(we are working to acquire the complete records for ALL years)
We advise current and/or former staff to report any abuses you may have witnessed while working at Teen Challenge. For information on your rights and how to take action, visit www.heal-online.org/blowthewhistle.htm. If you were fired or forced to resign because you opposed any illegal and/or unethical practices at Teen Challenge, you have the right to take action.
If you were harmed (family or survivor) by Teen Challenge, please contact [email protected] if you remember the long-term employees and from which years. This will help! Also, if you recognize any of these staff as having worked at another program, please send in any information about their past or present employment at other facilities and/or cults.
Please don’t place your loved one in Teen Challenge and rescue them if they are there now.
|
Name |
Unit/Position |
Additional Information |
| (Dr.) Jack Smart | Executive Director | Cape Girardeau Location --No enrollment information available for this location... |
| Wayne Soemo | Program Director | |
| Greg Priest | Taskmaster | |
| Phil Breithaupt | Regional Representative | |
| Mr. & Mrs. Roy P. Johnson | Founders of this location | Founders in 1968--Donated the land for the facility. |
| Dumitri Turk | Founder | Involved with beginning in 1969. |
| Herb Meppelink | Director in 1972 | Meppelink was originally director of the Detroit Teen Challenge. Moved to Missouri in 1972 and stayed with Teen Challenge Mid-America until his retirement from the facility in 1990. |
| Jake & Amanda Lynch | Executive Directors (married) | Ozarks/Branson Location--Ozarks Juvenile Boys Academy--Ozarks Juvenile Boys Academy--Jake is a "graduate" of Teen Challenge of South Gate, CA. He stayed with the cult and now runs his own branch. There is no enrollment information available through public sources for this program. |
| Brannon & Weslynn Biggers | (married) Intake Coordinator/PR/Kitchen | |
| Steve Borchert | Program Manager | |
| Melanie Lloyd | School Administrator | |
| Adam Holderread | Support Staff | |
| Chris Define | ELP Staff/Fundraising | Define is a "graduate" of the Teen Challenge cult initiation process. He is a "graduate" of the Vero Beach, FL location (scroll down to Vero Beach location from this link). |
| Brent Collins | Executive Director | Ozarks/Reed Springs Location--Ozarks Teen Challenge (a.k.a. Teen Challenge of the Ozarks) There is no further information on staff at this location.* |
| NO NAMES | NO TITLES | Springfield Location--There is no further information on staff at this location.* Appears to be the national corporate headquarters and not a specific program location. |
| C.R. Kersten (male) | Executive Director | St. Louis Location--Teen Challenge of St. Louis HEAL is in the process of reviewing the enrollment materials for this program. |
| Paula Kersten | C.R.'s wife/Admin. Asst. | |
| Paul Ridenour | Program Director | |
| Ron Jones | Coordinator | Teen Challenge "graduate" in 2002. |
| James L. Lowans | Executive Director | Neosho Location--Teen Challenge of the Four States--Assemblies of God graduate. HEAL is in the process of reviewing the enrollment materials for this program. |
| Norma Patterson | Office Manager | |
| Clark Patterson | Intake/Program Director | |
| Vernon Manning | Supervisor | There is no further information on staff at this location.* |
| Teen Challenge Information--See www.heal-online.org/StraightandTeenChallenge.htm | ||
| HEAL Review-- Teen Challenge Ranch in Morrow, AR Contract & Enrollment Materials HEAL is in the process of reviewing the available enrollment materials for the above program(s). In the meantime, we invite you to read the review of the Teen Challenge Ranch of Morrow, AR contract linked in this segment as the contracts are likely very similar and the program ought to be avoided. | ||
*Teen Challenge, like many other programs in this industry, keeps a "tight lid" on any specific information regarding their staff, qualifications, and practices. Please contact us with the names of any staff of which you have firsthand knowledge or experience. Thank you for your help.
Return to www.heal-online.org/childtortureusa.htm#matc or top of page