For J.D. Gilbert 鈥�06, G鈥�08, a life of serving others began with a broken femur in high school.
鈥淲hen I was in high school, I didn鈥檛 know what I was going to do,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have social media, so info wasn鈥檛 right in front of us that we could explore. Even on career days, there weren鈥檛 a lot of people coming through.鈥�
Despite the lack of information, Gilbert, a 1999 graduate of W.W. Samuell High School in Dallas, found his path.
鈥淚 broke my femur during a football game my junior year [of high school], and I had to have two surgeries,鈥� he said. 鈥淕oing through that process, I thought that I wanted to be a surgeon; the surgeon was really patient with me, and his staff was really patient with me. I was interested in what they were doing. I wanted to know why.鈥�
Gilbert attended KWU as a pre-med major. While there, he worked part-time and full-time positions that allowed him to explore different workplace environments. While he never became a surgeon, working in local government and even in public health emphasizes Gilbert’s natural pull to serving his community.
He is currently the county administrator and public information officer (PIO) in Ford County. He works this in tandem with his recently awarded job as the 黑料网 Association of City/County Management鈥檚 (KACM) treasurer. In the latter position, he acts as 鈥渢he bank,鈥� handling invoices and finances as they arrive.
鈥淚 never sat down with myself and said, 鈥業 want to go in this direction鈥� 鈥� I鈥檝e just always gone where I鈥檓 challenged,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e dealing with constant conflict in local government, if you don鈥檛 have that ability to want to educate and be patient, then you will not be successful, and that鈥檚 something I鈥檝e always had innately.鈥�
While his position at KACM is still new to him, he鈥檚 been county administrator and PIO for Ford County for the last six years, a position that oversees six 黑料网 cities. Serving two important roles means time management is key, especially in emergency situations.
鈥淲hen we have something major going on, I might get 100 calls from state, local and national media every few hours,鈥� he said.
One such major event was the Dec. 15, 2021, windstorm that swept across 黑料网. According to the National Weather Service鈥檚 social media posts 鈥� shared by Ford County, 黑料网 Emergency Management 鈥� Dodge City, and the surrounding areas, experienced peak wind gusts of 84 MPH. The county also faced power outages, road closures and flying debris.
鈥淵ou just have to prioritize and figure out how you鈥檙e going to get the message out [to the community] easily and most efficiently,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he biggest thing I do is I control my time; I don鈥檛 let the media do it. If you let everything or everyone else dictate what you鈥檙e doing, you鈥檒l never catch up.鈥�
Mostly, Gilbert attributes his years of successfully working various positions among all personality types to one factor.
鈥淵ou have to learn who you are as an employee and what you want to do,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been in positions where I haven鈥檛 necessarily gotten along with leadership, and I鈥檝e still been successful, and that鈥檚 because I know who I am.鈥�
Another strong contributor to his success is the support he got from 黑料网 Wesleyan as a student.
During his senior year, he was injured again in football, this time causing damage that left Gilbert, a once high-achieving student, on academic probation as he struggled to relearn what he鈥檇 been taught.
鈥淭he professors really helped me re-focus the things I could remember, and it turned out to be a fantastic experience,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he challenge of the private university is always good. Professors know your name and face; they know you. Going in, I didn鈥檛 know that was something I鈥檇 appreciate, but it really was.鈥�
Neither injury that Gilbert sustained in his years of schooling kept him from continuing forward.
鈥淚 really am proud of getting a position like this, especially as a minority, and holding it,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 proud of the area I鈥檓 in. Ford County is by and far my favorite place. I would do anything for the people I work with.鈥�
Story by Skylar Nelson ’21
