Making her Way in leadership development

"It was the most phenomenal feeling to walk across the stage and receive my Malone degree," she said. "I went back to school in my late 40's, so being in the classroom again writing research papers and following APA guidelines - that was a stretch for me. I coach my clients to grow through discomfort, so I had to lean into that and do it for myself."

A degree in organizational management helped Telego further the business she'd been brave enough to start in 2009: Wager's Way Equine Assisted Action Learning, an organization she'd been dreaming of for 25 years.

Wager's Way offers professional development and leadership programs for businesses, non-profit organizations, and individuals.

"Wager is the horse who taught me about myself, and helped me learn about the gifts that I have and what I can do, as opposed to what I don't have or can't do," said Telego. "He taught me to be a better leader, to step into my fears and work through them."

She wanted to see the same happen for others, so Telego offers these programs in Ashland, and also has had the opportunity to facilitate equine assisted leadership development as far away as Qatar last year.

"Teaching in Qatar was an amazing experience," said Telego. "It challenged me to grow, to expand how I see the world. I was really curious to see how it would go working with horses I didn't know in a culture that was so foreign to me. However, I learned that leadership is leadership. And people there gained what people here gain in my workshops: learning the importance of collaboration, trust, gaining a clear vision, deeper relationships with team members, self-awareness of communication. The work that the horses do is so powerful."