Community Involvement

Clarissa's passion is helping kids.  The vast majority of her community activities in Brevard over the past 30 years has been in this area.

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Most recently Clarissa was honored to serve a term on the Board of Directors of The Haven for Children. As a mother of three and step-mom of three, she has volunteered for years at a time for Brevard Public Schools, for high school football and volleyball programs, for the Holy Trinity Athletic Department, with Suntree-Viera Little League, and as a parent chaperone and driver for club volleyball.  She twice served as a volunteer cheerleading coach for the Suntree-Viera Youth Football and Cheerleading League (one team became County Champs!).  Also, for three years she was was a Board Member for nonprofit Brevard Ballet Theatre, Inc.

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Clarissa was an active member of Junior League of South Brevard for five years.  During that time she was involved in fundraising efforts to get the very first Haven for Children foster home off the ground -- she and a highly driven group of other Brevard women hosted Rummage Roundup and Festival of Trees on an annual basis to reach those funding goals.  She chaired the committee hosting the annual Club Esteem holiday party for children in an economically depressed area of the county (her husband Gary appeared as Santa!), and she was on the League's Community Projects Committee for four of those five years.

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A highlight of her volunteer experiences was serving as the coach for her alma mater Palm Bay High School's Mock Trial Team for three years.  These students were County Champs and placed fifth in the state one year.  One of those team superstars, Valeta Cameron, is now President of the Brevard County Bar Association!  Clarissa also served two years as Coach of Palm Bay High's "We The People" Constitutional Law Competition Team.

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During five years of her time in private practice, Clarissa was part of the "Sally's Friends" group of community members who ensured supplies were gathered and delivered to the residents of the Sally's House Residential Treatment Facility for Mothers and Children.

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She has also served stints as a Brevard County Elections Office Precinct Volunteer and as a Georgetown University Alumni Admissions Program representative interviewing local applicants.

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If she is fortunate enough to earn a place on Brevard's judicial bench, Clarissa intends to dedicate as much time as possible in the community working with kids of all ages to advance their understanding of our American judicial system, and to support them in all their life ambitions.