Graduate Team: Jake and Fianna
About the Team: Fianna, a female, yellow Lab; Jake’s 4th guide dog, 1st from Guiding Eyes
Location: White Plains, New York
Training: October 2025 On-Campus
Jake lives with his significant other, Melissa, their two active guide dogs, Fianna and Aron, and Jake’s retired guide, Forli. Jake and Melissa originally met through the guide dog field while living and working on opposite sides of the country. They later closed the distance and relocated to White Plains, NY, to continue their life together. Jake and Melissa host Forward Together on YouTube and Facebook, where they produce authentic and action-oriented content that documents their lives as a couple who are blind and their guide dogs. Jake graduated with honors from Eastern Washington University as a first-generation college student. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations with minors in Journalism and Organizational Leadership. Professionally, Jake has 20 years of combined interdisciplinary knowledge contributing to the Aviation, Education, Nonprofit, and Tourism industries. He got an early start, working in customer-facing and tourism operations roles for his parents’ jet boat tour company, which offers guided tours of Hells Canyon, North America’s deepest river gorge. Jake progressed to specialized roles in education and community engagement in the blindness rehabilitation and guide dog fields, respectively. Jake currently serves on the Alaska Airlines Disability Advisory Board, where he helps shape policies and procedures related to aircraft cabin design, airport assistance, and service animal etiquette training to enhance passenger accessibility. In his free time, Jake enjoys playing the drums and ukulele, traveling, cooking, and stand-up paddleboarding.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Fianna is very enthusiastic, full of life, and wants to see the world and everything in it. She has a positive presence about her and loves her job as a guide dog. When not guiding, her favorite game is tug of war, and her favorite activity is cuddling.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “Relocating to the East coast and discovering that I lived a mere 35 minutes from Guiding Eyes for the Blind gave me a positive sense that the school was a part of my new community. I met puppies and puppy raisers in local businesses, talked to volunteers and donors on the train, and was greeted by Guide Dog Mobility Instructors on the sidewalk, training future Guiding Eyes dogs. So, when it was time for me to make the difficult decision to retire my former guide dog and apply for a successor, Guiding Eyes for the Blind was at the top of my list. I was impressed by the variety of programs offered by the school, and admired the positive, warm, and can-do spirit of Guiding Eyes for the Blind.”
How has a guide dog impacted your life? “I have been traveling with guide dogs since 2008. My guide dogs have traveled with me to places near and far, familiar and unfamiliar. They introduced me to professions I did not know existed. The guide dog experience has taught me about patience, partnership, and passion.”
Were there any training highlights? “I arrived for class training on a chilly, rainy fall day. The type fit for curling up with your favorite dog and a hot beverage. I was undeterred, however; this was Dog Day, the day when I would meet my new guide dog. I remember building rapport with my new dog Fianna, that afternoon by playing outside in the misty play yard. Tossing toys and tugging hard. We may have been damp, but no amount of precipitation could dampen our spirits. Later in training, as we were working hard as a guide dog team, practicing skills and refining techniques, it all came together: the smooth pull felt through the leather harness, a confident pace, and coordinated turns. It is the type of feeling that brings so much joy and positive inspiration. We were no longer just dog and man walking together; we were becoming a successful guide dog team. It is one of the greatest feelings, the type that fills you up with positivity and confidence.”
DOB: 9/15/2023
Litter ID: 3F323
Color/Breed: Black/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Female
Brood: Janet
Stud: Perry
Littermates: Fancy, Friar
Region: Fingerlakes
Regional Puppy Instructor: Cassie Houghton
Puppy Raiser: Jenna Rosemarie Gaglioti, Karlah Culver
Facebook: Fingerlakes Puppy Raisers
Fianna was the best partner to learn & grow with; there beside me as we both stepped into new chapters. Ready for adventure, she was never afraid to be her silly self. After walking the graduation stage together, I shared my Brooklyn hometown landmarks with her, where she loved exploring and meeting new people. From baseball games to beaches to the Cornell library, Fianna always manages to find the fun in life, and it’s infectious. She never failed to keep me on my toes as a raiser, showing me how much personality one little Lab can have. It warms my heart to know she’ll get to share that with Jake, and I wish the team good luck moving forward. ~ Jenna Gaglioti
