership's to operate. The operating rhythm is built together.
Climb Higher. See Further. Execute Intentionally.
Strategic Context · May 2026

The 26,000-Acre Pre-Operational Window

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde have county-level support behind a proposed acquisition of approximately 26,000 acres of Siuslaw National Forest land that would more than double the size of the reservation. The window to install the operating system that carries an enterprise of that expanded scope is open right now, and narrows once the land base lands in trust.

26,000
Acres Pending Acquisition
2x
Reservation Footprint Expansion
Mar 2026
Tillamook County Letter of Support
Largest
Tourist Attraction in Oregon (Spirit Mountain)
What Just Happened

A reservation that doubles in size needs the operating system that fits.

Doubling the operating footprint changes the shape of governance, operations, and accountability infrastructure that has to run on top of it. The pre-trust window is when the operating system gets built to fit.

  • March 2026. The Tillamook County Board of Commissioners signed a letter of support for Grand Ronde's proposed acquisition of approximately 26,000 acres of Siuslaw National Forest land, which would more than double the size of the reservation.
  • Cultural-economic vision. The Willamette Falls cultural-economic vision is in active development as part of the broader land-base and operating-context work.
  • Operating context. Spirit Mountain Casino is the largest tourist attraction in Oregon, and Chairwoman Kennedy serves on the Spirit Mountain Community Fund board.

Why Now

Every decision made before opening is cheaper than every decision made after. Governance, leadership bench, operating cadence, guest-experience standards, member accountability structures. All of these are easier to install on a pre-operational enterprise than to retrofit on a running one.

The pending federal review on a reservation-doubling land acquisition, the Tillamook County letter of support, and the Willamette Falls cultural-economic vision raise the visibility of every governance and operating decision in the next 12 months. The operating system installed before trust lands is what carries the expanded enterprise cleanly.

Why SEA, Why READY™

The READY™ diagnostic was built for exactly this profile: an enterprise in transition with a committed leadership team, a funded plan, and a defined window to act. It reads the five conditions that shape how strategy lands inside an operating enterprise: Reason for Change, Executive Sponsorship, Alignment, Decision Authority, and Yield.

SEA's three partners have personally carried tribal and hospitality enterprises through scope-doubling transitions at Choctaw Nation, Chumash, and Pinnacle. The Grand Ronde profile, with a reservation-doubling land acquisition pending and a long-tenured Chairwoman in seat, is the profile READY was designed for, with leadership teams we recognize.

Sources: Grand Ronde Tribal Council public communications · Tillamook County Board of Commissioners records · Spirit Mountain Casino releases · Tribal Business News. All figures sourced from public record as of May 2, 2026. Any figure cited in a subsequent engagement proposal will be confirmed directly with the Tribal Council.
The Partnership

Three Practitioners. One Accountability.

SEA is not a firm that deploys associates. The three partners below own the work end to end, together. What you see below is what shows up in the room.

John Elliott
Principal, Strategy Elevation Alliance · Economic Development · Transformation Leader · Executive Coach
Innovative Venturer · Analytical Machine · Entrepreneurial Builder · Inspiring Storyteller · Future-Oriented
35+ years leading organizations through transformation as CEO, COO, CFO, and consulting practice leader. Career spans Big 5 consulting across Asia, Native American Tribal economic development, and corporate leadership in manufacturing, defense, and utilities. Known for navigating complex, regulated environments and delivering measurable growth. Established strategic partnerships and completed $1B of economic development transactions alongside Native Nations.
Core Expertise
  • Organizational Transformation & Strategy Execution
  • Leadership Development & Executive Coaching
  • Mergers & Acquisitions Integration & Growth
  • Economic Development Initiatives
  • Operations, Supply Chain & Outsourcing
  • Shared Services & Enterprise Performance Systems
  • Change Management & Cultural Transformation
elliottjohn32@gmail.com 508.272.4710
Teri Hill
Principal, Strategy Elevation Alliance · Strategic Advisor · Journey Architect · Executive Coach
Strategic Persuader · Vision Translator · People Optimizer · Alignment Builder · Outcome-Focused
Trusted business advisor with 35+ years helping executives grow and transform. Former Accenture Managing Director brings enterprise-grade expertise typically reserved for Fortune 500 companies to small and mid-sized organizations. Architected Chumash Enterprises' shift from functional silos to self-directed teams. Grew Accenture practice team 5x and Fortune client base across healthcare and energy. Predictive Index® Consultant, The Leadership Challenge® Advanced Facilitator, and licensed Line-of-Sight℠ practitioner.
Core Expertise
  • Enterprise Transformation & Strategy Execution
  • Leadership Development & Executive Coaching
  • M&A: Integration, Growth, Divestiture
  • Organizational Design & Operating Models
  • Talent Optimization & Behavioral Analytics
  • Strategic Planning & Expert Facilitation
  • Change Management & Cultural Transformation
trhill@hill-summit.com 602.831.0051
Tommy Rhoads
Principal, Strategy Elevation Alliance · Transformation Leader · Master Black Belt · Performance Integrator
Natural Persuader · Energetic Innovator · Change Catalyst · Visionary Trailblazer · Equality-Focused
Proven leader in hospitality, tribal enterprises, and corporate transformation. Built enterprise-wide transformation roadmap at Chumash Enterprises delivering $3M+ recurring value. Transformed customer and employee experience at Choctaw Nation: CSAT +39.5%, ESAT +31 points; launched Hoshin Kanri strategy system. Progressive leadership at Pinnacle Entertainment from F&B to Regional Ops with multiple Leader of the Year awards. Prosci® Certified Change Practitioner.
Core Expertise
  • Enterprise Transformation (people, process, digital, cultural)
  • Organizational Change & Leadership Activation
  • Hoshin Kanri & Strategy Deployment
  • Customer & Team Experience Strategy
  • Tribal Gaming & Hospitality Performance
  • Operational Excellence (Lean Six Sigma® Master Black Belt)
  • M&A Value Realization
tommy.rhoads@rtienterprises.com 469.475.4277
Next Step

A Thirty-Minute Conversation About the Next Twelve Months.

No slide deck. No pitch. A direct working conversation about your twelve-month priorities, the operating system the tribe needs to lock them down, and whether a partnership with SEA belongs in that room.

Email the Partners to Set Up a Conversation Email John Elliott Directly