Meet Our Team
"Being part of the Team at Willaway Farm makes me feel like I have an extended family that has my back and the backs of all the animals and humans who are at this special place."
~ Susan Allan
Susan Allan
Susan's path started as a child at an Ottawa horse farm that was organized for the disabled. Watching how horses live in the moment and do not judge made a life-long impact. Over the years, Susan rode, showed, evented, became a technical delegate, a stadium jumper judge and ground jury member. She served on numerous horse affiliated committees and is a current member of the Ottawa Valley Hunt. Read More
Shelley Gvozdanovic
Shelley has spent more than 20 years in caring for others. She attended Brock University right after high school with the plan of being a teacher.
Fast forward a few years and when her daughters were young Shelley ran a home daycare so that she could be with her own children and offer quality care for other children. She spent a great deal of time volunteering in the classroom during that time.
Amy Cole
Amy came to the farm to take lessons more than 10 years ago and never left! She soon began taking shifts at the farm in exchange for rides and quickly became part of the Willaway family. She now helps with the training and exercising of our horses.
Val Willis
Val, having sold her beloved daughter Kenra's farm Willaway to Susan over a decade ago, became a huge supporter and adopted mother of Susan from that day on. At 98 years young, Val published her second book "Shared Treasures". With stories written by both Val and others, Willaway was included. People are still enjoying "My Horse, My Passion". Val was frequently in the news as an inspiration to many.
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Val passed on in the summer of 2021 at age 100, an inspiration to many and supporter of Willaway Farm from it's inception. She is missed.
Joanna Barclay
Joanna is living her dream job a Willaway farm, combining 3 passions in life: equine facilitated learning, mindfulness practices, and values-based leadership. As a Certified Equine Facilitator, Organization Culture Change Expert, and Yoga/Meditation Teacher, her focus is personal and professional transformation, assisting individuals, leaders, and teams, to reach their full potential. Through corporate team-building and leadership development programs in the beautiful, natural setting of Willaway Farm. In her innovative Conscious Leadership with Horses program, participants discover the pathway to greater self-awareness and well-being, working with horses on the ground.
Gillian Phillips
Gillian Phillips began riding at the age of eight on the farm pony “Shelley”. Since then her love of the sport blossomed into a full-time coaching career.
In 2005 she became an Equine Canada certified English Coach and is currently running a successful riding lesson program at Willaway Farm. Read More