Gardere was one of the first black students to attend the St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
He later attended George Washington University, obtaining a PhD in clinical psychology and philosophy.
[1] After leaving George Washington University, Gardere worked as a staff psychologist for the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
During his tenure there, he was instrumental in designing the policy on psychological treatment for HIV-infected prisoners.
[citation needed] He also participated in hostage negotiations at the Atlanta Prison Siege of 1987.