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Ron & Carren Clem Bios Ron Clem - Current & Recent Activities: Author of new release Loss of Innocence published by Virgin Books, and currently the Chairman of the Board of a non-profit organization called Teens in Crisis. Mr. Clem has also been recognized a significant contributor by HBO television for his contributions to the film Montana Meth, produced by billionaire philanthropist Tom Seibel and Mr. Seibel's Montana Meth Project. Mr. Clem started Teens in Crisis in April of 2001 as a result of his daughter's involvement and resulting addiction to methamphetamine. Teens in Crisis is a grass roots organization designed to assist parents with kids of all ages involved in crisis situations. As a result of Mr. Clem's activities with Teens in Crisis he has served as a consultant to the Governors Task Force on Drug and Alcohol, chaired by Senator Duane Grimes.
He has also been the keynote speaker for the following Meth Conferences and events: LEA conference in Billings 2002, the Governors Meth Conference held in Billings Montana in 2003, Mile City Meth Conference in 2004, Great Falls Meth Conference, 2005 and the Attorney General's Office selected Mr. Clem and his daughter as keynote speakers for the Stop Meth Campaign kickoff. The Siebel Foundation and Meth Free Montana also selected Mr. Clem and his daughter to as keynote speakers for the 2005 Siebel Scholars Conference in Chicago, Illinois, focusing on epidemic of Methamphetamine abuse in the United States. Mr. Clem is a court recognized methamphetamine expert and has testified in numerous court cases involving children and methamphetamine. Mr. Clem has coordinated efforts in the Flathead Valley creating a coalition with District Judges, the County Attorney, Justice Courts, Probation Offices and Teens in Crisis members in redirecting drug abusers into treatment rather than incarceration. Last year Teens in Crisis provided financial support in excess of $130,000 assisting families with counseling, personal growth seminar/training for parents, grandparents and extended family members and adult/teen treatment. Mr. Clem continues to work with the Montana Governors Office, the State Attorney Generals Office, and the Montana State University Extension Service in efforts to curb the continuing Methamphetamine epidemic in Montana. Mr. Clem in conjunction with his daughter continue to make public appearances throughout the Northwest to schools, churches, and civic groups battling the issues of drug addiction.
With the assistance of Senator Max Baucus, Mr. Clem started the Kids talking to Kids program. The Kids talking to Kids program enlists the participation of recovering addicts involved in treatment programs to share their life experiences with student's 5th through 12th grades. The Teens in Crisis, Kids talking to Kids program has presented this program throughout the State of Montana to over 30,000 kids and 15,000 parents, from Wolf Point to Noxon and Hardin to Eureka. Teens in Crisis continues to conduct weekly support group meetings with hundreds of parents a month receiving emotional and financial support from the organization.
Mr. Clem worked as a Los Angeles Police Officer from February 1974 to November 1983. Due to injuries received and an anticipated long recovery from surgery, he was retired on a medical pension in November 1984. During his tenure as a police officer he received his basic, intermediate, and advanced Post Certificates. He was selected as "Police Officer of the Year" in Hollenbeck Division in 1981 and received numerous commendations for exemplary service. He worked field narcotics for several years and was a court recognized expert for marijuana, cocaine, PCP, LSD, and heroin identification, under the influence, sales, and distribution for sale.
He attended college prior to working for the Los Angeles Police Department and earned a BS degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Prior to attending college, he was in the United States Navy where he served aboard a WW2 destroyer re-commissioned for interdiction, coastal patrol, close artillery support and pilot rescue in Viet Nam. He did two tours to Viet Nam and received the National Defense and Vietnamese Service medals. He was honorably discharged in January 1970.
Mr. Clem was married to Karyl Kristine Zwinge on May 16, 1969 in La Mirada, California. He has three children, Alicia, Carren and Scott. Alicia recently graduated MSU, Bozeman and continues to work in the Bozeman area. Carren co-authored Loss of Innocence is currently joining her father in writing Hurt Me No More Forever. Scott is in the United States Marines preparing for deployment to the Middle East. Carren Clem: Current & Recent Activities Ms. Clem is the co-author of "Loss of Innocence," and recently moved to Bozeman, MT after working for three years in Yellowstone National Park. Her work experience in Yellowstone Park involved multiple positions. The first position was in the summer of 2004 where she worked as a wrangler in the Mammoth Hot Springs resort area. She then transferred to the food service industry in the winter of 2005 and then continued her employment throughout the summer and winter seasons of 2006. She was selected to perform the duties of assistant dining room manager and then assistant food and beverage manager at the Mammoth Hot Springs Restaurant where she received positive evaluations by her superiors, peers, and customers.
Ms. Clem has continuously committed to working throughout the State of Montana in an effort to stop the devastating methamphetamine epidemic. She is committed to her local community and provides significant volunteer hours speaking to schools, churches and d civic groups. She is a member of the Teens in Crisis Incorporated community support group and repeatedly is asked to participate as a keynote speaker for public events. Ms. Clem continues to mentor Montana students concerning the perils of drug abuse and provides substantial time providing mentorship to families with children struggling with addictive and at risk behaviors. Over the past 4 years she has made over 80 appearances speaking to civic organizations, public schools and to parents in Town Hall meetings concerning the dangers of drug addiction. Ms. Clem was selected to be keynote speaker by Montana State Attorney General, Mike McGrath for the Stop Meth Campaign beginning in 2003.
In 2005-2006 Ms. Clem was selected by Mr. Tom Seibel to act as keynote speaker for the Montana Meth Project. The first event Ms. Clem served as the key note speaker for the release of the five million dollar Montana Meth Project. The second event was the Seibel Scholars program that was hosted in Chicago, IL. Ms. Clem served on a panel of 8-10 persons including Sam Donaldson, General Barry McCaffery, several nationally recognized treatment physicians and political leaders active in the ONDCP and SAMSHA organizations. In 2006 she continued participating in the Montana Meth Project by conducting surveys in local Montana schools to test the effectiveness of the project.
Ms. Clem continues to make herself available for interviews throughout Europe and recently completed an interview with BBC Europe in furtherance of her book, Loss of Innocence. Ms. Clem was recently asked to appear on the Montel Williams television program which is scheduled to air in May 7th, 2007.
Ms. Clem attended Flathead Valley Community College from August 2002 to June 2004, where she earned a full academic scholarship for the year 2004 after earning 3.90 grade point average. Prior to FVCC she was enrolled at the Caribbean Center for Change, Tranquility Bay, Jamaica, due to her addiction to methamphetamine. She attended the school for 17 months, beginning in April of 2001 and graduated in August of 2002. Prior to Tranquility Bay she attended SUWS, a wilderness survival program, for 1 month in Gooding, Idaho. Ms. Clem sought help for her addiction to methamphetamine and at her request her parents placed her in this program after attempting suicide during her use of Meth. Ron and Carren Clem are living proof that recovery from meth is possible. In our opinion, they are also proof that if we expect everyone caught up with this horrible drug to look like "The Faces Of Meth," we're in for a big surprise. Perhaps right in our own families.
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