Melissa is an enthusiastic and dedicated individual who is excited to serve the community, staff, volunteers, horses and riders at TEAD. With a background in social work, accounting, business, and leadership, she brings a unique set of skills and experiences to the role. Melissa has been an avid equestrian since before she could even walk. She is the proud owner of 2 horses and a Mini. She balances her equestrian pursuits with her professional career, using her skills and experience to excel in the field while also making time for her beloved animals and son.
Hilary began riding in England at the age of six. When she came to Canada, she became a certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor. Over a span of 30 years Hilary has taught hundreds of children & adults with a wide variety of disabilities to experience the therapeutic benefits of riding a horse. She is a CanTRA Coach & Examiner & travels throughout Canada conducting workshops & exams for CanTRA, the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association. She is also a certified English Coach One.
Kim’s love of horses began as a child when she took her very first English riding lesson on the very same property that TEAD operates on today. She has owned and shown some amazing Paint and Quarter horses and now enjoys watching her young daughter ride and show. Being a part of the TEAD therapeutic riding program is a very rewarding experience.
Growing up with a passion for horses, Rachel had her first riding experiences ever at TEAD as a young camper. From that point on, she was hooked! She graduated from McMaster University in 2017 with a BA (Hon.) in English & Anthropology, returned to TEAD as a volunteer soon after, and was hired on in 2021. Working at TEAD is a dream come true for her, and she feels very privileged to be able to help TEAD's participants access the programming they need. She also became a certified Equine Massage Therapist in June 2023.
Kylie is a 2022 graduate of McMaster University with an Honours Bachelor of Science (BSc). She majored in Biology, with a focus on animal physiology, and minored in Anthropology. She also completed an Engineering Technology graduate diploma in Digital Health. Kylie’s equestrian background includes over 11 years of riding and showing within the hunter, jumper, and equitation disciplines. Kylie enjoys training young horses, in addition to working with her own horse, Taffy. When she is not riding or working, Kylie loves yoga and spending time outdoors being active!
Deb Nelson - phone extension: 230
