Beau Gilbert

The mission of Merit America is one that speaks volumes to Beau. He grew up in a small family business that provided IT support to the community. While Beau is no tech expert himself, he did have a front row seat to learning what it means to help people problem solve and navigate new systems. He learned how important it is to be compassionate and committed to helping others in this people-focused industry. One memory from Beau’s time in his family business that stands out for him was his father’s commitment to not only providing exceptional IT support to the community, but also giving back and supporting the future of the industry he loved so much. They would regularly mentor and train teenagers and young adults interested in IT support, which often led to hiring them for paid internships and permanent roles. Beau is proud to have gained this background in tech and looks forward to bringing this experience to Merit America.

Beau has joined Merit America as a Program Success Manager/Career Coach after several years of working with adult learners in the community college environment. His work has primarily focused on mentorship, career coaching, first-year college experiences, training facilitation, social justice programming, and LGBTQ+ advocacy. He is passionate about helping people identify their strengths, needs, and values, and ultimately getting them closer to achieving their goals.

Beau has lived in Oregon his whole life, from being raised on a berry farm in the countryside to now enjoying the easy access to vegan restaurants in the city of Portland. He lives with his husband, Max, their two cats Oliver and Java, and hopes to expand the household with dogs and foster children in the future. Some random things that bring Beau unbridled joy: a cold Dr. Pepper, fresh berries, any and all things LGBTQ+, magical fantasy books, video games, and gardening.