ABOUT CLARISSA

Clarissa is a lifelong resident of the East End community and a proud 1994 graduate of  Sheridan High School. For over 25 years, she has been a dedicated educator and passionate advocate for Arkansas families, with a special focus on the needs of young children. Clarissa  successfully ran two faith-based, non-profit early learning centers, both of which achieved  Better Beginnings accreditation, a recognized mark of quality in early childhood education in Arkansas. 
 

In addition to her professional work, Clarissa has served faithfully as an early childhood children's pastor for 21 years and remains an active member of Grace Church in East End. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1998 and began her career as a kindergarten teacher. Motivated by an unwavering commitment to literacy and child development, she went on to earn a Master’s degree in Elementary Reading Education.  Clarissa has spent most of her professional career with Arkansas State University Childhood  Services, where she trains and coaches early childhood teachers and administrators across the state. She has also worked closely with program administrators on business  development strategies to help create and sustain high-quality early learning environments. 

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Clarissa and her husband Ronnie have been married for 26 years. They enjoy family dinners,  weekends at the lake, and spending time with their two children - Raylee, a graduate student at Arkansas State University, and Layton, a sophomore at A-State.