Congratulations to Shelby Gernhart, our newest qualified guide dog mobility instructor! Shelby is originally from Wenatchee, Wash., and holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Central Washington University. After college, she worked with at-risk youth in behavioral rehabilitation, but when the program lost its funding, she worked with shelter dogs at the local Humane Society. She had been a GDB puppy raiser during college, so her volunteer experience had laid the foundation to apply at GDB. "While I enjoyed rehabilitating shelter dogs, it lacked the people component I felt was so fulfilling from my previous work," Shelby said. "I wanted to find something that combined my two passions." The favorite part of her job is getting to see our clients being matched with their new guide dogs. "Being a part of the moment when clients meet their new guide for the first time is magical," she said. In her spare time, Shelby enjoys running and has several half marathons under her belt. She also enjoys recreational activities with her dog, a 7 year-old GDB career change dog that she raised named Chance, such as hiking and Flyball (a relay-style dog sport).
Our qualified guide dog mobility instructors have all completed GDB's in-house, three-year apprenticeship program, comprised of hands-on practical experience as well as an in-depth course of study. Interested in joining the team? Learn more in the Careers section of our site!
