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Claire Ackerman

Intern

After graduating from University School of Nashville in 1996, Claire was thrilled about attending college at Columbia University in New York City.  However, in her first two years as an undergrad, Claire was more excited about exploring the city than her studies.

While taking time off to find her focus, Claire worked as an assistant to two Nashville law partners.  This work not only fueled her desire to return to college, but also her desire to pursue law as a career. 

Upon returning to Columbia in 2000, Claire decided to study Arabic after watching a few films and finding the language beautiful.  She also interned at UNIFEM, taught English to Arab-American youth and worked closely with the Columbia Undergraduate Human Rights Program.  Her academic work focused on the intersection of Islamic Law and Human Rights. In 2003, Claire graduated from Columbia University with high honors and a degree in Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures.  

After graduating, Claire moved to Egypt to continue her Arabic studies but was forced to return home to Nashville when she was injured as a pedestrian in a severe motor vehicle accident in Cairo.  While recovering in Nashville, Claire continued her work with refugee and immigrant groups, and her personal struggle to get treatment for her injuries opened her eyes to the many problems facing the American health care system.

Claire is excited about her work at TJC.  She hopes to help make a difference in the lives of those trying to navigate the labyrinth of health insurance in Tennessee.  She is sure that this experience at TJC will help her immensely when she starts law school this August!

In her free time, Claire enjoys cooking (with yummy locally grown organic foods from the Franklin Farmer’s Market), reading non-fiction about the Mid-East and Africa, taking pictures, and most importantly, walking and playing with her German shepherd dog, Safi.

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