The Coach & Faculty

Lucinda Newman, Certified Equine Guided Educator & Coach

“I highly recommend Lucinda Newman as a certified Equine Guided Educator (CEGE). She has a grounded presence, intuitive wisdom and natural way with horses and the land. She is an excellent resource for people of all ages.” Ariana Strozzi, Master Somatic Coach and EGEA Pioneer

By 2003 Lucinda sensed an important calling to share self-mastery skills and the horses’ deep spirit and leadership intelligence with other people. Through rigorous training and classes with Ariana Strozzi of Skyhorse Ranch, Master Somatic Coach and co-founder of the Equine Guided Education Association, Lucinda became a Certified Equine Guided Educator (CEGE) and coach in 2005. She emerged with a dedication to EGE service and was compelled to establish Horses & Pathfinders. As the premier EGE certified practitioner in New England and in the Northeast, USA, Lucinda continues to return to Skyhorse for advanced learning, deep inspiration and EGE Association connection.

When not working with horses by her side, Lucinda assists entrepreneurs, sole proprietors, partnerships, corporations, non-profits, non-governmental organizations, and state and federal government agencies, as a Development Consultant of Newman Consulting, LLC. With more than a decade of experience, she is expert at quickly grasping the nature of the business and exposing the core of the issues needing assistance. She then co-leads the change, direction and organization her clients seek – from program implementation, staff restructure and contract development to financial health, management coaching and strategic planning. Her greatest and most common observation has been that businesses, organizations and programs will only move forward if the team and its leadership learn and adopt fresh ways of cooperative internal operations and coordinate their dynamic and unique gifts.

Along a continuum of two decades and with a rich confluence from the tributaries of animal healing, environmental sustainability, professional and personal development, and Somatic  Horsemanship, Lucinda reveals a range of equine-guided services for men, women, teams, youth and equine enthusiasts through Horses & Pathfinders. Lucinda also collaborates with the Vermont Technical College Equine Studies Program – as a lecturer, presenter and as a mentor to students with a similar passion. Her affiliations include the Flag Foundation, a network of farms and ranches that foster retired race horses and re-purposes them through EGE programs. Her Equine Guided Education work has been acclaimed in Living the Vermont Way, The Montpelier Bridge and profiled in Times Argus Extra.

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In Lucinda's words:

"I connect people with horses for the love of connecting people to themselves, others and their creative, meaningful purpose within the larger community. It is my intention to support those who are called to Horses & Pathfinders to explore their connections, intuition and development more deeply. In addition to coaching people on how to open gates and access their place of power by way of horse and nature guidance, I nourish my creative force with taekwondo, cooking and parenting. I find joy in riding with my equine partners on a few hundred acres of meadow, forest, wetland, and ledgy hillside -- ample space for exploration and discovery."

Kelly Comtois, EGE Assistant

For as long as she can remember Kelly Comtois has been captivated by the relationship between human and horse. Compelled by the free and honest nature of horses, she began riding and learned much more than just about her seat. She was inspired to learn as much as she could about horses so she could develop better relationships with them and live up to what the horses seemed to call out from her; to be a better self leader. Kelly was among the first pioneer students to earn a Bachelor of Science degree from the Equine Studies Program of Vermont Technical College. Combined with her years of management-level work in local businesses, Kelly has built an array of expert equine, communication, team and leadership skills.

Kelly also walks a path of meaning through her work with emotionally and behaviorally challenged youth. She began working with youth through the Upward Bound Program for first generation college-bound students where she taught young people career-planning and positive leadership skills. She currently works for the Boys and Girls Club at the local Teen Center of Randolph, Vermont. In her spare time she continues her mentoring work through one-to-one relationships with local youth to facilitate positive social interactions, healthy work ethics, and establishment of short and long term goals.

Kelly models the importance of being a respectful, congruent, creative leader and helps young adults realize that there are adults willing to listen and help. As a positive mentor, natural role model and intelligent horsewoman, Kelly is commited to assisting youth at Horses & Pathfinders by guiding them along a supportive pathway of self discovery and a sense of belonging in our ever changing, demanding, and diverse culture.

Doug Lombard, M.Ed., Program Faculty and Property Management

Doug can be found at Horses and Pathfinders as part of Youth Development Faculty and Property Management.  From an early age Doug has had a deep connection to hiking, camping and nature.  His true connection with horses began when he attended a Horses and Pathfinders two-day Leadership Workshop in 2010 that he says, “helped me to dramatically change the course of my life.”

A graduate of University of Vermont and St. Michael’s College, Doug has over 30 years of entrepreneurial and business experience. His talent of identifying and cultivating new products and services includes founding and managing the Broker’s Institute, Vermont’s largest real estate school and inventing products that have been marketed in the US, Asia and Europe.  For the last three decades Doug has taught Middle School Technical Design and Technology Education and since 2001 Doug has endeavored owning and and operating the 1850 River House Bed and Breakfast in Middlesex, Vermont.