Robert is our team lead. Robert was born in 1988 in the rural Pocono Mountains of northeast Pennsylvania. At the age of 6 he was diagnosed with severe high functioning autism. In the 3rd grade he took the Wexler Intelligence Test at the request of Towamensing Elementary School. He was found to have a 164 IQ that would develop into a 200+ IQ as an adult, and to be 11 years ahead in his academics. At the age of 12 Robert started working for his father who was an engineer and engine builder/machinist for professional and spectator racing. His father Henry "Hank" Clarkson owned and operated Clarkson Engineering for over 35 years until his retirement in 2016 and worked with names such as Brian Redman, Penske Racing, Cosworth, Porsche, Ferrari, Ford, GM, Chevrolet, Square A Motorcars, and Chevrolet as well as many others. Robert learned from his father for the next 14 years. He honed his skills on everything from building race prep dirt bikes and motorcycles to custom vans and trucks to borderline streel legal track cars to hand-built tube frame style buggies. As a teen and young adult Robert became very self-taught in HAM and CB radio function and modifications. Robert is well versed in computers, coding, networking and electronic hardware repair. Robert attended multiple different colleges since the age of 16 starting with Lehigh Carbon Community College where his mother has been a professor for over 25 years and worked on a masters in cybersecurity with SNHU, but before finishing decided to start Clarkson Atkins Engineering. Robert attended WTTI Welders Training and Testing Institute as a young adult. He was also a Certified Pennsylvania State Vehicle Safety Inspection Mechanic. Robert has had many struggles due to his autism. He has had to overcome many setbacks in his life and hard lessons learned. Every day he continues to do the best he can in and for this world, and always remembers to learn from past and future challenges.
Dakota is our beautiful and indispensable second in command. She was born in 1995 in Whittier California and raised in Phelan California. Dakota is undiagnosed but assumed to be high functioning autistic with mild severity. She was adopted at the age of 11. She has overcome many challenges in life as well. Dakota was part many high school clubs such as show choir, musical theater, fashion design, computer club, as well as many more. Dakota attended a few different colleges for everything from restaurant management to accounting. She has received two different accounting certifications. She was President of the Gay Stright Alliance GSA during her time in college. Dakota is also a Registered In Home Care Support Services nurse with the State of California. Dakota is said to be very kind and helpful.
