Chip St. Clair - Author of THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN

Chip St. Clair

Chip St. Clair has been capturing the hearts of audiences everywhere with his compelling story of hope, triumph, and the discovery of the true measure of strength each of us has when we can simply gain the courage to look within.

He began sharing his story nationally in 2002, having been featured on major television programs such as Dateline and Good Morning America. As founder and executive director of the St. Clair Butterfly Foundation, St. Clair’s work often places him in the media spotlight as he fights relentlessly for tough legislation aimed at combating identity theft and protecting children, having worked with fathers-turned-advocates Mark Lunsford and Marc Klaas, and most recently helping to pass Montana’s, Maryland’s, and Michigan’s version of Jessica’s Law. In 2005, Chip St. Clair was honored as the recipient of a U.S. Congressional Record for ardent advocacy on behalf of abused and neglected children.

Prior to founding his own organization which helps children heal through the creative arts and literature, St. Clair was poised at the helm of the Michigan chapter of Justice for Children, where he made tremendous strides in aiding children caught up in the nation’s distressed child welfare system. He created legislative initiatives, community awareness programs, and internship programs that still resonate among victims, survivors, and key stakeholders in the child welfare community. St. Clair’s direct involvement in the chapter’s casework played a substantial role in the apprehension of two known child predators whose brutality toward children grabbed national headlines.

St. Clair’s own harrowing story is chronicled in his best selling memoir The Butterfly Garden (HCI, 2008) – a haunting account of surviving the darkest of family secrets — a childhood unknowingly spent on the run with one of America’s most wanted killers — of his metamorphosis from unthinkable horror to a future of self-discovery, hope, and peace using the power of literature and love to battle the demons of the past. And ultimately of his commitment to protect children, empower survivors, and put predators behind bars.

Universities and high schools across the country have now incorporated The Butterfly Garden into their curriculum, and St. Clair’s expertise in advocacy and his riveting lectures have become an integral part of the training for law enforcement, prosecutors, and DHS is several states. In April of 2009, St. Clair was called upon by nearly 100 media outlets around the world to partake in interviews of behalf of Child Abuse Awareness Month.

In his spare time St. Clair enjoys outdoor activities and indulging in his thirst for great literature. He is currently at work on several new book projects, including The NeverMan Chronicles, a sweeping epic of historical fiction. St. Clair resides in Michigan with the love of his life, Lisa, and their two Yorkshire Terriers.