About Us
Native-owned. Community-grounded. Experience-driven.
THA was founded in 2007 by Chris Walker, MSW, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, with executive experience across Tribal and federal health systems. From the beginning, THA has served Tribal Nations and Tribal health programs exclusively — and that focus has never wavered.
Our team includes Tribal professionals who live and work within Tribal communities and receive care within Tribal health systems. That lived experience informs everything — our understanding of governance, community expectations, operational realities, and the long-term responsibility Tribal leaders carry when strengthening healthcare services. It also shapes how we think about care itself.
A Tribal Lens on Health and Wellness. Effective Tribal health systems are rooted in more than operational excellence. They reflect the values, culture, and community responsibility that define Tribal life. THA approaches every engagement through a Tribal lens — recognizing that sustainable health systems for Native communities must integrate cultural values, traditional practices, and community-based care alongside clinical and operational frameworks.
Our team brings lived experience as Tribal members and healthcare professionals — fluent in both Tribal health priorities and mainstream healthcare systems. We bridge those two worlds naturally: translating federal programs, Medicaid frameworks, and managed care structures into practical, culturally grounded strategies that work for Tribal communities.
This perspective informs everything we do — from revenue cycle and PRC strategy to leadership development and program expansion. It is not a separate service. It is our foundation.
How We Support Tribal Health Systems
THA operates through a network of highly experienced Tribal healthcare professionals, deployed as needed across revenue cycle, PRC, clinical operations, leadership, and system expansion — giving Tribes access to seasoned expertise while building sustainable internal capacity. We work alongside Tribal leadership and staff, grounded in Tribal governance, regulatory requirements, and firsthand lived experience.
Operations
Transitions
Outcomes
We help Tribes run high-performing health systems by clarifying organizational structure, streamlining operations, and identifying growth opportunities — all while assessing feasibility and risk.
We guide Tribes through complex changes — including Title I/Title V assumptions, facility expansions, and new authorities — with culturally informed strategies and transparent, step-by-step processes.
We build internal capacity and leadership that lasts. Our goal is sustainable, thriving health systems where programs, facilities, and staff continue to succeed long after our engagement concludes.
Meet Our Team
Executive Team
Christopher Walker, MSW
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Chris Walker (Cherokee) is a senior healthcare executive with more than 30 years of experience supporting Indian Health Service and tribally operated healthcare systems. His expertise spans federal healthcare operations, IHS governance, leadership transition, accreditation readiness, and large-scale health system planning. Chris has led multi-site initiatives across tribal and federal settings — including a Presidential Appointee Senior Advisor role at IHS and executive leadership at Cherokee Nation Health Services. He has served as a trusted advisor to federal, Tribal, and hospital leadership nationwide. In 2007, Chris founded Tribal Health Alliance to bring executive-level expertise and hands-on support directly to Tribal Nations and Tribal health programs — exclusively.
Karol Dixon, JD/MPH
Vice President
Karol Dixon (Deg Hit'an Athabascan) is a senior tribal and public health leader with more than 15 years of experience advancing Indian health systems across Tribal governments, Alaska Native health systems, and state and federal agencies. Her expertise spans Medicaid transformation, behavioral health integration, federal cooperative agreement management, Tribal consultation, and rural and frontier health systems. Karol has led complex, federally funded initiatives and built durable partnerships across Tribes, providers, and government partners. Her leadership background includes Tribal health operations, state Medicaid and Tribal affairs, urban Indian health, and senior executive roles in managed care and health technology.
Our Subject Matter Experts
Elaine Alexander, RN, LNC
Senior Consultant, Clinical & Accreditation
Jacqueline 'Elaine' Alexander (Cherokee) is a senior healthcare and legal nurse executive with more than 25 years of experience supporting Indian Health Service and tribally operated healthcare systems. Her expertise spans federal hospital and clinic operations, accreditation readiness, risk management, compliance, and corrective action planning — informed by national leadership development, Magnet hospital experience, and frontline clinical practice. Elaine has served in executive leadership roles within IHS, including Acting CEO and Area Nurse Consultant, recognized for stabilizing clinical operations and improving patient safety outcomes across federal and Tribal settings. She also served as Program Coordinator for the IHS Executive Leadership Development Program, training senior leaders across the Indian Health Service.
Beth Lee, CPC, CPB, CPC-I
Compliance Officer
Beth Lee (Crow Nation) is a healthcare compliance and coding professional with expertise spanning healthcare law, regulatory guidance, clinical documentation, and billing compliance. Her background includes direct patient care as a CNA — an experience that grounds her regulatory work in practical, patient-centered understanding. Beth holds three AAPC certifications (CPC, CPB, CPC-I) and a master's degree in legal studies focused on healthcare law from the University of Oklahoma. She shares her expertise as an adjunct instructor and brings a deep commitment to building compliant, sustainable healthcare systems for Tribal communities. As a member of the Crow Nation with deep roots in Montana, Beth brings both professional expertise and personal commitment to strengthening healthcare compliance within Tribal communities.
Kayci Miller, RCM, CPPM
Director of Revenue Enhancement Services
Kayci Miller (Absentee Shawnee) is a Tribal health revenue cycle and operations leader with more than 15 years of experience strengthening financial performance, compliance alignment, and operational infrastructure across Tribal and rural healthcare systems. Her expertise spans A/R optimization, payer contracting, federal and Tribal regulatory requirements, and multi-site operational improvement. A THA team member since 2011, Kayci has delivered six and seven figure revenue gains for Tribal health programs, modernized business office functions, and designed sustainable workflows that support Tribal sovereignty, audit readiness, and long-term system resilience. She is recognized for securing the first BlueCross BlueShield Network Provider contract for a Tribal health system in Oklahoma — a milestone reflecting her expertise and commitment to expanding Tribal health access.
Russ Pederson, PE
Senior Consultant, Facilities & Self-Governance
Russ Pederson, P.E. is a senior healthcare facilities, engineering, and Tribal self-governance expert with more than 35 years of experience supporting Indian Health Service and tribally operated healthcare systems. His expertise spans healthcare facility planning, environmental health and engineering, Section 105(l) lease development and negotiation, and ISDEAA Title I and Title V program assumptions. Russ served as the IHS Agency Lead Negotiator for Tribal Self-Governance new program assumptions — bringing firsthand federal negotiating experience directly to Tribal Nations navigating complex infrastructure and governance transitions. He holds a Master of Science in Construction Engineering and Management from Stanford University and is a licensed Professional Engineer and retired U.S. Public Health Service Captain.
Rick Richards
Senior Consultant, Elder Care & PACE Programs
Rick Richards (Cherokee) is a Home and Community Based Elder Care Specialist with more than 23 years of experience in home health, hospice, and Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) operations. His expertise spans elder care program development, facility design and construction, nursing home administration, and community-based service expansion across Tribal and non-Tribal settings. Rick directed the development of Oklahoma's first Native American PACE program — Cherokee Eldercare PACE — and has since led PACE startup and operations in multiple states, including establishing North Carolina's first PACE program. He has served as CEO for multiple elder care organizations, managing teams of up to 200 employees and budgets approaching $10 million annually.
Terri Schmidt, RN
Senior Consultant, PRC & Federal Policy
Terri Schmidt, RN (Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma) is a senior healthcare executive and consultant with more than 20 years of progressive leadership experience within the Indian Health Service, including senior headquarters, Area, and Service Unit roles. Her expertise spans Purchased/Referred Care, federal health policy, Tribal consultation, third-party revenue, and large-scale program administration. Terri has served as the national PRC Director at IHS — overseeing a $928M annual budget — and as primary agency lead for Title I activities under ISDEAA, advising the IHS Director on Tribal health policy, program management, and self-determination. She is recognized for national policy leadership and sustained results across high-visibility federal healthcare initiatives, including co-authoring the federal PRC regulations that govern Tribal and IHS programs today.
In Loving Memory
Marilynn Jones-Parker, Ph.D., LMFT
Marilynn was a gifted therapist, educator, and behavioral health pioneer whose work touched Tribal communities, military families, and countless children and families across Oklahoma and beyond. For more than 40 years she brought warmth, wisdom, and deep clinical expertise to everyone she served — developing behavioral health programs within Tribal health systems, training professionals, and teaching graduate students around the world.
Marilynn was a valued and beloved member of the THA family. Her contributions to Tribal behavioral health continue to inspire our work every day.
Our Business Alliances
THA works alongside a carefully vetted network of trusted partners — extending our ability to serve Tribal Nations across facilities, staffing, financial administration, and specialized healthcare services.
THA maintains referral relationships with these selected partners.
Locum tenens staffing solutions dedicated to bridging healthcare gaps in Tribal and rural communities — connecting qualified providers with the programs that need them most.
USDA guaranteed loan expertise helping Tribal and rural healthcare organizations access flexible financing options for facility development and capital projects.
Custom-designed mobile health clinics and medical vans that bring quality healthcare services directly to Tribal communities.
Specialized PRC solutions focused on claims payment processes that maximize Medicare-Like Rate savings for Tribal PRC programs through sophisticated pricing methodology and accurate internal procedures.
Operations. Transitions. Outcomes.
Executive guidance and hands-on support for Tribal and Urban Indian health systems.