In 2010, she was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve on the National Council on Disability and was confirmed to the position by the US Senate.

[2] In 2018, she was selected as one of the "Silence Breakers", who were picked as Time Person of the Year,[3] after Gelser Blouin indicated that fellow Senator Jeff Kruse had inappropriately touched her.

Gelser Blouin first ran for the House in 2004, and was unsuccessful in her effort to unseat an incumbent legislator.

She was co-chair of the Oregon Women's Health and Wellness Alliance, and was a founding member of the Seniors and Disabilities Caucus.

Gelser Blouin worked on a variety of education, health, human service and finance issues.

Her legislative accomplishments include the creation of statewide standards for modified and extended diplomas, the elevation of strangulation to a felony, strengthening the rape statute, improving child abuse investigations through Karly's Law, the creation of a medically involved children's waiver to allow children to grow up in their family homes rather than nursing homes, an overhaul of the state's response to abuse of the elderly and disabled and legislation prohibiting insurance discrimination against children with disabilities and chronic health care conditions.

Senate District 8 encompasses Corvallis, Philomath, Albany, Millersburg, Tangent and the surrounding areas.