Kyle O'Neill

I don't think I ever seriously considered a career where working with people wasn't central. Growing up in Northern California, surrounded by friends and family who made their mark as teachers, mentors, and leaders, it was role-modeled for me how to work with people in a way that challenged them while maintaining their dignity.

My path wasn't linear. I moved alone across the country for a graduate program in mental health counseling in New Hampshire — for the education and because the environment encouraged self-reflection. After a year, I transferred into the Educational Leadership program. I wasn't comfortable with the role insurance companies played in therapy and felt my career path was changing. That move aligned me with my family's values of education, development, and believing in people's potential beyond stereotypes.

Six years after moving to New Hampshire, I made another leap. I packed up and drove across the country by myself — five days — back to Northern California. Although I loved the Granite State, my career opportunities were limited, so it was time to go home. This return set the stage for my first explicitly L&D role. Over the past decade, I've built and refined supervisor skills curricula, taught workshops on complex topics such as emotional intelligence and bias management, and honed my coaching skills.

Threshold Training came together when two things converged. I spent years developing practical management training in my L&D work and saw how much it changed people once they had the tools they needed. At the same time, I was introduced to some small business owners and entrepreneurs who needed guidance in supervisory skills, and it was easy to see the broader need. The skills are teachable. The gap is real. I wanted to help close it.