Congratulations are in order for Katelyn Almon, GDB's newest Guide Dog Mobility Instructor (GDMI)! Kate recently completed her three-year GDMI apprenticeship, which involved hands-on, practical experience in training both our clients and our dogs, as well as an academic course of study.
Kate is originally from Kent, Wash., and now lives in Sandy, Ore. Before coming to GDB, her education and work experience took her to places all across the country. In high school, she worked at a dog grooming facility, and her college studies took her to St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. She got her degree in biology with a minor in statistics, and along the way, she studied and cared for various types of wildlife and domestic animals. After college, she worked as a research assistant at Duke University's Canine Cognition Center in Durham, North Carolina. While there, she supported students and faculty on dog and primate cognition research. In addition, she helped collect data for a large study on the cognitive traits of different populations of dogs including pet dogs, service dogs from Canine Companions for Independence, and bomb detection dogs from a military/police dog training facility.
In her spare time, Kate plays flyball and enjoys yoga and Pilates, spending time with her family, trying new crafts, and cooking. She also loves hiking with her Golden Retriever, Dublin.
For more information about the work of our Guide Dog Mobility Instructors, click here to read all about our guide dog training program!
