Our Team
Explore the Fire Service Veterans - Canine Scientists - Trainers and Veterinarians guiding our mission
Robert E. Gebhart - Founder / President
Robert E. Gebhart is a retired Fire Captain with 40 years of dedicated service to the Chehalis Fire Department in Washington state. Over four decades on the front lines, he responded to countless emergencies, led teams through life-threatening calls, and witnessed firsthand the hidden toll that repeated trauma takes on firefighters and paramedics long after the fire is out.
Motivated by the staggering mental health crisis in his own profession—where more first responders die by suicide than in the line of duty—Robert founded the Guardian K9 Foundation to provide no-cost PTSD service dogs exclusively to firefighters and paramedics. His deep understanding of the job, combined with his commitment to supporting his brothers and sisters in service, drives every aspect of the organization’s mission: ensuring no hero has to fight their battles alone.
Bart de Gols - Founder / Vice President - Cynologist
Bart de Gols is a Belgian-born cynologist, animal behaviorist, and educator with more than three decades of experience studying canine behavior, learning systems, and the relationship between dogs and humans. Raised in Belgium and involved with working dogs from an early age, Bart spent much of his life immersed in the study of canine behavior and the practical realities of training high-drive working breeds. In 2010 he relocated to the United States, where he founded the Innovative Sport Dog Community, an organization dedicated to advancing deeper understanding of canine behavior and improving the relationship between dogs and their handlers.
Over the following decade his work evolved far beyond sport dog training, expanding into behavioral rehabilitation, service dog development, and the integration of neuroscience into practical dog training. In 2022 the organization was restructured and renamed Canine Evolutions, reflecting a broader mission focused on behavioral science, emotional regulation, and relationship-centered training.
Based in Toledo, Washington, Canine Evolutions serves as both a training center and an educational platform where Bart works with clients, students, and professionals seeking a deeper understanding of canine behavior. His philosophy emphasizes the neurological state of the dog, the regulation of the human handler, and the dynamic interaction between the two nervous systems. Through educational programs such as From Tyrant to Teacher, Bart teaches handlers how to move beyond control-based approaches and instead build clarity, stability, and trust within the human–dog relationship.
Beyond his professional expertise, The Guardian K9 Foundation’s mission is also deeply personal.
As a trauma survivor himself, he understands the invisible wounds that trauma can leave behind. This lived experience shaped his belief that dogs—when properly selected and trained—can become powerful partners in healing, helping individuals regulate stress, rebuild emotional stability, and regain connection to the world around them. This perspective is one of the reasons he became involved with the Guardian K9 Foundation.
As a board member and the lead training expert for the foundation, Bart oversees the behavioral development and preparation of Guardian K9 service dogs. His role ensures that every dog placed with firefighters, paramedics, and other first responders is trained with the highest standards of behavioral science, emotional stability, and ethical care.
Working directly at the Guardian K9 training facility in Toledo, Washington, Bart guides each dog from early development through placement, ensuring that these partnerships are built on trust, reliability, and deep connection.
For Bart, this work is not simply about training dogs. It is about restoring balance, rebuilding trust, and creating partnerships that help those who serve others find their way back from trauma.
Corry Miller - Founder - Training Director
Corey Miller is a highly skilled professional trainer specializing in dogs, horses, and falcons. As a licensed falconer and experienced animal behavior specialist, Corey brings a rare multidisciplinary perspective to canine training, emphasizing calm leadership, clear communication, and deep mutual respect between handler and animal.
Residing in Rochester, Washington, Corey has trained intensively under the same neuroscience-informed, relationship-based philosophy as Bart de Gols for the past three to four years. This shared approach—focusing on nervous system regulation, motivational salience, conflict-free bonds, and real-world accountability—has prepared him to deliver consistent, high-quality training outcomes.
In his role as Training Director for Guardian K9 Foundation, Corey oversees day-to-day operations of our PTSD service-dog program, ensuring every dog is methodically prepared to provide reliable emotional support, deep pressure therapy, and crisis interruption for firefighters and paramedics. His hands-on expertise, combined with his commitment to ethical, science-driven methods, strengthens the foundation’s ability to scale production of life-changing Guardian K9s while maintaining the highest standards of animal welfare and handler-dog partnership.
Dr. Katy Miller, DVM, PAS, CVNN, CVFT, CPFFCP, CPCQI - Director of Veterinary Services
Dr. Katy Miller is a highly accomplished veterinarian with more than 20 years of expertise in small animal medicine, clinical practice, and pet nutrition. As Director of Veterinary Services for Guardian K9 Foundation, she oversees all aspects of canine health, wellness, nutritional planning, preventive care, and medical support for our PTSD service dogs—ensuring every Guardian K9 is physically and emotionally prepared to deliver reliable, life-changing assistance to firefighters and paramedics.
Dr. Miller earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, completing her clinical year at Louisiana State University. She brings extensive leadership experience, including 11 years as Director of Dog and Cat Health and Nutrition at Mud Bay, where she developed science-based product evaluations, staff training programs, and company-wide health standards. Earlier in her career, she practiced general and emergency veterinary medicine for seven years.
Currently serving as Director of Veterinary Services at BSM Partners (a leading pet-industry consulting firm), Dr. Miller provides expert guidance on nutritional formulation, AAFCO trials, safety and efficacy studies, digestibility research, and technical content. She is a passionate advocate for evidence-based pet care and contributes to the popular Barking Mad podcast, sharing insights on trends, controversies, and innovations in animal health.
A dedicated lifelong learner, Dr. Miller holds multiple advanced certifications: Professional Animal Scientist (PAS), Certified Veterinary Natural Nutritionist (CVNN), Certified Veterinary Food Therapist (CVFT), Certified Pet Food Formulation & Clinical Performance Professional (CPFFCP), and Certified Pet Food Quality & Compliance Inspector (CPCQI). Her multidisciplinary background combines rigorous scientific inquiry with a deep commitment to animal welfare.
Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Miller is an accomplished equestrian competing in three-day eventing and a licensed falconer. She resides with her family and a lively pack of nine dogs—though she humbly claims only two as her own.
