Clarissa has always maintained she would one day be a pediatrician. Growing up in Lexington, KY with stethoscopes and reflex hammers in her toy box, she began honing her physical exam skills as early as three years old with guidance from her pediatrician mother and internist father. She later moved south to earn a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Linguistics at Emory University before returning to Kentucky to complete her medical schooling at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. Never wavering in her commitment to a career in pediatrics, she found child neurology in her third-year and knew it was her dream specialty.

Outside of medicine, she is an avid birder and enjoys traveling to view exotic species or sitting in her backyard seeing which species may come visit for the first time. She, her husband, and their dog, Lilly, love hiking, country music concerts, off-roading, boating, and photography. They can’t wait to explore Nashville and all the great opportunities the city provides for each of these hobbies.