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Ky sits on a bench with four Labrador retrievers

Congratulations to Ky Wiese, GDB's newest qualified guide dog mobility instructor (GDMI). Ky grew up in Centennial, Colo., and came to GDB after graduating from the University of Oregon and working in the animal field in a number of capacities. She was a dog rescue adoption counselor and volunteer coordinator, a veterinary assistant, and held various roles at a service dog program - a job that sparked her passion and eventually led her to GDB.

"In college, I couldn’t identify a career path that felt like the perfect fit for all of my interests," she said. "Teaching appealed to me, though I knew I wanted to work with adults. I had a lifelong interest of working with animals in some capacity, but volunteer work at a local hospital sparked the idea of human nursing. I began volunteering as a puppy raiser for a local service dog program and it felt like a serendipitous collision of everything I wanted in a career path. I loved the industry and wanted to advance my skills at a large, innovative organization." At that point, she decided to pursue a career at GDB.

"I feel like my personal values align with GDB’s consistent dedication to the clients we serve and the dogs we bring into the world," she said. "I appreciate our mission-centric approach to developing high-caliber teams and the steps we will take to ensure success. GDB is also evolving to serve more constituents, such as through our O&M Immersion and K9 Buddy Programs. It is an exciting time to be a part of Team GDB!"

The thing she likes most about her job are the moments when things just click. "As a GDMI, I love this time in class. The client and dog find their first rhythmic step as a team, and the confidence grows exponentially in both parties."

In her spare time, Ky enjoys hiking with friends and dogs, water activities (paddle boarding, kayaking, taking the dogs to swim in a lake), traveling, and spending time doting on her pets: black Lab Onyx, and tortoiseshell cat Elfie. She also volunteers her time as a breeder custodian and puppy raiser for Canine Angels Service Teams in Grants Pass, Ore.

Kudos Ky on all of your hard work!

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