Management of the Equine Environment
Equine Business Management
We are pleased to welcome our new Equine Business Management instructor Gwen Boyles. Gwen will be facilitating this course beginning in our Fall 2009 session.
Marketing & Communcations in the Equine Industry
The first offering of this core course in the Certificate in Equine Business Management will be facilitated by Heather Gentles in our Fall 2009 semester.
Finance and Risk Management
We welcome Nicole Velozo as the instructor in our first offering of this core course in January 2010.
The Equine Industry
An industry overview this course will be facilitated by Gayle Ecker with current topics being introduced by a group of industry experts.
Stewardship of the Equine Environment. Reducing your environmental "hoofprint"
Equine Jounalism
Equine Event Management
Instructor Bios
Gayle Ecker
At Work: Gayle has been the Senior Manager of Equine Guelph since its inception in 2003, and played an instrumental role in its birth. She has dedicated her energies to advancing the equine industry through education and communications. Gayle created the ‘pyramid of education’ model – an educational approach that provides learning pathways for career development at all levels (youth education > industry skills > Equine Science Certificate > higher education) in the equine industry. In collaboration with the Office of Open learning, Gayle developed the Equine Science Certificate program – an on-line program targeted to the equine industry. She also acts as an instructor in the program.
At Horseplay: Gayle started riding before she could walk! A dappled grey Shetland pony named Pogo was her first mount. Known as the ‘show junkie’, Gayle spent her youth competing at Arabian shows. A former researcher, Gayle’s expertise is in the area of exercise physiology. She has been the Assistant Chef d’Equippe for the Canadian Endurance Team, traveling around the globe with the team to international events like the Pan-Am and World Endurance Championships. These days, Gayle takes pleasure in riding her two Quarter horses through the wooded trails of her country home.
Heather Gentles
At work: Heather has 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry in marketing research and product management. Not only does she have extensive knowledge of the marketing research process but has had the opportunity to conduct primary research putting theory to practice regarding a variety of therapeutic areas and products. She clearly understands the importance of research in marketing. In addition, she has broad experience in product development and product management and has been part of new product launches on a national basis as well as managed products in all stages of their life cycle.
Heather has a Bachelor and Masters of Science in Biology from the University of Northern Arizona and a Masters of Business Administration in Marketing and General Management from the Weatherhead School of Management in Cleveland, Ohio. Teaching is another interest that has been practiced in many different venues over the years. For two years she taught at the State University of New York, Cobleskill.
At horseplay: Developing a passion for horses at a young age, Heather has owned and ridden horses “forever”. Growing up she competed in hunter/jumper and dressage classes, fox hunted and tried many other disciplines including helping out on her friend’s working ranch on weekends. She has been involved in the local pony club for the 10 years her daughter was active which was not only enjoyable but a learning experience. She now enjoys working with “Special Friends”, which has a riding program for local disabled young adults. Any other free time is spent trail riding throughout Southwestern Ontario where she now resides.
Dr. Sid Gustafson
At Work: Pursuing his lifelong horsemanship interests, Dr Gustafson graduated from Washington State University with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree to specialize in equine sports medicine. His subsequent concern for the mental and physical health challenges that stabling and confinement created for horses led him to the study of equine behavior.
Dr. Gustafson is currently instruction our Equine Behaviour course. Held also held the position of Equine Studies Program Coordinator for the Natural Horsemanship Program at the University of Montana Western from 2006-2008, where he developed a science-based equine studies curriculum that explored equine behavior and husbandry as well as appropriate contemporary horsemanship. He is currently completing a book on equine behavior and contemporary horse culture to be by published by Eclipse Press entitled The Language of Natural Horsemanship.
At Horse Play: Sid had the good fortune to be raised with horses in Montana just under the Medicine Line of Alberta, Canada, a country he wandered into horseback often riding with the Blackfeet Indians. He developed an early interest in equine behavior through his exposure to his family’s ranching and horse breeding pursuits, where he was witness to feral horses in natural settings on a regular basis. Sid has raised and trained horses all his life, and continues to do so understanding clearly there is much more to know and appreciate about horses. In addition to consulting and teaching Equine Behavior, Dr Gustafson currently is a seasonal regulatory veterinarian at Finger Lakes Racetrack across Lake Ontario from Guelph in Ontario County, New York, where he represents the horses.
Mike King
Mike King is a General Insurance broker and is owner/operator of Intercity Insurance Services Inc. A lifetime horseman, Mike has owned horses, competed in various disciplines, worked in the industry as a riding instructor, judge and boarding facility manager. Mike is a specialist in insurance products related to the equestrian world and has developed and successfully marketed a wide range of products designed to meet the unique needs of horse people. Risk Management and related education are also areas of interest and activity. Intercity Insurance Services Inc. is the official insurance broker for the Ontario Equestrian Federation and serves over 50,000 clients through various program.
Christine Pohlkamp
In 1989, after 15 years in the private sector Christine left her post as National Training Manager at a large national company to design and facilitate relevant training and organizational development program for clients in business and government. At that time she formed Nova Training and Consulting. One of her most interesting experiences has been in the creation of her management training and team building workshops using horses as the avenue of learning. Christine also maintains a horse boarding facility and is recently restored the health of an older very sick horse. Her future goals include breeding her Friesian cross filly to another Friesian and creating a beautiful line of horses. As well, Christine acts as an in-house subject expert resource, assisting clients through Return-on -investment evaluations of program, creating customer service strategies, and assisting clients in their time management skills. Christine also creates performance management tools; interview guides, conducts time and motion studies and acts as a mystery shopper.
Barbara Sheridan
Barbara is an award-winning freelance writer and photographer and former Associate Editor of HorseCare Magazine. She combines a strong set of communications skills with a sharp creativity and uncanny ability to reach a target audience.
She writes on numerous topics, including equine health and horse care, business and personal profiles, veterinary topics, and marketing and business for the equine and agricultural sector. Barbara draws on her 25 years of horse ownership and related experiences as fuel for many of her stories. Since 1999, her work has appeared in numerous publications, including Hobby Farms, Thoroughbred Times, HorseCare Magazine, Horse Canada, Popular Farming, Horse Sport, Canadian Thoroughbred, The Game, The Harness Edge, and Renaissance Magazine.
In addition to her work as an equine journalist, Barbara has also been providing promotional communications for several organizations in the non-profit sector including the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division), Rare Breeds Canada, and the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada.
Dr. Susan Raymond
Dr. Susan Raymond is involved with both the communication and industry education programs of Equine Guelph. Susan's past area of research was the improvement of air quality in the stable through stable design and management and has made numerous contributions to industry education both in-print, multimedia and presentation form. Susan has been involved with the horse industry for many years and is a keen rider. Susan has had a variety of experiences within the horse industry, from exercising young racehorses to jumping, dressage and trail rides. Most recently, she has had the opportunity to work endurance horses and has even competed in a number of "ride and ties". "Horses are not only a part of my professional life but are my true passion and take up much of my social life", says Susan.
Linda Slade
Linda Slade has over twenty (20) years of Human Resources experience in various industries, including both public and private sector organizations. During her career, she has provided comprehensive, senior-level HR consultation and management support in government, industry and the not for profit sectors.
Linda’s expertise is in strategic HR planning, mergers & acquisitions, employee & labour relations, compensation, employee services, recruitment, and HR information systems.
Linda is a graduate of McMaster University, holding both a combined honours B.A. in English and History, and a Master’s degree in History. Linda also has a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) from Mohawk College. She is a designated Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) in accordance with the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPAO).
Catherine E. Willson
Catherine was called to the Ontario Bar in 1989 and is the founder of the law firm Willson Lewis LLP located in Toronto, Ontario. Willson Lewis LLP is a litigation boutique firm practicing in the areas of Civil and Commercial Litigation, Employment Law, Construction, Family and Equine Law. Catherine is an Executive Member of the Canadian Bar Association (Ontario) – Civil Litigation section and the Toronto Construction Association, Chairman of the Risk Management Committee - Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and The Advocates’ Society. She is a regular speaker at legal conferences and writes on legal issues for Horsesport magazine and other publications. She has owned and shown her own horses on the hunter-jumper circuit. Her involvement with horses spans the last 28 years and she is well recognized in the horse industry for her knowledge and experience in equine law.
Dr. Bronwynne Wilton
At work: Bronwynne is a research scientist with the Centre for Land and Water Stewardship at the University of Guelph. Bronwynne is also a sessional instructor for the Natural Resource Management major in the Faculty of Environmental Sciences. Her favourite course to teach is called ‘Introduction to Environmental Stewardship’ as it is one of the few courses on campus where students can explore the woodlots in the Arboretum instead of sitting in lecture halls! Bronwynne has a PhD in Rural Studies where she investigated the role of horse farms in the changing landscape of rural Ontario.
At Horseplay: Horses are a major part of Bronwynne’s life, not just for professional reasons but for sport, recreation, and family time as well. Bronwynne has also had a variety of experiences with horses, from pony club, eventing, mounted games, teaching at summer camps, and exercising race horses. Bronwynne now has two daughters who are actively involved in riding and together they have fun with pony club activities such as tetrathlon, Prince Phillip Games, Rallies and eventing.
"I feel extremely fortunate that I have been able to connect my two passions in life, the natural environment and horses, and I hope that you will share my enthusiasm by the end of the course."
Nicole Velozo
Nicole has been widely involved in the business and technology industries for many years dating back as early as her primary and secondary schooling. Being born right into the Technology Revolution and having a strong aptitude for numbers are causes that have driven Nicole to study and work in such areas of IT and Business Management. She is the founder of Phayze Consulting an organization that works with small to medium size businesses in developing and understanding their internal infrastructure that supports their operations. Prior to starting Phayze, Nicole worked in senior management as a Business Director for Summit Achievement, an innovative adventure-based therapy program for teens. At Summit, some of her accomplishments included reducing the companies spending budget by 10% saving tens of thousands of dollars, as well as implementing a small peer-to-peer network and array of personal computers for business productivity. Prior to working with Summit, She holds a B.S. in Information Technology from Granite State College as well as many continuing education certificates in such areas of Computing and Technology, Web Design and IT Management.
Once Nicole had established her professional career she began to then evolve one of her many passions of becoming an equine breeder. In 2004 she was introduced to Canada’s little known treasure, the endangered Canadian Horse, also known as The Little Iron Horse or Le Cheval Canadien. The more she learned of this breed and it’s strong place in history, it became her pursuit to help promote and preserve this breed. She became actively involved in the Canadian Horse community and is one of the co-founders of New England Cheval Canadien. She currently owns two beautiful Canadian mares that are the foundation for her breeding program.
Nicole lives in Conway, NH with her partner David, their four dogs, two horses and a chicken. She spends her summer days hiking, mountain biking, gardening and horseback riding. During the winter months she enjoys snowshoeing and snowmobiling. When she is not on her computer, she also loves cooking, reading and crafting.