Welcome! We’re Bay LeBlanc Quiney, MBA, MCC and Laura Westman, PCC — the imaginative minds behind West of Wonderland Podcast. Our podcast is a cozy corner of the internet where imagination, humor, and heartfelt truth-telling meet. Think real-life adventuring smushed together with ontological work, leadership development and a healthy dose of magic. We are not your run-of-the-mill certified leadership coaches (though we are certified – and credentialed to boot!), we are devoted students of wonder and the things that make us feel like children again, in ways that support our adult lives. We believe in the transformative power of stories — especially the ones we tell ourselves. We’re interested in how personal reflection and cultivating a sense of magic in our everyday lives can help us change the world.

At West of Wonderland, we explore the magical in the mundane, the ridiculous in the profound, and the courageous path of living authentically, even when it’s messy. The podcast, programs and spaces we create are all inspired by themes you’d expect to find in a fairy tale—deep, delightful, and full of mischief. We create spaces for personal development and growth that feel like gathering around a fireplace with old friends who know how to laugh and listen. Though, this retreat will be literally gathering around a fireplace with friends (old and new) who know how to laugh and listen!

Bay hails from Victoria, British Columbia, where she lives with her husband Adam and their two Boston terriers who act like they’re eight Boston terriers. Bay has a diverse professional background, which makes her both infinitely curious about the world and infinitely interesting to spend time with! She and Adam are well-known and well-respected leaders in ontological training and development, as co-leaders of The Forge and graduates of multiple ontological training spaces. Laura would say that Bay is one of the most whimsical, compassionate and brilliant people she’s ever known, with an unmatched penchant for making beautiful things.

Laura lives in the Hudson Valley of New York, where she’s often found singing to her dog, writing in her journal, or exploring her next ontological breakthrough! She’s a masterful coach and facilitator, known for her warm presence, imaginative questions, and the grounded magic she brings to every conversation. Laura is a former Program Leader at a top ontological training program and co-leads Wayfinders, and other West of Wonderland programs, alongside Bay, which makes her feel like they’re on an adventure every day. Bay would say that Laura is one of the most insightful, playful, and fiercely loving people she’s ever met, with a rare gift for helping others come home to themselves.

Together, we have 25+ years of experience in leadership training, personal development and ontology. We’ve also got a combined 60+ years of being obsessed with reading, stories, magic, fantasy, and of course – the rapturous experience of being in theme parks that take us inside our favorite stories! We’re passionate about helping people wake up to their own magic and embrace their true power.