I believe in life-long learning and that all learning starts with self-reflection. I have always believed that everything is connected; that we can establish deep bonds not only with other humans, but equally with our nonhuman relatives; that there are many lessons we can learn when we are willing to be present, truly listen, and leave our egos at the door; and that it is essential for our well-being to feel a sense of connection and belonging. Reflection is the key to comprehension and growth.

Experiencing the different personalities of my two mares, Dinah and Tosca, planted the seed for the idea of developing a coaching approach based on these core values and principles. My horses are continuously teaching me invaluable lessons about partnership and leadership. While one mare resembles my natural personality quite closely, the other needs me to access skills and qualities in myself that don’t come as naturally to me.

The programs offered through Spiegelbild provide a tailored approach to personal, professional and leadership development - one that responds to your specific needs and desires. Experiential learning has been found to create longer lasting effects, and result in better retention of knowledge. I regard skills such as empathy, compassion and caring as highly relevant, if not THE MOST important leadership skills. Working with horses gives us access to, and practical experience of, these skills.

Before starting my own company I worked for over twenty years for local, national and international governments and organizations. This allowed me to gain significant leadership experience by being involved in complex multi-cultural teams and projects. These ranged from negotiations amongst EU member states on the funding of projects, creating new framework policy for the European Union, and presenting policy concepts to Indigenous groups in the Canadian Arctic, to developing the four-year business and budget plan for the City of Calgary.

Combined with my passion for horses, and the special connection I have with my equine partners, I bring this extensive leadership experience to Spiegelbild’s programs.

Besides enjoying the company of my two mares, I love spending my free time with my husband and our dog hiking in the mountains, camping in the backcountry, exploring the foothills with our gravel bikes, or simply emerging myself in a good book.