Dr. Gilbert graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, where her original research on anorexia nervosa was awarded the Department of Psychology Faculty Prize. She earned a Master's Degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania, where she focused on women's issues, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of South Florida, where she was awarded the top scholar prize in her class.

Dr. Gilbert has been a professor in the Psychology Department and Women's Studies Program at Howard University for eight years and was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor there in 2007. She was president of the Washington Society for the Study of Eating Disorders and Obesity for six years. She is the author of numerous book chapters and peer-reviewed articles on eating disorders and body image, including "Feminist Perspectives of Eating Disorders," "Risk for Eating Disorders in the Young Athlete," "Body Shame in Childhood and Adolescence," and "The Media's Role in Body Image and Eating Disorders".

Dr. Gilbert has been a Maryland licensed psychologist since 1998 and has counseled patients in private practice, at George Mason University Counseling Center, and Howard University Counseling Center. She gives frequent talks about eating disorders and body image to elementary, middle, high school, and college students throughout the D.C. metropolitan area.