• Facility dog coordinator, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
• Primary handler for Canine Clinicians team member Squid
• Education: Master’s degree in early childhood education/child life from Mills College and bachelor’s degree in human development from University of California Davis.
Grissim, formerly a child life specialist at Monroe Carell, became the facility dog coordinator in 2020. She uses Squid to provide interventions to meet a patient’s treatment goals. Squid lives with Grissim, joining a German shepherd named Sasha and an orange tabby cat named Pistachio.
Squid, 8-year-old Labrador/golden retriever mix
• An Assistance Dogs International-certified facility dog
• Member of Canine Clinicians, the facility dog program at Monroe Carell
“When we leave Monroe Carell and Squid’s vest comes off, he knows his workday is done. Just like humans, facility dogs need time to relax. We have a cue we give, ‘Release.’ If Squid wants to go lie down, that’s fine. If he wants to go out and do zoomies with my other dog, then so be it. He’s always supervised. It’s also important that we work on new and familiar cues daily to keep his skills set intact. Squid’s tasks are transitioned into fun activities we do with our patients.”
Grissim competed in high school and college sports. She later discovered Senior Olympics, a competition for adults over 50. She won a silver medal for powerlift in 2025. 
Monroe Carell Cardiology Clinic patient Harper Rhody visits with Squid. Grissim and Nicole Van Dermeir, BSN, RN, watch the gentle interaction. 
At home, Squid loves running through an agility course set up for him in Grissim’s backyard. 
Grissim winds up for a discus throw during a Senior Olympics competition. She competes in other events, including the 400-meter, javelin and shot put. 
With the 2024 addition of Velour Vanderbilt, the Monroe Carell facility dog program now covers more areas, more efficiently. “It’s important to recognize their strengths. Velour’s peppy and loves to fetch. Squid is pretty chill and can sit still for a long time to provide patients support during procedures.”