Clara hails from the Bronx, where she began swimming at the age of four. When she turned 12, she joined her first club team - the Riverbank Redtails - and competed across the Metro through her teenage years. After high school, Clara went on to John Jay College of Criminal Justice and graduated with her Bachelors in Forensics Psychology. She is currently applying to grad school, aiming to earn a Masters in School Psychology, with a goal to work with teenagers and provide them with the support they need to improve their mental health.