About Us
Our Story: Three Paths, One Purpose
Trigate Coaching began with a question, not a business plan:
What if strategy could be more human? More collaborative? More empowering?
Brandon Barnett, a scientist by training, spent a decade building a research lab to apply complex systems theory and early AI to the science of strategy. His work eventually led him to Intel’s Corporate Strategy Office, where he translated research into real-world transformation.
Bernhard Ries’s path was different, rooted in tech, then pivoting to marketing, market intelligence, and ultimately leading corporate strategy. He brought a practical lens to strategy: making bold ideas understandable, actionable, and aligned across complex organizations.
Together, Brandon and Bernhard saw a gap: leaders were being handed static strategic plans but were rarely equipped with a framework to create their own strategies. So, they built one—a structured, research-driven strategy development process designed to empower teams, not replace them.
Meanwhile, Brandon met Pam Kelley-Dockter through the Intel Parent Network, both seeking caregiver support. Discovering no such group existed, they co-founded one. Using the strategy framework, they built a caregiver advocacy network that grew to over 400 members and became a recognized part of Intel’s award-winning Disability & Accessibility ERG.
Pam, a leadership and HR professional, knew that strategic thinking wasn’t just for the C-suite—it was a critical skill for leadership growth at every level. She later met Bernhard through the coaching community, where both were ICF-certified coaches. They quickly realized something powerful: strategy conversations and coaching conversations shared the same DNA—curiosity, reflection, and intentional action.
When Intel started to struggle, they recognized their role in boosting the strategic acumen of every employee, hoping to help the company recover when its top-down strategy and culture were not enough. The semiconductor industry was going through a massive transformation, and Intel needed a clear part in the new world order and coherent action across the company, not just the C-suite.
The three joined forces to co-create a “Strategy Coaching for Extraordinary Results” workshop. It became a hit, raising the acumen and impact of more than 300 executives and senior leaders. But more importantly, it validated a belief: strategy is a team sport, and leaders thrive when given the mindset, tools, and support to lead it together.
From this convergence of science, leadership, and coaching, Trigate Coaching was born.
We’re not just strategy experts—we’re co-creators of a new narrative for strategic leadership: one that is collaborative, systems-oriented, data-informed, and deeply human.
Our mission is simple: to elevate leaders and teams to master the art and science of strategy in the age of AI, together.
Meet Our Coaches
Dr. Brandon Barnett Founder & CEO
Strategy, AI, & Business Speaker
Dr. Brandon Barnett is the founder and CEO of Trigate Coaching, whose mission is to elevate leaders and teams to master strategy. With over two decades of experience, Brandon has refined his approach to strategy by experimenting with various theories, frameworks, and processes throughout the corporate lifecycle and across critical areas, including core business growth, industry transformation, innovation, new business development, and technology strategy. His expertise in strategy coaching teaches leaders how to engage their teams in addressing critical questions that produce quality strategies and deliver actionable outcomes.
Brandon’s strategy approach is rooted in complex systems theory, in which networks of companies and stakeholders can self-organize to create and deliver value. With a background in physics, he has pioneered the application of this theory to strategy, actively sponsoring research and publishing on the subject. Additionally, he was an early adopter of artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle strategic and market challenges. The fusion of complex systems theory, hands-on experimentation, and AI has enabled Brandon to develop a transformative approach to strategy.
Throughout his 30+ years in the tech sector, Brandon has held leadership roles involving corporate and business unit strategy, mergers and acquisitions, market insights, innovation portfolio management, and communication to the board of directors. He has successfully developed and executed strategy within competitive ecosystems and culture-driven organizations, collaborating with senior technologists and executive business leaders to establish a unified strategy. Previously, Brandon served as a General Manager in Intel’s New Business Incubator and held scientific positions in Intel’s Next-Generation Manufacturing Technology Group.
Brandon earned a PhD in Applied Physics from the University of Michigan, an MBA from the Oregon Executive MBA program, and a Sc.B. in Engineering from Brown University. He holds nineteen patents, and his work has been featured in publications such as Fast Company, The Washington Post, GigaOm, and The Venture Capital Journal. He has provided advisory support to the Congressional Research Service and Homeland Security panels and has collaborated with the White House and the World Economic Forum. Brandon is based in Portland, Oregon.
Bernhard Ries Managing Partner
Bernhard Ries has over 30 years of experience in the Tech Sector in roles spanning across software engineering, product & brand marketing (including leading Intel’s “Intel Inside® Program” and working closely with leading PC OEMs on joint marketing programs), business development, and corporate strategy, culminating in leading Intel’s Corporate Strategy Office, reporting to the CEO and leading a team of senior strategists to drive the transformation of the company.
Bernhard’s expertise lies at the intersection of strategy, communications, and organizational development. Through leadership roles in diverse technology areas and by operating on three continents (Europe, North America, and South America), he has mastered different facets of business and how to work best in diverse cultural settings. He strongly believes that business performance always comes back to leading with a sound strategy while paying equal attention to developing people and activating the power of good leadership to sustain execution.
Bernhard holds an MSc degree in Computer Science from the Technical University in Munich, Germany. He is an ICF-accredited and Hudson Certified Coach. He is also a certified Birkman Assessment interpreter and Team Diagnostic Survey Practitioner. As a member of Intel’s Executive Coaching team, he is the recipient of the 2022 ICF PRISM award for coaching excellence. He is based in Mountain View, California.
Pam Kelley-Dockter Managing Partner
Pam Kelley-Dockter is a Leadership and Strategy Coach. Her expertise comes from over 20 years of experience in the tech industry as a Leadership Coach, Learning and Development Consultant, People Manager, and Human Resources Practitioner. She gained valuable experience in all areas of talent management, including executive, leader, and manager development, career advancement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Pam created Intel’s Women’s Leadership Academy, a global program that supports senior leaders in thriving and amplifying their impact. Participants see higher promotion and retention rates. Additionally, she launched Intel’s Authentic Leadership Presence Workshop, an innovative learning experience designed to improve leadership presence, build confidence, and amplify leadership capability.
Pam holds an MBA and a BA in Political Science from the University of Washington. She is an ICF-accredited Whole Person Certified Coach, a Trauma-Informed Certified Coach, and a certified Birkman Assessment interpreter. She is based in Portland, Oregon.