At club level she has previously represented Kolbotn, FC Gold Pride, Vålerenga Fotball Damer and Stabæk.

With the Norwegian national team Gulbrandsen accrued 183 caps, scored 55 goals and won the 2000 Summer Olympics.

In December 2008 Gulbrandsen announced her transfer to Stabæk Fotball Kvinner, formed from the bankrupt Asker FK and other players.

[4] After a successful autumn season with Stabæk in 2010 she announced her retirement as a football player[5] and joined the Oslo club Vålerenga as an assistant trainer.

In the latter half of the 2011 season Gulbrandsen played some matches as a substitute for the first-division club Vålerenga,[7] and was later hired as the team's assistant player coach.

[9] Veteran national coach Even Pellerud selected Gulbrandsen in Norway's squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2013 in Sweden.

[10] In the final at Friends Arena, she had a second half penalty kick saved by Germany's goalkeeper Nadine Angerer.