Gretchen Garceau-Kragh has been appointed interim president and CEO of Guide Dogs of Texas (GDTX) by the organization’s board of directors. Garceau-Kragh assumed the responsibilities as president and CEO in January after former president Larry Tuttle retired after eight years with the nonprofit organization.

In her new role, Garceau-Kragh will oversee the day-to-day operations of the organization, supervising a staff of 13 employees, executing the strategic direction set forth by the board of directors and help the organization meet, if not exceed, its financial goals through various fundraising initiatives.

“Guide Dogs of Texas is significant to the blind community in San Antonio and around the state because we provide our clients with the mobility and independence they need to live a fulfilled life,” she said. “Whether it is going to school, work or both, our clients are able to accomplish amazing things with the aid of a confident guide dog.”

The long-term goal of GDTX, she added, is to grow the organization so that they can better serve existing clients and to also provide those on a wait list with a guide dog in a more expedient manner.  “Eventually, we would like to have satellite campuses throughout Texas, specifically in Austin, Houston and the DFW Metroplex,” she said.

A native of Woodstock, Conn., Garceau-Kragh has been a San Antonio resident since 2001. She graduated in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in sport science from Colby-Sawyer College in New London, N.H. Garceau-Kragh earned a master’s degree in education from Elmira College in Elmira, N.Y. She has a MBA from the University of the Incarnate Word which she completed in 2004.

Guide Dogs of Texas provides guide dogs to visually impaired Texans to enhance their freedom, mobility and independence. It is the only guide dog school in the state and is a member of the International Guide Dog Federation. For more information, visit www.guidedogsoftexas.org.