Taking the Lead

On this shorter episode we talk about the holiday season, gifts for a guide dog and accessible gifts for someone who is blind or visually impaired.

On this episode we talk with client and veteran Clif who talks about his journey with blindness and receiving a guide dog via home delivery.

On this shorter episode of the Taking the Lead podcast we talk about the Thanksgiving holiday, what we are thankful for and Timothy touches on navigating holiday festivities with his Leader Dog Glacier.

On this episode we talk with Dr. Smith, Director of Veterinary Services at Leader Dogs for the Blind. He shares with us the work he and his team do to care for and support our dogs both on campus and off.

On this episode we talk with Leader Dog client Mark Harris about his journey having multiple Leader Dogs and how his perspective has changed throughout his journey with blindness.

On this episode we talk with two team members who are in the apprenticeship program to become guide dog mobility instructors (GDMI's).

On this episode we talk about Blindness Awareness Month and White Cane Safety Day.

In this episode we talk with Monica and Maya, a mother-daughter duo who are both a part of the Leader Dog family as a puppy raiser and client.

In this episode we talk to Raven who is a member of the breeding and puppy care team and fellow podcaster! She is a guide dog handler herself and shares her experience and expertise within the blindness community.

On this episode of the Taking the Lead podcast we talk with GDMI's Kathryn Roberts and Sarah Duyck who work with clients who are DeafBlind and provide individualized instruction to meet clients specific needs. 

On this episode we talk with Peter Tucic with HumanWare on his journey with blindness and how he's been a long-time partner with Leader Dogs for the Blind.

On this episode we talk with Arabella Jones, a new Leader Dog graduate who works as an ophthalmology assistant. We talk with her about her journey with blindness and helping others with visual impairments.

On this episode we talk with client Leatrice Fullerton who is an advocate in the blindness and disability community. She shares her experience with Leader Dog but also being in advocacy and her work with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within many organizations and communities.

In this episode, we talk with podcast host Timothy Cuneio’s wife on how they navigated their relationship with Timothy’s journey of losing his vision.

On this episode host Timothy Cuneio is with Christina Hepner and Leslie Hoskins in-person recording for the first time! He talks about his visit back to the Leader Dog campus after 3 years.

On this short episode we talk with host Timothy about finding a dog sitter for your guide dog when you can't take the dog on vacation.

In this episode we talk with Melissa Priester, Manager of Client Services, about the application process and what her team does for clients.

On this episode of Taking the Lead we talk with client Ellen Harper who is newer to the Leader Dog family but has still managed to participate in numerous Leader Dog programs. She talks about what it’s like transitioning from college into the workforce and disclosing having a disability.

On this episode we talk with Jeff Stein, Manager of Canine Care, about how our future Leader Dogs are cared for in the canine center while they are in guide dog training.

In this episode we talk with client Rita Harris who has been a speaker for Leader Dog, is a Lion, a nonprofit leader of her own and has attended Leader Dog for both Orientation and Mobility and Guide Dog Training.

We talk with Melissa Pletcher, Manager of Volunteer Engagement at Leader Dogs for the Blind about the many volunteer opportunities.

To kick off Season 3 we talk with Leader Dog client Jill Hinton Wolfe. She recently received her Leader Dog Hannah and is a U.S. Army Veteran who currently serves as Grand Valley State University’s first Military and Veteran Resource Manager.

On this short episode we talk about how to advocate for independence.

On this short episode we talk about how to find the right size cane.

On this short episode we talk about what exactly guide dogs can and can't do.