Meet Adam Gilbert

Hi, my name is Adam Gilbert, I am a Qualified Instructor at Guide Dogs for the Blind. I work on the San Rafael, CA campus and have been here for 6 years. Now that I am here, I cannot imagine doing anything else that could possibly be as rewarding and meaningful. I have made lifelong friends here.

I grew up in Southern California and started my college education in Fullerton. After a short stint here, I moved on to Moorpark, CA and went to the Exotic Animal Training and Management program where I received a degree in Animal Behavior. I worked with a unique combination of animals there on campus including a baboon, a bobcat, a Catalina macaw, a pig and a mountain lion just to name a few.

After school, I moved on to Big Bear, CA where I worked up in the mountains with Grizzly Bears (my favorite animals) as well as large cats such as Lions and Tigers. We trained these animals for movie/studio work. Shortly after this I moved up to Northern California to work at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom where I worked with Dolphins, Sea Lions and Walruses.

After working with Marine Mammals, I enjoyed a summer working with a partner of GDB- Dogs4Diabetics in Concord, CA. Not long after, I applied at GDB and was hired as an Apprentice Instructor.

I live locally with my wife Kelsey and my Bull Terrier Wallace. We enjoy doing everything Northern California has to offer including hiking, beach days, eating good food and working out. If were being honest, most of our free time revolves around taking Wallace to cool locations to run free or lay in the sun-which is probably consistent with everyone that works at GDB and their own pet. I enjoy snowboarding, surfing, skateboarding and running in obstacle course races across the US. While here at GDB, I have finished additional higher education, and received a degree from the University of Washington, so, Go Dawgs.

Adam will be taking over our GDB Social Media accounts on Friday, December 4, 2020. See more of what his days look like and get behind the scenes access to a day in the life of a Guide Dogs for the Blind Qualified Instructor. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to tune in!