A native of the North Carolina Piedmont, Clay grew up in close proximity to several military installations and within a community of Veterans. Several of his relatives and friends served in the military, causing Clay to consider ways in which he could contribute to their experiences that go beyond the cursory “thank you for your service”.

While in graduate school at East Carolina University, Clay decided on research centered around Student Veteran experiences in higher education. From 2013-2016, he worked with several Veteran, enlisted, and military-connected students at Seymour Johnson AFB (Goldsboro) and Fort Bragg (Fayetteville) who enrolled in Partnership Teach, ECU’s online degree completion model. The military-connected students were not just “good” students; many were some of the BEST teacher candidates the program had to offer. Leveraging this realization, he co-initiated the Student Veteran Resource Alliance within the ECU College of Education in 2017. In addition to serving as an Ambassador for Operation Socrates, Clay currently serves as the national Chair of the “Military Affiliation and Educator Preparation” Topical Action Group (sponsored by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education), as a Councilmember on the Teach For America Military Veterans’ Initiative Advisory Council, and as a mentor in Veterati’s higher education space.

He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in History Education from East Carolina University where he currently serves as the Special Populations Coordinator. In this role, Clay directs residency-licensed teachers in their pursuit of state certification. He also earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. There, Clay's research explored the role of the academic degree program within the postsecondary experience of military veterans, namely considering identity complexities that contribute to the cultivation of student veteran sense of belonging.

Clay currently resides in Saxapahaw, North Carolina (just west of Chapel Hill) with his wife and two young sons. His active hobbies include kayaking, hunting, and exploring the outdoors with family and friends. When he isn’t in motion, Clay enjoys reading about OEF/OIF combat engagements, watching documentaries, and sipping a strong cup of coffee.