Category: Graduate Teams

Meet Graduate Benjamin Graduate Team: Benjamin and OwenAbout the Team: Owen, a male black Lab; Ben’s 1st guide dogHometown: Minneapolis, MinnesotaTraining: April 2026, On Campus Ben is from the Twin Cities metro area in Minnesota. In 2019, prior to starting his senior year of high school, he was struck by a motor vehicle while standing… Continue reading Benjamin and Owen

Meet Graduate Damien Graduate Team:  Damien and WhimAbout the Team:  Whim, a female black Labrador; Damien’s 1st guide dogLocation: Albuquerque, New Mexico Training: April 2026 On-Campus Damien remembers when a friend, Meagan, a Guiding Eyes graduate, encouraged her to apply for a guide dog. Vision loss from retinitis pigmentosa had led her to rely on a… Continue reading Damien and Whim

Meet Graduate Brian Graduate Team: Brian and MooseAbout the Team: Moose, a male yellow Lab; Brian’s 1st guide dogHometown: New Bedford, MassachusettsTraining: April 2026 On-Campus Brian currently works as a resident assistant at the Carroll Center for the Blind, a nonprofit organization that provides educational consulting, vocational training, and technology instruction to children and seniors.… Continue reading Brian and Moose

We thank our generous sponsors: Vickia and Bubbles’ class training was sponsored by the Somers Car Show honoring the veterans. The DeMarco family has coordinated this event for the past nine years, in memory of Louis DeMarco, their beloved family member who was a Korean War vet. The family shares: “We host a non-profit show… Continue reading Vickia and Bubbles

Meet Graduate Christine Graduate Team:  Christine and VaderAbout the Team:  Vader, a male black Lab; Christine’s 1st guide dogLocation: Montreal, Quebec, CanadaTraining: April 2026, On-Campus Christine lives in Quebec with her husband, son, and Vader, her first guide dog. Christine is a human rights attorney balancing a hybrid work schedule between downtown Montreal and working… Continue reading Christine and Vader

Meet Graduate Kathy Graduate Team:  Kathy and AvisAbout the Team:  Avis, a female black Labrador; Kathy’s 9th Guiding Eyes dogLocation: Eugene, OregonTraining: March 2026 On-Campus  Kathy works as a benefits counselor and enjoys hiking and making leather goods in her free time. She lost her sight to retinitis pigmentosa in the 1980s. Kathy and her… Continue reading Kathy and Avis

Meet Graduate Cecilia Graduate Team:  Cecilia and JPAbout the Team:  JP, a male, black Lab; Cecilia’s 3rd Guiding Eyes dogLocation: Crofton, MarylandTraining: March 2026 Home Training Cecilia is an emergency manager in the Executive branch of the state of Maryland, for the Department of Disabilities. Her duties include analyzing policy and legislation. She considers herself a lifelong… Continue reading Cecilia and JP

Meet Graduate Guillermo Graduate Team:  Guillermo and GeoAbout the Team Geo, a male black Lab; Guillermo’s 2nd guide dogLocation: Orlando, FloridaTraining: March 2026, On Campus Guillermo received his second guide dog, a male black Labrador named Geo. Guillermo works as an account executive for Lighthouse Works, an organization that provides employment for people who are… Continue reading Guillermo and Geo

Meet Graduate Zandra Graduate Team:  Zandra and SedonaAbout the Team:  Sedona, a female, black & tan German Shepherd; Zandra’s 2nd Guiding Eyes dog.Location: Olympia, WashingtonTraining: March 2026 Home Training Zandra grew up in Oregon and moved north to Washington to complete her education in the 1970s. During this time, she met her husband, James. Their… Continue reading Zandra and Sedona

Meet Graduate Nicole Graduate Team:  Nicole and EverleyAbout the Team:  Everley, a male black Lab, Nicole’s 2nd Guiding Eyes dogLocation: Santa Rosa, CaliforniaTraining: March 2026 On-Campus Nicole has been employed as an Assistive Technology Instructor at the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind for the past two years. Born with Peters Anomaly, a rare congenital… Continue reading Nicole and Everley