Tribes in the Spokane, Washington area are seeing a growing role for women in leadership roles shaping tribal enterprises.
Meg Miller, executive director of resort operations at Northern Quest Resort & Casino, which is owned by the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, talked to the Spokane Journal about a business climate where diversity of outlook is appreciated and sought out. She has started to see women selected as executives or heads for tribal enterprises.
“I think businesses are starting to see the value in having diverse voices at the table,” she told the Journal. However a tribal business is different from just a business, as she points out.
“Most businesses report to shareholders or ownership groups, but our mission is focused on improving the larger community,” says Miller. “The tribe welcomes exploration and education, investing in its employees and its community whenever possible.”
She believes that leadership should be nurtured at all levels, not just the executive level. “Being a leader is about how you present yourself at work, the attitude you show up with, and the level of accountability you hold yourself to,” she told the Journal. “I expect everyone I work with to lead by example and work together toward a healthy and happy environment.”
Earlier this year her team started a recycling program that has already reduced waste by 40 tons. “It’s amazing to be able to take huge initiatives like that across the finish line,” she said. It had the double benefit of helping the business and the community.
Two years ago the Journal named Miller a Journal Rising Star. She is recognized as a leader by serving on industry boards, is active on nonprofits such as Visit Spokane and the Innovia Foundation.
At the Spokane Tribe of Indians, Maria Cullooyah is the assistant planning director for the tribe’s economic development department and real estate director. She says more women from her tribe are willing to grasp the opportunities for leadership.
She told the Journal, “More women are going to college, getting an education and experience than ever before. I believe that women who want to succeed will find a way.”
Her tribe has commenced a new period of economic development that she finds very exciting to be involved with. She told the Journal, “We’re focused on providing job opportunities and training for our people and moving forward in creating a stronger community.”
Some of this development is fueled by a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that was used to create a Sustainable Community Master Plan. The plan the tribe developed included revitalization of the town of Wellpinit, which is a part of the Spokane Tribe’s huge 160,000 acre reservation. They plan to remodel the trading post and create parks and open spaces for tribal members.
Jennifer Mitchell, chief marketing officer for the Kalispel Tribal Economic Development Authority says that businesses are also recognizing that women have challenges that men don’t have and need to be able to balance their lives at home with their lives at work.
That kind of support will create for a healthier environment and happier employees, says Mitchell, whose job is helping all of the tribe’s business enterprises to grow and be successful.
She notes that the tribe has been diversifying its businesses for a decade and its master plan calls for further development. As is evidenced by the Kalispel Tribe’s Northern Quest Resort & Casino facility in Airway Heights that last year added a retail store, cinema and dinner theater and RV park.
Earlier this year the tribe opened Kalispel Park & Casino in Cusick, Washington and has purchased and operates two country club/golf courses in the area.
Mitchell’s expertise has been in family-owned businesses, something she considers applies to the tribe’s enterprises, where “tribal members are the owners.” She adds, “I consider myself a steward of the business. It’s my responsibility to grow it, care for it, and hopefully leave it more successful for the next generation of Kalispels.”
She has degrees in journalism and political science and is studying for an MBA because she wants a greater understanding of business operations. “I felt it was important to have that perspective, because of how things like analytics impact marketing today,” she told the Journal.
Mitchell started at the tribal enterprise ten years ago as executive director of marketing and communications, which she built up until 2011 when she left to focus on her family. Her reputation was such that she was able to return several years later.
Mitchell recalls, “I was lucky to have the support from my employer to be able to come back as CMO in 2016, after a significant time away.”
Her reputation continues to grow. In March she was awarded the Women in Business Leadership Award from Bozzi Media. Just as she learned her work ethic and the importance of integrity from mentors, so she strives to be a mentor to the young women coming up. Her tribe focuses on developing future generations and giving them opportunities to excel and advance.
Miller says that businesses such as Northern Quest Resort & Casino benefit from the diverse perspectives. “Women tend to be more communal, comfortable working as a team and receiving feedback. I think women will continue to play a vital role in moving forward with the tribe’s mission.”
