Set to begin September 11, the Elevate Leadership Institute (ELI) 9-month program provides participants with the background, unique experiences, and insights necessary to assume leadership positions in the community. By the end of the program, an ELI graduate will advance their desire to serve, engage, lead, and inspire others to join them to achieve even greater success.
“We look forward to what this next group and up-and-coming leaders can do for our community. They bring diverse backgrounds, stories, and experiences and, most importantly, a desire to impact this community,” says Tom Johnson, President & CEO of Elevate Rapid City. “We are confident once they have graduated from ELI, the community can expect great things.”
“We look forward to welcoming the ELI class of 2026,” added Bailey Sadowsky, program director. “Over the course of nine months, we hope to develop empowered leaders who are challenged personally and professionally, and who discover new avenues to serve our community.”
Elevate Leadership Institute Class of 2026
- Brianna Bernot, Cole-TAC LLC
- Destiny Cash, Visit Rapid City
- T.J. Denn, Loyal Plumbing Heating & Cooling
- Lily Fields, Omnitech
- Kaye Francisco, BankWest
- Trevor Frybarger, West River Mental Health
- Tyresha Grey Horse, Friends of the Children – He Sapa
- Johanna Guthrie, The Journey Museum
- Sarah Hanzel, Black Hills Area Community Foundation
- Colin Highland, Pete Lien & Sons, Inc.
- Garrett Keegan, Costello Porter Law Firm
- Tara Knowlton, Black Hills Federal Credit Union
- Holly Knox, Monument Health
- Katlynn Lee, The Monument
- Ryan Powell, Black Hills Surgical Hospital
- Tessa Robinson, West Plains Engineering
- Buck Schiley, City of Rapid City
- Evan Walterman, Dean Kurtz Construction
- Mitchell Woldt, CO-OP Architecture
- Tessa Zastrow, Black Hills Energy
Tyresha Grey Horse is also the recipient of the Linda Rabe Women in Leadership Scholarship. Rabe spent more than thirty years with the Elevate Rapid City Chamber, was the first female to serve as its chief executive, and broke barriers for other women in leadership throughout her career.