October Caregiver Spotlight: Clara Akwarandu

October is here, and so is our next Caregiver Spotlight! Each month, we introduce someone from Pyxie’s Caregiver Advisory Board and give them room to tell their story. We learn a lot from these caregivers as we build Pyxie, and we’d love for you to get to know them, too.

This month, meet Clara Akwarandu, an experienced special needs nanny and Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) who specializes in autism-informed care. Clara brings a thoughtful perspective to her work with children and to her role on our board. Her path into caregiving began long before she earned her credentials, however, so let’s start there.

Meet Clara

Clara grew up as the eldest of five children. Helping care for her siblings gave her an early sense of how much she enjoyed supporting children as they learned new things and became more independent. Over time, that interest took her to Texas Children’s Hospital as a volunteer, then into camp counseling, after-school care, student mentoring, and coaching and refereeing youth soccer.

Today, Clara holds an A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education and is pursuing a Master’s in Human Development and Family Science alongside a Graduate Certificate in Special Education. In her work as a nanny and RBT, she draws on that training to tailor her care to each child, particularly children with autism.

“My childcare philosophy is grounded in respect, observation, and individualized support,” Clara said. Her background in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) helps her understand a child’s learning patterns, strengths, and emotional needs. She also draws on Positive Discipline, using connection, encouragement, and clear expectations to help children build skills. “My goal is never to control a child’s behavior but to teach the skills that lead to self-mastery,” she explained.

Montessori practices are another influence. Clara likes to give children purposeful ways to participate in daily life and prepares spaces where they can explore at their own pace. For her, supporting independence starts with understanding what each child needs to feel capable and secure.

A Glimpse Into Special Needs Nannying

When we asked Clara for a story that shows what her work is really like, she told us about an afternoon with an eight-year-old child she cared for who has Level 3 autism and needs substantial support with communication, daily living, and safety.

While they were driving, the child threw a shoe out of the car window at a busy intersection. Clara made a U-turn, pulled over safely, and retrieved it. Then, before they reached the child’s ABA clinic, the child needed help with a messy care situation in the car that required immediate assistance. Clara finished driving to the clinic where the child’s therapist and supervisor were waiting, and they helped get her cleaned up and welcomed her into her scheduled session. Clara stayed behind to clean the car seat and back seat in the Texas heat.

It was an exhausting afternoon, and one that required much more than simply getting a child from one place to another. Clara had to respond to a safety concern on the road, get the child the help she needed, and take care of the cleanup afterward. She was eventually given hazard pay, which she appreciated.

“Special needs caregiving can involve a level of physical, emotional, and safety-related responsibility that people outside the industry may never see,” Clara explained. She advocates for those responsibilities to be understood and compensated accordingly.

Finding Her Way to Pyxie

Clara joined Pyxie’s Caregiver Advisory Board because she wants caregivers to have a say in decisions that affect their profession. It’s work she knows well. She began as a founding member of Adventure Nannies’ Community Advisory Committee and now serves as its Chair. She is also a Consultant & Neurodivergent Care Specialist with the Formator Institute and Director of Community & Partnerships for the Nanny Relief Fund, a nonprofit organization.

“I enjoy bringing caregiver perspectives to larger conversations, collaborating with others to identify meaningful improvements, and helping turn ideas into practical changes that benefit both caregivers and families,” she told us.

That experience is part of what Clara brings to Pyxie. She knows how to speak up for caregivers while working with others to make an idea more useful in practice.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with Jenna and being part of the process of helping shape Pyxie from a caregiver’s perspective,” Clara said. “I especially applaud her commitment to not only building an advisory board, but also getting hands-on experience with caregiving herself. It’s clear that she genuinely wants to understand the realities of the profession and build Pyxie with caregivers, not just for them.”

What She Hopes Comes Next

Clara hopes that, five to ten years from now, formal employment practices will be ordinary parts of a caregiving job. She wants to see written contracts, guaranteed hours, paid time off, sick leave, clear responsibilities, and other benefits become standard. She also believes families will increasingly seek caregivers with specialized training and professional credentials.

That future matters to her beyond her own work. Clara is invested in making caregiving more respected and sustainable for the people who do it, while also supporting the children and families who rely on them.

Until Next Time

Clara takes her work seriously, but she makes plenty of room for fun outside it. She loves pickleball, weightlifting, travel, and a good adventure (she’s even gone skydiving!).

Thank you, Clara, for sharing both the thoughtful approach and the unpredictable moments behind your work. We’re grateful for the perspective you bring to Pyxie and to the wider caregiving community.

We’ll be back next month with another member of our Caregiver Advisory Board. See you then!