Clarissa Love leads Start Early’s continuing journey in becoming an anti-racist organization that creates systemic improvements in early childhood education so that equitable access for all becomes a reality.

She brings more than 12 years of experience on DEIB issues within academia, community and non-profit sectors. Previously, Clarissa served as the diversity, equity and inclusion consultant at Michigan Medicine’s Office for Health, Equity and Inclusion. In this role, she developed a DEIB strategic plan that created opportunities for individual growth and development, enhanced team culture and strengthened networks to build internal and external community equity.

She is a trained facilitator in unconscious bias, hiring and selection best practices and intergroup dialogue and practices restorative justice. Her research interests include: DEIB strategy, organizational engagement, anti-racism, disability and health equity.

Clarissa is a graduate of Hampton University (a Historically Black College and University) and is a native of Illinois. She resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband Sean, a teenager, and 2 fur babies Summer and Harris.